The ninth biannual conference sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and the Epilepsy Therapy Project was held in Sunny Isles, Florida, March 21 – 23, 2007. The focus was on issues related to antiepileptic drug (AED) development from preclinical discoveries through clinical evaluations. In 2007, as many antiepileptic drugs are in the pipeline as at any time in the past. With nine new AEDs already approved, there is a unique opportunity to learn from the past as we move into the future. The symposium brought together representatives from academia, industry, the NIH, and the FDA to review what has been learned and to discuss strategies to enhance AED development.

• Day One – Development of new drugs to prevent epilepsy and treat epilepsy, and how to test drugs and devices
• Day Two – Special Populations, formulations, and secondary endpoints
• Day Three – Drugs in the Pipeline and the CNS Epilepsy Company Forum

Day 1 – Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Development of new drugs to prevent epilepsy and treat epilepsy, and how to test drugs and devices
	Introduction Jacqueline A. French, MD
Session I: Preclinical-development of new AEDs and new drugs to prevent epilepsy Moderator – Marc A. Dichter, MD, PhD
	New Animal models for refractory epilepsy: Are they ready for prime time? H. Steve White PhD
	Biomarkers in epilepetogenesis: Results from NIH consensus conference Marc A. Dichter, MD, PhD
	Human Dose prediction from animal studies Meir Bialer, PhD, MBA
	Why/When do epilepsy drugs fail during development? Roger J. Porter, MD, LLC
	Panel Discussion
Session II: Proof of Principle Moderator – Jacqueline A. French, MD
	Proof of Principle I: What does activity in photosensitivity mean? Dorothee Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite, MD, PhD, MPH
	Proof of Principle II: POP for eleptogenesis Susan T. Herman, MD
Session III: Monotherapy Moderator – Bernd Schmidt, MD, PhD
	Options for monotherapy approval: US Jacqueline A. French, MD
	Options for monotherapy approval: Europe Michel Baulac, MD
	Active control trials: Details do matter! Martin J. Brodie, MD
	Panel Discussion
Session IV: Device Trials Moderator – Brian Litt, MD
	Device Trials: Investigator perspective Robert S. Fisher, MD, PhD
	Panel Discussion
Day 2 – Thursday, March 22, 2007 Special Populations, formulations, and secondary endpoints Session V: Special Populations Moderator – John Pollard, MD
	Pediatrics Placebos and equipoise in new-onset pediatric epilepsy: Implications for monotherapy trials Dennis Dlugos, MD
	Neonatal/infant trials John M. Pellock, MD
	Pediatric exclusivity Russell Katz, MD
Elderly
	Panel Discussion
Women’s Issues
	Pregnancy registries: What do they teach us? Page B. Pennell, MD
	AED interactions with oral contraceptive steroids and Hormones: How and when to test Emilio Perucca, MD, PhD
	Results of the NEADs study Kimford Meador, MD
	Panel Discussion
Session VI: Formulations
	Long-acting formulations: What is the goal? James Cloyd, PharmD
	Lessons learned in the development of extended-release AEDs: An industry perspective Ronald c. Reed, BS, RPh, PharmD
	Alternate routes for AED administration James Cloyd, PharmD
	FDA Perspective Russell Katz, MD
	Panel Discussion
Session VII: Secondary Endpoints Moderator – Joyce Cramer
	Assesment of the positive psychiatric impacts of AEDS Andres M. Kanner, MD
	Fixed vs. flexible dosing Vinder Nohria, MD, PhD
	FDA Update Russell Katz, MD
	Panel Discussion
Day 3 – Friday, March 23, 2007 Drugs in the Pipeline and the CNS Epilepsy Company Forum Session VIII: Drugs in the Pipeline Moderator – Harvey Kupferberg, PhD
	Eslicarbazepine Antonio Gil-Nagel Rein, MD
	Huperzine Steve Schachter, MD
	Selecting novel AEDs among SV2A ligands Hentrik Klitgaard, PhD
	T2000: Uses of Non-sedating barbiturates Daniel Moros, MD
	Valproate Derivitives Meir Bialer, PhD, MBA
Session IX
	Panel Discussion: Partnership and Financing Opportunities in Epilepsy and CNS: Corporate and VC Perspectives Nicola Campbell, PhD Christine De Los Reyes, PharmD Jason Levin Richard Masterson Garry Menzel, PhD Dan O’Connell Lauren Silverman, PhD Thomas Woiwode, PhD
	The Epilepsy Study Consortium Jacqueline French, MD
	Panel Discussion: The Role of the CRO in the Clinical Development of Epilepsy/CNS Drugs Moderator – Stephen Collins, PhD Tomislav Babic, MD, PhD Michael Cioffi Wendy L. Martin, MD Moderator – Warren Lammert
	Epilepsy and CNS Dynamics Zach Lynch
	Neuropace, Inc Frank Fischer
	NeuroAdjuvants: Galanin H. Steve White, PhD
	In Vivo Anticonvulsant HTS Leo Liu, MD
	Intranasal Franz F. Hefti, PhD
	YKP3089 and SK S. James Lee, PhD