Published : 06 Nov 2026, 09:16 PM
Updated : 06 Nov 2026, 09:16 PM
An experimental gene therapy infused directly into the human brain has reduced monthly seizures by more than 90 percent in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, reports The Independent.
The clinical trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, involved three adult participants with severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy caused by hippocampal sclerosis.
Surgeons delivered an engineered virus into damaged brain tissue, enabling target neurons to bind with an existing oral medication that dials down excessive electrical activity.
Following treatment, monthly seizures fell from 4.5 to 0.5 for two participants, while the third experienced a complete drop from four to zero.
Unlike traditional surgical options that require removing or destroying brain tissue, this chemogenetic approach allows doctors to adjust the treatment's intensity by varying the oral drug dosage, preserving vital brain structures.
Neurologists and independent specialists welcomed the dramatic reduction in seizures and low rate of side effects, according to The Independent.
Researchers now intend to monitor the initial trial group long-term while preparing expanded clinical trials to evaluate safety across larger patient cohorts.
