Research & Clinical Trials

Epilepsy Research at URMC

The University of Rochester Medical Center is a research institution. We participate in research that helps our patients and improves our knowledge. Doctors and staff in our adult and pediatric epilepsy areas are committed to participation in clinical trials.

What are Clinical Trials?

Clinical trials are research studies that are highly regulated (carefully controlled) by independent groups (not associated with the clinical trial) to make sure that research is done in an ethical way.
We are looking for patients for the studies listed below.

Epilepsy Clinical Trials at URMC

• STARS: Staccato alprazolam for Focal or Generalized Seizures (A Phase 3, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter, Outpatient, Parallel-Group Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Staccato Alprazolam in Study Participants 12 Years of Age and Older with Stereotypical Prolonged Seizures. Protocol Number EP0162)
  
  We will be looking for patients between 12 to 17 years old who have been diagnosed with focal or generalized seizures for the Staccato alprazolam trial. Alprazolam is being tested as a rescue medication (a medicine intended to immediately relieve your symptoms). Alprazolam is approved by the FDA in pill form (Xanax) for anxiety and other conditions. Dr. Berman is a sub-Investigator on this study.
• StarStim: New External Device for Refractory Focal Epilepsy (A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Parallel-Group Study of the Safety and Therapeutic Measures of Transcranial Cathodal Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) in Patients with Refractory Focal Epilepsy. Protocol Number NE001)
  
  We will be looking for patients 9 years and older who have been diagnosed with focal epilepsy for a trial with a new external device that stimulates your scalp. Dr. Berman is a sub-Investigator on the study.
• Coming Soon! 
  EMPEROR: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Sham-controlled, Parallel Group, Phase 3 Study Evaluating the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Zorevunersen (STK-001) in Patients with Dravet Syndrome
  
  We are looking for patients between 2–18 with Dravet Syndrome for a new treatment with an ASO (antisense oligonucleotide), a synthetic mRNA. Dr. Laurie Seltzer is the Principal Investigator on this study. Find more information about the EMPEROR study.

More Information

If you are a patient and are interested in learning about our research studies, or if you are a CRO or Sponsor and you wish to speak with someone about URMC becoming a site, please email URMCEpilepsyStudies@URMC.Rochester.edu.