EpilepsyGTx and Viralgen Advance AAV Gene Therapy Program for Epilepsy

EpilepsyGTx and Viralgen have initiated a collaboration to advance EPY201, an adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapy program. The program is intended to treat focal refractory epilepsy, a condition affecting an estimated 10 million people worldwide.

The collaboration will involve a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with expertise in AAV. This partnership aims to ensure scalable production of EPY201, a critical step before initiating the first human clinical study.

Focal refractory epilepsy is characterized by seizures originating from a specific area of the brain that do not respond to standard drug treatments. Gene therapy represents a potential new treatment avenue for patients who have not found sufficient relief with current therapies.

Neither EpilepsyGTx nor Viralgen have provided specific timelines for the research progression. However, the companies aim to accelerate the development of EPY201 towards clinical trials and potential patient accessibility through this collaboration.