Efficacy and Safety of Eslicarbazepine Acetate as Therapy for Patients With Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

Inclusion Criteria: * Written informed consent to participate in the study * Men and women aged 18 years or older * Previous diagnosis of herpes zoster * Diagnosis of postherpetic neuralgia and neuropathic pain present for more than 3 months after healing of the herpes zoster skin rash * Cooperation and willingness to complete all aspects of the study * Completion of at least 4 daily diaries during the week preceding randomisation * A minimum average daily pain score of 4 on the NRPS in the last 4 diary entries before randomisation. Exclusion Criteria: * Pain of other origin that might confound the assessment of neuropathic pain of postherpetic origin * Active herpes zoster lesion or dermatitis of any origin at the affected site * Subjects who had neurological ablation by block or neurosurgical intervention for control of pain * Significant or unstable medical or psychiatric disorders * Drug or alcohol abuse in the preceding 2 years * Severe renal function impairment, as shown by calculated creatinine clearance values \< 30 mL/min at screening * Relevant clinical laboratory abnormalities (e.g., Na+ \<130 mmol/L, alanine (ALT) or aspartate (AST) transaminases \>2.0 times the upper limit of the normal, white blood cell count (WBC) \<2,500 cells/mm3) * Previous participation in any study with eslicarbazepine acetate * Pregnancy or breast feeding * History of hypersensitivity to the investigational products or to drugs with a similar chemical structure * History of non-compliance * Likelihood of requiring treatment during the study period with drugs or other interventions not permitted by the clinical study protocol * Participation in a clinical study within 3 months prior to screening * Any clinical significant concomitant condition which might influence the assessments or conduct of the trial.