The Epilepsy Foundation’s Pipeline Conference to Feature Groundbreaking Updates in Epilepsy Treatment & Care

Accelerator Award to Be Presented to Emory Epilepsy Center Chief Neurologist

The Epilepsy Foundation today announced it will host its 2024 Pipeline Conference on September 25-26 at the Signia by Hilton Hotel in Atlanta. The conference brings together key opinion leaders in the field of epilepsy treatment, therapeutic innovation, and product development to preview new therapies, explore future advancements, and foster collaboration.

Key topics to be discussed include:

• Digital tools, such as seizure prediction, for clinical trials and beyond
• Increasing diversity in clinical trials 
• Measuring non-seizure outcomes in disease modifying trials 
• Trial design considerations for Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy (DEE) trials 
• Challenges and opportunities in clinical trials recruitment

Pipeline is also the forum for the Epilepsy Foundation Accelerator Award, which honors achievements in the development of new epilepsy therapies. Each year, the Lifetime Accelerator Award is presented to a physician, scientist, industry leader, or other individual who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to bringing new therapies to people living with epilepsy. Lifetime Accelerator Award recipients are chosen by an independent committee of global thought leaders and clinical investigators in epilepsy and seizure therapy discovery and development. This year’s award recipient is Raymond Edward Faught Jr., MD, director of the Emory Epilepsy Center.

“Dr. Faught is truly an example of a trailblazer in the epilepsy field who has impacted the way we evaluate therapies in development and is passionate about brain science and innovation,” said Dr. Jaqueline French, Chief Medical & Innovation Officer, Epilepsy Foundation. “He is not only a pioneer in our field, but also a renowned epileptologist who continues to influence the quality of life for people with epilepsy. We are excited to honor him with the Accelerator Award.”

Dr. Faught’s research involves clinical trials of new anti-seizure medications, epidemiology, and health outcomes of epilepsy. He served as director of the Emory Epilepsy Center and chief of neurology at Emory University Hospital Midtown. Dr. Faught is an expert in clinical pharmacology and clinical trials of anti-seizure medications, especially trial design, pharmacokinetics, and side effects of drugs. He has also published on the epidemiology of epilepsy in elderly and disadvantaged populations, including large national databases to explore quality of care.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” Dr. Faught said. “When I look at the list of colleagues who have received this award before me, I am humbled to be amongst such an esteemed group of individuals, whom I’ve admired and some with whom I have collaborated in the past. I am grateful for this honor.”  

For more information about the Pipeline Conference, visit epilepsy.com/pipeline2024.

About Epilepsy 

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.

About the Epilepsy Foundation

With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is focused on improving the lives of people with epilepsy by educating the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid; leading advocacy efforts; funding innovative research; and connecting people to treatment, support and resources so that no one faces epilepsy alone. For decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has continued to drive innovation and improve access to care to transform the lives of people across the epilepsy spectrum. Today, the Epilepsy Foundation also focuses on addressing social determinants of health in epilepsy through its partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address barriers to quality care, increase awareness and reduce the stigma of living with epilepsy. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000; in Spanish at 1.866.748.8008 or laepilepsia.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.