What We Do
Accelerate progress in epilepsy research
Consortium members have decades of accomplishments in innovative epilepsy research. A nucleus for collaborative research was formally achieved in 2006 with the founding of the Epilepsy Study Consortium as a non-profit organization. Since its founding, 8 new anti-epileptic drugs and several new devices have successfully been brought to market in collaboration with TESC. Many others are under active development. Collaborative research is a vital key to continued 21st century successes in new epilepsy therapies.
Lingering problems for patients with epilepsy remain in the sights of new solutions
- About a third of patients remain treatment-resistant with uncontrolled seizures
- An additional third of patients experience significant medication side effects impacting their quality of life
- Patients with many seizure types and epilepsy syndromes remain particularly underserved
The Epilepsy Study Consortium creates innovative trial designs
- Streamlines the processes for determining the potential impact of new therapies
- Plans and implements earliest stage of development studies – particularly early, proof-of-principle studies
- Constructs studies and methodologies through Phase IIB
- Distinguishes potentially safe and effective therapies rapidly, while efficiently filtering out inactive candidates
- Adjudicates subjects for trials to eliminate inappropriate or misclassified candidates
- Implements actions to reduce placebo response
- Discriminates the therapeutic advantages in efficacy, safety, ease of use, or spectrum of activity
- Reduces organizational and regulatory barriers hindering patients and investigators from participating in modern epilepsy research
- Participates with other epilepsy centers to execute trials quickly, correctly and safely
- Organizes a biennial symposium on AntiEpileptic Drugs & Devices (AEDD). Chaired for the past 25 years by Jacqueline French MD (Consortium President) & Marc Dichter MD PhD.