The Fourth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs) was held at t
he Royal Beach Hotel, Eilat, Israel, from 6th to 10th September 1998. Epile
ptologists and scientists from 20 countries attended the conference, which
was held to discuss a number of issues in drug development, including outco
me assessment in epilepsy (long-term efficacy, qualify of life, safety), co
st-effectiveness, an update on drugs in development, a progress report on r
ecently marketed AEDs, and controversies in strategies for drug development
. This review focuses on drugs in development and recently marketed AEDs. D
rugs in development include ADCI, AWD 131-138, DP16, ganaxolone (CCD 1042),
levetiracetam (ucb L059), losigamone, pregabalin (isobutyl GABA [CI-1008])
, remacemide hydrochloride, retigabine (D-23129), rufinamide (CGP 33101), s
oretolide (D2916), TV1901, and 534U87. New information on the safety and ef
ficacy of recently marketed drugs (felbamate, fosphenytoin, gabapentin, lam
otrigine, oxcarbazepine, tiagabine, topiramate, vigabatrin, zonisamide) and
of a new antiepileptic device, the neurocybernetic prosthesis (NCP), has b
ecome available. This paper summarizes the presentations made at the confer
ence. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.