Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
Quick facts
- Drug class
- Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibitors [MoA]
- How it is given
- oral
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 1739761
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
Brivaracetam tablets are indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older. Brivaracetam tablets are indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older. ( 1 )
About this medicine
The chemical name of brivaracetam is (2S)-2-[(4R)-2-oxo-4-propyltetrahydro-1H-pyrrol-1-yl] butanamide. Its molecular formula is C 11 H 20 N 2 O 2 and its molecular weight is 212.29. The chemical structure is: Brivaracetam is a white to off-white crystalline powder. It is very soluble in water, in buffer (pH 1.2, 4.5, and 7.4), in ethanol, in methanol, and in glacial acetic acid. It is freely soluble in acetonitrile and in acetone and soluble in toluene. It is very slightly soluble in n-hexane. Tablets Brivaracetam tablets are for oral administration and contain the following inactive ingredients: anhydrous lactose, croscarmellose sodium, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, silicified microcrystalline cellulose and film-coating agents specified below: 10 mg tablets: titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc. 25 mg tablets: titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc, iron oxide red. 50 mg tablets: titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc, iron oxide yellow. 75 mg tablets: titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc, iron oxide red, black iron oxide. 100 mg tablets: titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc, FD&C yellow No. 6. brivaracetam-structure
How it works
12.1 Mechanism of Action The precise mechanism by which brivaracetam exerts its anticonvulsant activity is not known. Brivaracetam displays a high and selective affinity for synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) in the brain, which may contribute to the anticonvulsant effect.
Who should not take it
Hypersensitivity to brivaracetam or any of the inactive ingredients in brivaracetam tablets (bronchospasm and angioedema have occurred) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] . Hypersensitivity to brivaracetam or any of the inactive ingredients in brivaracetam. (4)
Warnings and cautions
Suicidal Behavior and Ideation: Monitor patients for suicidal behavior and ideation. (5.1) Neurological Adverse Reactions: Monitor for somnolence and fatigue, and advise patients not to drive or operate machinery until they have gained sufficient experience on brivaracetam. (5.2) Psychiatric Adverse Reactions: Behavioral reactions including psychotic symptoms, irritability, depression, aggressive behavior, and anxiety; monitor patients for symptoms. (5.3) Hypersensitivity: Bronchospasm and Angioedema: Advise patients to seek immediate medical care. Discontinue and do not restart brivaracetam if hypersensitivity occurs. (5.4) Serious Dermatologic Reactions: Discontinue brivaracetam unless an alternative etiology is established ( 5.5 ) Withdrawal of Antiepileptic Drugs: Brivaracetam should be gradually withdrawn. ( 5.6 ) 5.1 Suicidal Behavior and Ideation Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including brivaracetam, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior. Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical trials (mono- and adjunctive therapy) of 11 different AEDs showed that patients randomized to one of the AEDs had approximately twice the risk (adjusted Relative Risk 1.8, 95% CI:1.2, 2.7) of suicidal thinking or behavior compared to patients randomized to placebo. In these trials, which had a median treatment duration of 12 weeks, the estimated incidence rate of suicidal behavior or ideation among 27,863 AED-treated patients was 0.43%, compared to 0.24% among 16,029 placebo-treated patients, representing an increase of approximately one case of suicidal thinking or behavior for every 530 patients treated. There were four suicides in drug-treated patients in the trials and none in placebo-treated patients, but the number is too small to allow any conclusion about drug effect on suicide. […]
Reported side effects
The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in labeling: Suicidal Behavior and Ideation [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] Neurological Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] Psychiatric Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] Hypersensitivity: Bronchospasm and Angioedema [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] Serious Dermatologic Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Withdrawal of Antiepileptic Drugs [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Adults: Most common adverse reactions (at least 5% for brivaracetam and at least 2% more frequently than placebo) are somnolence/sedation, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea/vomiting. (6.1) Pediatric Patients: Most common adverse reactions are similar to those seen in adult patients. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Novadoz Pharmaceuticals LLC at 1-855-668-2369 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. In all controlled and uncontrolled trials performed in adult epilepsy patients, brivaracetam was administered as adjunctive therapy to 2437 patients. Of these patients, 1929 were treated for at least 6 months, 1500 for at least 12 months, 1056 for at least 24 months, and 758 for at least 36 months. A total of 1558 patients (1099 patients treated with brivaracetam and 459 patients treated with placebo) constituted the safety population in the pooled analysis of Phase 3 placebo-controlled studies in patients with partial-onset seizures (Studies 1, 2, and 3) [see Clinical Studies (14)] . The adverse reactions presented in Table 4 are based on this safety population; the median length of treatment in these studies was 12 weeks. Of the patients in those studies, approximately 51% were male, 74% were Caucasian, and the mean age was 38 years. […]
Interactions with other medicines
Rifampin: Because of decreased concentrations, increasing brivaracetam dosage in patients on concomitant rifampin is recommended. (2.6 , 7.1) Carbamazepine: Because of increased exposure to carbamazepine metabolite, if tolerability issues arise, consider reducing carbamazepine dosage in patients on concomitant brivaracetam. (7.2) Phenytoin: Because phenytoin concentrations can increase, phenytoin levels should be monitored in patients on concomitant brivaracetam. (7.3) Levetiracetam: Brivaracetam had no added therapeutic benefit when co-administered with levetiracetam. (7.4) 7.1 Rifampin Co-administration with rifampin decreases brivaracetam plasma concentrations likely because of CYP2C19 induction [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . Prescribers should increase the brivaracetam dose by up to 100% (i.e., double the dosage) in patients while receiving concomitant treatment with rifampin [see Dosage and Administration (2.6)] . 7.2 Carbamazepine Co-administration with carbamazepine may increase exposure to carbamazepine-epoxide, the active metabolite of carbamazepine. Though available data did not reveal any safety concerns, if tolerability issues arise when co-administered, carbamazepine dose reduction should be considered [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . 7.3 Phenytoin Because brivaracetam can increase plasma concentrations of phenytoin, phenytoin levels should be monitored in patients when concomitant brivaracetam is added to or discontinued from ongoing phenytoin therapy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . 7.4 Levetiracetam Brivaracetam provided no added therapeutic benefit to levetiracetam when the two drugs were co-administered [see Clinical Studies (14)] .
Use in specific groups
Pregnancy: Based on animal data, may cause fetal harm. (8.1) 8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Exposure Registry There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), such as brivaracetam, during pregnancy. Encourage patients who are taking brivaracetam during pregnancy to enroll in the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry by calling the toll free number 1-888-233-2334 or visiting http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org/. Risk Summary Available data from the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) pregnancy registry, a prospective cohort study, case reports, and a case series are insufficient to identify a risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or other maternal or fetal outcomes associated with brivaracetam use during pregnancy. In animal studies, brivaracetam produced evidence of developmental toxicity (increased embryofetal mortality and decreased fetal body weights in rabbits; decreased growth, delayed sexual maturation, and long-term neurobehavioral changes in rat offspring) at maternal plasma exposures greater than clinical exposures [see Data] . The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. Data Animal Data Oral administration of brivaracetam (0, 150, 300, or 600 mg/kg/day) to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis did not produce any significant maternal or embryofetal toxicity. The highest dose tested was associated with maternal plasma exposures (AUC) approximately 30 times exposures in humans at the maximum recommended dose (MRD) of 200 mg/day. Oral administration of brivaracetam (0, 30, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg/day) to pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis resulted in embryofetal mortality and decreased fetal body weights at the highest dose tested, which was also maternally toxic. […]
If too much is taken
There is limited clinical experience with brivaracetam overdose in humans. Somnolence and dizziness were reported in a patient taking a single dose of 1400 mg (14 times the highest recommended single dose) of brivaracetam. The following adverse reactions were reported with brivaracetam overdose: vertigo, balance disorder, fatigue, nausea, diplopia, anxiety, and bradycardia. In general, the adverse reactions associated with brivaracetam overdose were consistent with the known adverse reactions. There is no specific antidote for overdose with brivaracetam. In the event of overdose, standard medical practice for the management of any overdose should be used. An adequate airway, oxygenation, and ventilation should be ensured; monitoring of cardiac rate and rhythm and vital signs is recommended. A certified poison control center should be contacted for updated information on the management of overdose with brivaracetam. There are no data on the removal of brivaracetam using hemodialysis, but because less than 10% of brivaracetam is excreted in urine, hemodialysis is not expected to enhance brivaracetam clearance.
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This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 15 November 2025. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.