On the Brink of Breakthrough: How an Arthritis Med Could Stop Seizures

This month on Seizing Life® we welcome Dr. Olivia Hoffman to the podcast to tell us about one of the most exciting discoveries in epilepsy research in recent years, a repurposed drug that has shown remarkable promise in eliminating seizures and restoring cognition in animal models.

Regular listeners of the Seizing Life® podcast may recall a recent episode in which Dr. Daniel Lowenstein referred to “one of the most spectacular discoveries (he’s) seen in the last couple of years” in the field of epilepsy research. That discovery was made in Dr. Avtar Roopra’s lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and key post-doctoral researcher Dr. Olivia Hoffman joins us to explain the process, promise, and possible impacts of her work. Tofacitinib, a repurposed and FDA-approved drug for arthritis, has shown amazing promise in treating epilepsy in laboratory animal models. In mice, the drug has shown incredible results: it suppresses seizures, even eliminating them in a majority of the animal models; it seems to restore cognitive functions; and it is well-tolerated with few side effects, while also seemingly providing future protection from seizures. Dr. Hoffman details how she and her team built upon previous research to arrive at this surprising and encouraging discovery, shares theories behind how the drug may be working, explains how it could impact the lives of those living with epilepsy, and charts the next steps to get the drug into a human trial – steps which may be hindered, slowed, or even halted by recently threatened cuts to NIH funding.

This is one of the most promising and hopeful epilepsy discoveries in recent years, but it comes at one of the most anxious and challenging times in history for medical researchers, placing this discovery and Dr. Roopra’s lab at the crossroads of science, government, healthcare, and bureaucracy. It’s an important story at a crucial time when our country is reassessing the value of scientific research.

ABOUT CURE EPILEPSY
CURE Epilepsy is the leading, non-governmental funder of epilepsy research. Since its inception in 1998, CURE Epilepsy has raised more than $100 million to fund epilepsy research and other initiatives that will lead the way to cures for the epilepsies. CURE Epilepsy funds grants for young and established investigators and to–date has awarded more than 300 cutting-edge projects in 18 countries around the world. Our mission is to fund breakthrough research that will transform the lives of people living with epilepsy as we lead the search for a cure.

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