Clobazam

Clobazam belongs to the 1,5-benzodiazepine class of drugs and is marketed under different names, Onfi, Frisium, Urbanyl, and others.. Clobazam was first synthesized in 1966 and first published in 1969, following the incidental synthesis and discovery of the first benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide in the 1950s. Unlike older 1,4-benzodiazepines, clobazam has a better side-effects profile, particularly less sedative and amnesic effects. This is likely because of clobazam's higher affinity to the α subunit of the GABA receptor, which mediates anxiolytic effects, than the α subunit, which mediates sedative effect. Additionally, clobazam is believed to be a partial agonist to the GABA receptor rather than non-selective full receptor agonists like 1,4-benzodiazepines, thus potentially explaining the decreased incidence of sedative effects.

Clobazam has been marketed as an anxiolytic since 1975 and an anticonvulsant since 1984. In October 21, 2011, the FDA approved clobazam as an adjunctive treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in adults and children aged two years and older. In 2005, clobazam also received approval from Health Canada as an add-on therapy for generalized tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and focal impaired awareness seizures.

Clobazam is indicated for the adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in patients 2 years of age or older.