Issues related to development of new antiseizure treatments.

This report represents a summary of the discussions led by the antiseizure treatment working group of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)/American Epilepsy Society (AES) Working Groups joint meeting in London (London Meeting). We review here what is currently known about the pharmacologic characteristics of current models of refractory seizures, both for adult and pediatric epilepsy. In addition, we address how the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)-funded Anticonvulsant Screening Program (ASP) is evolving to incorporate appropriate animal models in the search for molecules that might be sufficiently novel to warrant further pharmacologic development. We also briefly address what we believe is necessary, going forward, to achieve the goal of stopping seizures in all patients, with a call to arms for funding agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, and basic researchers.