Anti-epileptogenic Effects of Eslicarbazepine Acetate

This is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial in patients with acute intracerebral haemorrhage with a Cortical involvement, Age \<65 years, Volume of intracerebral haemorrhage \> 10 ml and Early seizure within 7 days after intracerebral haemorrhage (CAVE) score ≥ 3 or an acute ischaemic stroke with a SeLECT score ≥ 6. At the first visit (screening/baseline, V1a), patients will undergo several examinations to check eligibility. The next visit (V1b) has to be performed within 96 hours after primary stroke occurrence. After eligibility has been confirmed, patients will be randomised (randomisation ratio 1:1) to treatment with ESL 800 mg (Group A) or placebo (Group B). Patients will start treatment with the investigational medicinal product (IMP), i.e. ESL or placebo, within 96 hours after primary stroke occurrence at V1b. They will continue treatment until Day 30 after randomisation and then be tapered off. Thereafter, patients will be followed up until 18 months after randomisation. Patients can concomitantly receive antiepileptic therapies, except commercially available ESL or oxcarbazepine, until Day 30. Concomitant antiepileptic therapies have to be discontinued and down-titration has to be started according to the respective Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). If the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)/benzodiazepine are not already discontinued before, downtitration must be started on Day 31 at the latest. If one or more AS(s) occur(s) within 7 days after primary stroke, this will not result in change of IMP dose. Patients having a first US will discontinue IMP treatment and will be treated at the discretion of the investigator until 18 months after randomisation, except with commercially available ESL. Further visits will be performed 7 days (V2, on-site), 37 days (V3, on-site), 12 weeks (V4, telephone), 26 weeks (V5, on-site), 38 weeks (V6, telephone), 52 weeks (V7, on-site), 64 weeks (V8, telephone) and 78 weeks (End of Trial (EoT) visit, on-site) after V1b.