Generic Keppra: An Overview
Keppra® (
levetiracetam) is a prescription
epilepsy medication. Specifically, Keppra is approved for use in combination with other
seizure medications to treat partial
seizures, myoclonic seizures, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (also known as grand mal seizures).
Currently, brand-name Keppra is manufactured by UCB, Inc. Generic Keppra is also available.
Strengths of Generic Keppra
Generic Keppra tablets are available in the following strengths:
- Levetiracetam 250 mg
- Levetiracetam 500 mg
- Levetiracetam 750 mg.
Generic Keppra oral solution (liquid) is also available in generic form.
Keppra XR is also not yet available in generic form
(see Generic Keppra XR).
Who Makes Generic Keppra?
Generic Keppra is made by a number of different manufacturers, such as:
- Aurobindo Pharma
- Cobalt Pharmaceuticals
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals
- Roxane Laboratories, Inc.
- Sandoz
- Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Is Generic Levetiracetam as Good as Keppra?
All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns each generic a rating. An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. All of the generic Keppra versions currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Keppra.
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers or dyes or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with
allergies or sensitivities.
Sometimes, healthcare providers and patients are hesitant to switch to generic versions of seizure medications. However, a little careful monitoring is often all that is needed to assure a safe transition from brand-name to generic seizure medications.
