This is the twelfth conference focusing on issues related to antiepileptic drug (AED) development from preclinical discoveries through clinical evaluations. New innovations in therapy are under siege from several directions, including complex regulatory requirements, increased payer expectations, and issues in data quality. Yet, we are still in need of novel therapies for patients with epilepsy. At each AED conference, we re-evaluate strategies to ensure continued advancement. There is always the opportunity to learn from the past as we move into the future. This symposium will bring together representatives from academia, industry, the NIH, and the FDA to review what has been learned and to discuss strategies to enhance AED development.