Two medicines, side by side
Levetiracetam vs brivaracetam
Levetiracetam and brivaracetam are both labeled for seizures and epilepsy. Drugs@FDA records approvals of levetiracetam since 1999 and of brivaracetam since 2016. Pharmacies paid $0.0736 per levetiracetam 500 mg tablet and $0.259 per brivaracetam 100 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the levetiracetam FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 28, 2026); the brivaracetam FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 20, 2026).
Highlights of the levetiracetam record
Levetiracetam (Keppra) · label of January 28, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsKEPPRA is indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older ( 1.1 ) KEPPRA is indicated for adjunctive therapy for the treatment of: Myoclonic seizures in patients 12 years of age and older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy ( 1.2 ) Primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients 6 years of age and older with idiopathic generalized epilepsy ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Partial-Onset […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 30, 1999
- Generic labelers
- 84 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0736 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 15
Highlights of the brivaracetam record
Brivaracetam (Briviact) · label of August 20, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsBRIVIACT is indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older. BRIVIACT is indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 18, 2016
- Generic labelers
- 16 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.259 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Levetiracetam label of January 28, 2026, Brivaracetam label of August 20, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do levetiracetam and brivaracetam differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Levetiracetam, “A saturable and stereoselective neuronal binding site in rat brain tissue has been described for levetiracetam.”; Brivaracetam, “The precise mechanism by which BRIVIACT exerts its anticonvulsant activity is not known.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Levetiracetam, “Following oral administration of twice-daily dosing for 10 days, total body clearance decreased by 38% and the …”; Brivaracetam, “The terminal plasma half-life (t 1/2 ) is approximately 9 hours.”
Generics: levetiracetam since 2008; brivaracetam since 2022 (Drugs@FDA).
DEA schedule: levetiracetam none; brivaracetam CV.
| Levetiracetam | Brivaracetam | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Seizures and epilepsy | Seizures and epilepsy |
| Pharmacologic class | n/a | n/a |
| How it works (label) | The precise mechanism(s) by which levetiracetam exerts its antiepileptic effect is unknown. A saturable and stereoselective neuronal binding site in rat brain tissue has been described for levetiracetam. | The precise mechanism by which BRIVIACT exerts its anticonvulsant activity is not known. |
| Half-life (label) | Following oral administration of twice-daily dosing for 10 days, total body clearance decreased by 38% and the half-life was 2.5 hours longer in the elderly compared to healthy adults. | The terminal plasma half-life (t 1/2 ) is approximately 9 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | November 30, 1999 | February 18, 2016 |
| First generic approved | November 4, 2008 | June 9, 2022 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 84 labelers | 16 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0736 per tablet (Levetiracetam 500 mg tablet) | $0.259 per tablet (Brivaracetam 100 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -5% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 15 | 1 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 132,823 | 8,940 |
| DEA schedule | none | CV |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
Do their labels mention each other?
Brivaracetam label, drug interactionsBRIVIACT had no added therapeutic benefit when co-administered with levetiracetam.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to levetiracetam
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions