New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Epilepsy

Epilepsy affects about 1 in 26 people at some point in their lives. Treatment centers on preventing seizures with medications — more than 30 options now exist — and sometimes surgery to remove the part of the brain where seizures start. About two-thirds of people gain good seizure control, but many still have breakthrough seizures or troublesome side effects.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing new seizure medications with different mechanisms, brain-responsive devices that detect and stop seizures as they begin, gene therapies for rare epilepsies caused by single-gene mutations, and cannabinoid treatments beyond CBD. Researchers are also mapping seizure networks with better imaging and studying why some epilepsies resist all available drugs.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on seizure type, how many seizures occur per month, whether current medications have failed, and sometimes the genetic cause of epilepsy.

What types of trials are currently open

• Medication trials — Testing new anti-seizure drugs, often comparing them to standard medications or adding them to existing treatment. These trials measure seizure frequency and side effects.
• Device trials — Studies of implanted or external devices that stimulate the brain or vagus nerve to prevent or stop seizures. Some trials test devices that respond to seizure activity in real time.
• Gene therapy trials — For genetic epilepsies, trials test therapies that replace, silence, or edit the faulty gene. These are often small studies in specific rare epilepsy syndromes.
• Cannabinoid trials — Testing cannabis-derived compounds beyond CBD, including THC formulations and other cannabinoids, to see if they reduce seizures in drug-resistant epilepsy.
• Surgical technique studies — Comparing different surgical approaches or using new imaging to identify the best candidates for epilepsy surgery.