# Translational Platform for Epilepsy Therapy and Biomarker Discovery

> **NIH NIH R01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $47,310

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
There is currently no validated treatment to prevent the development of acquired epilepsies, such as post-
traumatic epilepsy. The availability of biomarker that predicts, at an early stage, people at risk to develop epilepsy
and benefit from treatment interventions would significantly accelerate and de-risk the process of identifying an
antiepileptogenic therapy. In this study, that is based on collaborations and preliminary data derived from
EpiBioS4Rx, an NINDS funded Center without Walls, we aim to create a rigorous and effective preclinical model
to screen a new candidate treatment to prevent posttraumatic epilepsy in the lateral fluid percussion injury model
as well as identify biomarkers to guide treatment implementation. We will follow a multicenter, double-blinded,
vehicle-controlled, randomized preclinical antiepileptogenesis study following the high standards of rigor
advocated by NINDS, the AES/ILAE Translational Research Task Force and the ARRIVE guidelines. We have
formed a collaborative group of four international preclinical testing centers (Albert Einstein College of Medicine,
University of Melbourne, two UCLA sites), supported by experts in pharmacokinetic modeling (University of
Minnesota), protein biomarker research (Uniformed Services University of the Health Services) and
bioinformatics (University of Southern California). We plan to test a compound that removes pathological iron
stores from the brain and test whether it can modify early biomarkers of epileptogenesis and injury. We aim to
identify (a) at least one panel of multimodal biomarkers that can predict early on treatment response to the iron
chelator, including the development of post-traumatic epileptogenesis, (b) at least one biomarker of
epileptogenesis, (c) and determine whether iron chelator treatment can prevent post-traumatic epilepsy
development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11054532
- **Project number:** 3R01NS127524-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Denes V. Agoston
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $47,310
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-04-15 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11054532

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11054532, Translational Platform for Epilepsy Therapy and Biomarker Discovery (3R01NS127524-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11054532. Licensed CC0.

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