Xenon’s late-stage data revive Kv7 target in focal onset epilepsy

Among a busy week for clinical updates was a Phase III focal epilepsy readout that sent Xenon’s shares up 50% and put the Kv7 target firmly back on map after the market withdrawal of Potiga almost a decade ago.

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:XENE) announced Monday that its Kv7 potassium channel opener azetukalner met the primary endpoint in the Phase III X-TOLE2 study, with a 42.7% placebo-adjusted median decrease in monthly focal onset seizure frequency over 12 weeks in the high dose cohort (p=0.000000000006), outperforming the molecule’s Phase IIb X-TOLE data...