Progress report on new epilepsy treatments: A summary of the Eighteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XVIII). II. Treatments in more advanced clinical development.

This article summarizes data for 13 investigational treatments for which at least preliminary seizure outcome data in patients with epilepsy were reported at the Eighteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices held in Madrid, Spain, on May 3-6, 2026. The treatments reviewed include bexicaserin, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) type 2C (5-HT2C) receptor superagonist investigated as a treatment for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs); BMB-101, a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist investigated for the treatment of absence seizures and DEEs; elsunersen, an antisense oligonucleotide designed for the treatment of early-onset SCN2A-DEE; EPX-100 (clemizole hydrochloride), an antihistamine endowed with agonist activity at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptors, repurposed as a treatment for DEEs; ES-481, an antagonist of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors containing the transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein γ8 (TARP-γ8), under investigation for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy; ETX-101, a gene therapy in development for the treatment of SCN1A-positive Dravet syndrome; PrevEp-006 (intranasal seletracetam), a synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) ligand under investigation as an acute seizure rescue therapy; radiprodil, a negative allosteric modulator that binds to the GluN2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, in development for the treatment of seizures and other symptoms associated with GRIN-related neurodevelopmental disorder, tuberous sclerosis complex, and focal cortical dysplasia type II; RAP-219, a selective negative allosteric modulator of TARP-γ8, in development for drug-resistant focal epilepsy; relutrigine, a selective disease-state sodium channel modulator investigated as a treatment for SCN2A- and SCN8A-DEE; Staccato Alprazolam, a breath-actuated device that delivers alprazolam to the lungs for rapid seizure termination; vormatrigine, a functionally selective sodium channel modulator in development for the treatment of focal seizures; and zorevunersen, an antisense oligonucleotide engineered to restore endogenous Nav1.1 protein expression, investigated for the treatment of Dravet syndrome. Overall, the evidence reviewed justifies expectations for improved health outcomes for the millions of children and adults with epilepsy who do not fully benefit from existing therapies.