Epilepsy Research · Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
Hawaii Awarded Study to Investigate Novel Anti-Galectin-3 Monoclonal Antibody for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Honolulu, Hawaii · May 2026 · Hawaii Epilepsy Research Unit
Dr. Darren Dugas, MD — Neurologist & Epilepsy Specialist, featured on HI Now Hawaii
The Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and its Epilepsy Research Unit have been awarded participation in a landmark clinical study investigating SIF001 — a novel anti-Galectin-3 monoclonal antibody — as a potential treatment for patients living with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE). This represents a significant milestone for Hawaii's neuroscience community and for island patients who previously had to travel to the mainland for access to cutting-edge epilepsy care.
Understanding Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Drug-Resistant Epilepsy — also referred to as refractory or intractable epilepsy — is defined by the continued occurrence of seizures even after a patient has tried at least two appropriately chosen, tolerated anti-seizure medications at adequate doses. For those affected, the condition carries serious consequences well beyond seizure frequency alone.
Impact on Patients
- Heightened risk of injuries from uncontrolled seizures
- Risk of status epilepticus — a potentially life-threatening prolonged seizure state
- Elevated risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
- Frequent medical consultations with diminishing returns from additional medications
For patients who have exhausted multiple medication regimens without adequate seizure control, the need for novel, mechanism-based therapeutic approaches is urgent. SIF001 represents precisely this kind of scientific advance — targeting an underlying neuroinflammatory pathway rather than symptom suppression alone.
The Science Behind SIF001: Targeting Galectin-3
Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a lectin-binding protein that functions as a "danger signal" within the central nervous system. Under pathological conditions such as epilepsy, Gal-3 is highly expressed by microglia — the brain's resident immune cells — where it acts as a powerful recruiter of neuroinflammatory cascades.
When Galectin-3 is dysregulated, the result is sustained microglial activation, chronic tissue damage, and a neuroinflammatory environment that lowers seizure thresholds and perpetuates the epileptic cycle. This neuro-immune feedback loop is increasingly recognized as a driver of treatment resistance in DRE.
How SIF001 Works
SIF001 is a monoclonal antibody engineered to neutralize Galectin-3 directly. By binding to and blocking this signaling protein, SIF001 interrupts the neuroinflammatory cascade before it amplifies.
Preclinical studies presented at the American Epilepsy Society demonstrated that SIF001 can significantly reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines — helping to stabilize the immune environment of the brain and prevent both chronic tissue damage and excessive neuronal firing that underlies seizure activity.
The molecule's dual anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties make it a compelling candidate for a patient population that has seen few genuinely new therapeutic mechanisms in recent decades.
About the Clinical Trial
This is a Phase 1, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, Single and Multiple Ascending Dose Escalation Study designed to rigorously assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of SIF001 in patients with epilepsy.
Phase
Phase 1
Design
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized
Investigational Drug
SIF001 (anti-Galectin-3 mAb)
NIH Registry
What This Means for Hawaii's Patients
Access to clinical trials has historically required residents of Hawaii to travel to mainland medical centers — an added burden for patients already managing a complex, life-altering neurological condition. The Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center's participation in this study changes that equation directly, bringing frontier-level neurological research to the islands.
Our neurologists, epileptologists & researchers at Hawaii's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center & Epilepsy Research Unit are honored to contribute to this important study and to make this option available to our local island populations — who no longer have to travel to the mainland for advanced epilepsy treatments.
— Darren Dugas, MD
Neurologist & Principal Investigator, Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center & Epilepsy Research Unit
Are You or a Loved One Eligible?
If you are a patient with epilepsy whose seizures have not been adequately controlled despite treatment with multiple medications, you may qualify to participate in this study. Enrollment is open at the Hawaii Epilepsy Research Unit, and our team is available to answer your questions and assess your eligibility.
Contact the Research Team
Dedicated Epilepsy Research Hotline:
(808) 564-6141
Email:
info@HawaiiNeuroscience.com
The Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and Epilepsy Research Unit remain committed to advancing neurological care for all patients across the Hawaiian islands, ensuring that geography is never a barrier to world-class treatment and research participation.
Hawaii Comprehensive Epilepsy Center · Epilepsy Research Unit · hawaiineuroscience.com
