The New ROI of Relief: Investing Early in Epilepsy Tech Changes Lives

LONDON, UK – December 03, 2025 – For the one-third of epilepsy patients whose seizures defy conventional medication, life is a landscape of uncertainty. This condition, known as Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE), imposes a heavy burden not only on individuals and their families but also on global healthcare systems. Now, a wave of compelling new evidence is set to challenge the long-held treatment paradigms for DRE, suggesting that a strategic, early investment in technology can yield returns measured in both restored quality of life and significant economic savings.

Next week, at the prestigious American Epilepsy Society (AES) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, medical technology firm LivaNova is poised to present a trove of data from its landmark CORE-VNS study. The findings center on its Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy™ and offer a powerful argument for a fundamental shift in clinical practice: intervene earlier. For investors and healthcare strategists who track the intersection of innovation and high-value outcomes, this moment represents a critical inflection point, redefining the 'high life' not as opulence, but as the priceless luxury of a life reclaimed from chronic illness.

A Paradigm Shift in Treatment Timing

For decades, advanced neuromodulation devices like VNS Therapy have often been considered a last resort, deployed only after a patient has cycled through numerous anti-seizure medications (ASMs) with little success. The new data from the CORE-VNS study—the largest prospective, real-world study of VNS Therapy to date—decisively overturns this cautious approach. The most striking finding reveals a dramatic disparity in outcomes based on when the therapy is initiated.

According to an abstract to be presented, patients who received VNS Therapy earlier in their treatment journey, after failing just two or three ASMs, achieved a staggering 94% median reduction in seizure frequency after 36 months. In stark contrast, patients who received the therapy much later, after trying more than ten different medications, saw a more modest 57% reduction. The implication is clear and profound: timing is everything. Delaying intervention may irreversibly diminish the potential for optimal seizure control.

“Our CORE-VNS study confirms the proven benefits of VNS Therapy in patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy and reveals there are benefits of use earlier in the treatment algorithm,” said Stephanie Bolton, LivaNova President, Global Epilepsy, in a statement ahead of the meeting. The study, which enrolled over 800 people across 61 global sites, provides an unprecedentedly clear picture of real-world outcomes.

Another presentation will detail how VNS Therapy achieved median reductions of up to 95% in the most disabling seizure types, such as focal impaired awareness and bilateral tonic-clonic seizures. The benefits were also observed early, with children and adolescents showing sustained improvements from three months all the way through 36 months. This robust evidence makes a compelling case for re-evaluating clinical guidelines to position VNS Therapy as a proactive, rather than reactive, strategy in the fight against DRE.

The Economic Calculus of Neuromodulation

Beyond the life-altering clinical benefits, LivaNova's upcoming presentations build an equally strong financial case for early adoption. The high cost of managing DRE is a well-documented strain on healthcare systems, driven by frequent emergency room visits, prolonged hospitalizations, and the cumulative expense of multiple medications. The new health economics data from the CORE-VNS study demonstrates that VNS Therapy is not a cost, but an investment with tangible returns.

One analysis scheduled for presentation shows that VNS Therapy was associated with significant reductions in hospitalizations and emergency department visits for patients across all major U.S. payer types—commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. Post-implantation, overall healthcare costs were notably lower compared to projected costs if patients had continued on a path of medication-only management. This data reinforces prior independent economic studies, some of which have estimated that the initial investment in VNS Therapy can be recouped in under two years through savings on acute care.

This evidence arrives at a time when healthcare systems are increasingly focused on value-based care, prioritizing treatments that deliver superior long-term outcomes while controlling costs. The recent decision by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase provider reimbursement for the therapy underscores a growing recognition of its economic value. By reducing the reliance on costly emergency interventions and decreasing the need for rescue medications—which one poster shows were cut by over 70% at 36 months—VNS Therapy aligns perfectly with the goals of a more efficient and sustainable healthcare model.

Solidifying Leadership in a Competitive Field

The market for epilepsy treatment devices is a dynamic and competitive frontier of medical innovation. LivaNova’s VNS Therapy, first approved in 1997, faces competition from newer neuromodulation technologies like Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) from NeuroPace and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) from Medtronic. However, the comprehensive data from the CORE-VNS study serves to powerfully reinforce VNS Therapy’s strategic position.

While competitors offer sophisticated, brain-responsive systems, VNS Therapy holds several key differentiators. It has an unparalleled track record of over two decades of use and is the only neuromodulation device FDA-approved for children as young as four, a critical advantage in a condition where early intervention can protect neurodevelopment. The sheer scale and real-world nature of the CORE-VNS data provide a level of evidence that is difficult for competitors to match.

“The sheer size of the CORE-VNS study allows us to analyze subgroups and seizure types, providing a strong dataset for evidence-based decision making from clinicians,” noted Kate Nichol, PhD, LivaNova Vice President of Medical Affairs. This mountain of evidence, demonstrating consistent safety and effectiveness even in patients with prior brain surgery, solidifies its role as a foundational therapy in the DRE treatment arsenal.

By coupling this robust clinical efficacy with a strong health economic argument, LivaNova is not just defending its market share; it is actively seeking to expand the entire market by advocating for a new standard of care. This positions the company not merely as a device manufacturer, but as a thought leader shaping the future of epilepsy management, making a compelling case to clinicians, hospital administrators, and investors alike that its proven technology offers a reliable and valuable pathway to better patient care.