Human Epilepsy Project Provides Uplifting News for Patients with Focal Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy

This long-term, international study supports the theory that with treatment, patients with focal epilepsy improve over time.

BOWIE, Md., Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Foundation of America along with New York University announced today the results of the Human Epilepsy Project 2 (also known as HEP2), a biomarker research study. This study monitored 146 people with focal treatment-resistant epilepsy (FTRE) for up to three years to measure changes in seizure frequency, treatments used, presence of comorbidities — such as depression and anxiety — healthcare costs, and quality of life.

The HEP2 study followed participants between the ages of 16 and 65 with a history of focal epilepsy who had four or more seizures per month and tried four or more drugs to control seizures without success.

In this multicenter, observational cross-sectional study of patients with FTRE, 86 of 126 participants (63%) had significant seizure frequency reduction. There was no significant difference in seizure reduction based on devices (such as vagus nerve stimulation or responsive neurostimulation system) or antiseizure medication (ASM) changes.

Findings from the HEP2 study imply that patients with focal treatment-resistant epilepsy improve over time with treatment. Antiseizure medication additions had low probability of achieving seizure freedom but contributed to reduction in seizures, and patients with devices exhibited similar seizure trajectories to those without devices.

"To use an analogy," said Jacqueline French, MD, Medical Director of the Epilepsy Foundation of America, "If we look at a patient's brain like a door, many patients with FTRE are looking for the key to 'unlock' their brain's seizure control. Working alongside their physicians, FTRE patients can find the key to their door. It might take a bit of time, but once it's found, their symptoms will improve."

HEP2 is the second in a group of registry-based studies called the Human Epilepsy Project, a joint initiative of the Epilepsy Foundation of America and the Epilepsy Study Consortium to improve the care of people with epilepsy.

"Patients with focal treatment-resistant epilepsy were left to assume their disease course would worsen with time," said Ojas Potnis, MD. "With this study, we're able to show that there is hope for patients who experience frequent focal seizures."

Approximately 3.4 million people in the United States have epilepsy, a condition in which a person's brain has electrical and chemical activity that leads to seizures. Focal epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy and occurs when a person experiences seizures in one part of their brain.

About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is the most common chronic brain disorder in the world, affecting people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 3.4 million Americans live with active epilepsy. The condition is defined by a tendency to experience seizures—sudden, abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain that can disrupt behavior, awareness, and bodily control. Beyond seizures, epilepsy can also lead to challenges such as fatigue, memory difficulties, mood changes, anxiety, and trouble concentrating, all of which can significantly impact daily life. Visit epilepsy.com to learn more.

About the Epilepsy Foundation of America
The Epilepsy Foundation America is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by epilepsy through education, advocacy, research, and connection. For more than 50 years, the Foundation has led efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and advocate for policies that make a meaningful difference for individuals living with epilepsy. We also fund cutting-edge research and support early-career investigators working to discover new treatments and therapies. Through our nationwide network of local offices and community partners, the Foundation expands access to care, provides seizure recognition and first aid training, and delivers direct services to those in need. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000; in Spanish laepilepsia.org or call 866.748.8008.

SOURCE Epilepsy Foundation