DeCure for Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 41
DeCure's autonomous Neuro AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 41 — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleDevelopmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 41 maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 41 is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
solute carrier family 1 member 2 (SLC1A2) — SLC1A2 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet clrdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 9JVV · 2.82 Å · ligand CHOLESTEROL (CLR). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) describes a group of heterogeneous disorders in which cognitive impairment arises from both the underlying genetic or neurobiological cause and the direct impact of frequent seizures and interictal epileptiform activity. The term is distinguished from "developmental encephalopathy" (DE), where epileptic activity has minimal effect on function and aggressive antiseizure medication is unlikely to help, and from "epileptic encephalopathy" (EE), where cognition can revert toward baseline with appropriate intervention. In DEE, the interplay between the pathological substrate and acquired seizure consequences makes treatment decisions complex. Onset is typically in infancy or early childhood, and the overall prognosis is poor. By August 2022, 105 genes had been associated with DEE according to OMIM.
No abstract reports a clinical trial or provides concrete numbers for survival, response rates, or sample sizes in DEE. The 2025 review states that although individually rare, DEEs constitute a sizeable group of paediatric epilepsies and that it is especially important to recognise treatable or modifiable entities. The 2024 review notes that DEE is characterised by drug-resistant seizures and neurodevelopmental delay that can hinder brain development and lead to severe cognitive, behavioural, and motor impairments. The 2013 paper states that treatment options are very limited and that patients cannot receive adequate treatment, which further aggravates encephalopathy.
Precision therapies are mentioned in the 2021 and 2025 reviews as potentially beneficial for some patients with DEE, but no specific drug, target, or outcome data are given. The 2015 paper raises critical questions about the relationship between seizure control and developmental outcome but does not answer them. The 2023 genetic profile study from Northeast Brazil describes the genetic basis but reports no treatment results. What is still missing are randomised controlled trials with survival or developmental endpoints, validated biomarkers to stratify patients who might benefit from precision approaches, and funding for multicentre studies that can move beyond genetic cataloguing to testable interventions.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Epileptic Disorders · 2021 · 126 citations · open access
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: recognition and approaches to care
AbstractThe term "developmental and epileptic encephalopathy" (DEE) refers to when cognitive functions are influenced by both seizure and interictal epileptiform activity and the neurobiological process behind the epilepsy. Many DEEs are related to gene variants and the onset is typically during early childhood. In this setting, neurocognition, whilst not improved by seizure control, may benefit from some precision therapies. In patients with non-progressive diseases with cognitive impairment and co-existing epilepsy, in whom the epileptiform activity does not affect or has minimal effect on function, the term "developmental encephalopathy" (DE) can be used. In contrast, for those patients with direct impact on cognition due to epileptic or epileptiform activity, the term "epileptic encephalopathy" (EE) is preferred, as most can revert to their normal or near normal baseline cognitive state with appropriate intervention. These children need aggressive treatment. Clinicians must tailor care towards individual needs and realistic expectations for each affected person; those with DE are unlikely to gain from aggressive antiseizure medication whilst those with EE will gain. Patients with DEE might benefit from a precision medicine approach in order to reduce the overall burden of epilepsy.
Epileptic encephalopathies: Optimizing seizure control and developmental outcome
AbstractCognitive and developmental outcomes in patients with epileptic encephalopathy are hypothesized to result from an interplay between the underlying epileptic pathologic substrate and the acquired consequences of frequent and repetitive seizures and epileptiform discharges that often straddle the interictal and ictal boundaries. This article briefly reviews the evidence related to this assumption, presents critical questions that need to be answered to clarify this relationship, and advances a set of concrete steps that may help improve developmental patient outcomes.
Brivaracetam in treating epileptic encephalopathy and refractory focal epilepsies in patients under 14 years of age.
AbstractOBJECTIVES: To analyze the efficacy and safety of Brivaracetam in pediatric patients with epileptic encephalopathy or unresponsive focal epilepsy. MATERIALS & METHODS: This retrospective study included eight pediatric patients with EE or unresponsive focal epilepsy. Inclusion criteria: (1) ≤14 years, (2) history of refractory epilepsy, (3) at least one month of continuous therapy with BRV, and (4) at least six months of follow-up. Exclusion criteria: (1) variation of concomitant antiepileptic drugs during the previous and/or subsequent four weeks of the BRV introduction, (2) levetiracetam in therapy, (3) epilepsy secondary to the progressive cerebral disease, tumor, or any other progressive neurodegenerative diseases, and (4) a status epilepticus a month before screening or during the baseline period. The efficacy of BRV was defined as ≥50% of seizure frequency reduction at the end of the follow-up, compared to baseline. RESULTS: All patients showed ≥50% seizure frequency reduction, of whom 37.5% were seizure-free, 25% had a frequency reduction of ≥75%, and 37.5% had frequency reduction of ≥ 50%. All patients with an epilepsy onset >12 months and epilepsy duration of ≤6 years were seizure-free. The maximum effect was achieved at 2 mg/kg/day, and focal seizures revealed a better response than epileptic encephalopathy. A remarkably positive effect of the Brivaracetam was noticed in patients with encephalopathy regarding the status epilepticus during sleep; however, no relevant side-effects were noted. CONCLUSION: Brivaracetam was an effective and well-tolerated treatment in pediatric patients with epileptic encephalopathy or unresponsive focal epilepsy, especially for the epilepsy onset >12 months and the epilepsy duration ≤6 years. The total effect was not dose-dependent. Brivaracetam could represent an indication of encephalopathy regarding the status epilepticus during sleep.
International Journal of Epilepsy · 2025 · 1 citations · open access
Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies: Progress in Understanding and Clinical Implications
AbstractAbstract Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a group of complex pediatric epilepsies associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes and multiaxial neurological morbidities. The understanding of DEE has evolved from its initial genetic underpinnings, to a clinically driven term encompassing a broader group of etiologies. Although individually rare, the DEEs constitute a sizeable group of pediatric epilepsies. It is especially important to recognize treatable or modifiable entities in this group. This review attempts to highlight the progress in understanding, along with the evolution of the conceptual framework of DEEs. A summary of the currently well-established DEE syndromes is provided along with available precision therapies, which might help the treating physician in the appropriate evaluation and management of the affected children.
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · 2024 · 0 citations
Research progress on developmental and epileptic encephalopathy
AbstractDevelopmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) is a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by drug-resistant seizures and neurodevelopmental delay, which can hinder brain development and lead to severe cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments. DEE is mainly driven by genetic factors, typically with an onset in infancy or early childhood and generally with an overall poor prognosis. This article provides a review of the definition, epilepsy syndromes, genetic etiology, and precision treatment of DEE.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY · 2013 · 0 citations · open access
On the Clinics and Diagnosis of Epileptic Encephalopathy
AbstractEarly childhood is characterized by a continuous process of development of structures and functions of organism, especially central nervous system.The concept of epileptic encephalopathy is based on the assumption that the aggressive epileptic activity during the maturation of the brain is the main causal factor in cognitive and neuropsychological impairment or regress. With age, EEG signs of evolving consistent with the transition into each another. Currently the diagnosis criteria are not well developed and the treatment options are very limited, whereby patients cannot receive adequate treatment that further aggravates encephalopathy. Unfortunately clinicians are often unable to diagnose also benign epileptic syndromes.
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria · 2023 · 0 citations · open access
Genetic profile of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy at a reference center in Northeast Brazil
AbstractBackground: The developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) diseases where there is developmental impairment related to both the underlying etiology independent of epileptiform activity and the epileptic encephalopathy. Many DEEs have a genetic basis that, by themselves, can alter the neurodevelopmental delay. By August 2022, there were 105 genes associated with DEE according to OMIM.
Journal of the Bahrain Medical Society · 2022 · 0 citations · open access
Pyridoxamine 5’-Phosphate Oxidase Deficiency: A Potentially Treatable Epileptic Encephalopathy
AbstractPyridoxal phosphate-responsive neonatal epileptic encephalopathy due to pyridoxamine-5-primephosphate oxidase deficiency is a rare cause of epileptic encephalopathy. A neonate with this condition presents early in life with refractory seizures which does not respond to conventional anti-epileptic medications, depressed level of consciousness, and severe psychomotor retardation if left untreated. Early initiation of active cofactor pyridoxal-5’-phophate can be curative. We are describing a rare neurometabolic condition; the first case in the Kingdom of Bahrain to the best of our knowledge. Keywords: Pyridoxal-5’-phosphate, pyridoxamine 5’-phosphate oxidase, pyridoxine dependent epilepsy, epileptic encephalopathy, neonatal seizure
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
