According to a study recently published on the 29th in the international journal *Epilepsia Open*, researchers from three epilepsy centers in the Czech Republic analyzed real-world clinical data from 500 adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who were treated with cenobamate. Of the total patient population, 83.4% were ultra-refractory patients whose seizures persisted despite treatment with multiple antiepileptic drugs.
Among the 331 patients for whom evaluation was possible up to 12 months of treatment, 61.6% experienced a reduction in overall seizure frequency of more than half. Seizures decreased by more than 90% in 26.9% of patients, and 18.1% remained seizure-free.
Improvements were also observed in the group of patients experiencing tonic-clonic seizures (TCS). Among the 102 patients evaluable at 12 months, 75.5% experienced a reduction in tonic-clonic seizures of 50% or more, and 49.0% saw a reduction of 90% or more. Additionally, 46.1% remained seizure-free.
Research on cenobamate is also expanding beyond reductions in seizure frequency to examine the effects on patients’ perceived return to daily life. This trend reflects a growing recognition in the field of epilepsy treatment that, in addition to seizure frequency, changes in patients’ actual lives—including quality of life, cognitive function, and treatment burden—must be evaluated together.
Accordingly, in a study published in the international journal *Epilepsy & Behavior*, a research team from Val de Bron University Hospital in Spain analyzed changes over a 6-month period following cenobamate treatment in 106 adult patients with refractory epilepsy.
The median monthly seizure frequency decreased from 3 before treatment to 0.66 after 6 months. The proportion of patients who remained seizure-free during the follow-up period was 26.5%. Notably, the reduction in seizure frequency was also associated with improvements in health-related quality of life. The researchers explained that a significant correlation was observed between the degree of seizure reduction and improvements in the mental health domain of the SF-36, a quality-of-life assessment tool. The median T-MoCA score, a measure of cognitive function, also improved slightly from 16 points before treatment to 17 points.
The longer the period during which seizures decrease or cease, the greater the likelihood of alleviating these limitations on daily life. Consequently, in recent epilepsy treatment, there is a growing emphasis on evaluating changes in patients’ real-life experiences—such as quality of life, cognitive function, and treatment burden—alongside reductions in seizure frequency.
In South Korea, the launch of cenobamate is approaching. Cenobamate, developed by SK BIOPHARMACEUTICALS(326030), is sold in the United States under the brand name “Xcopri.” In South Korea, Donga ST(170900)(Donga ST) is responsible for its approval and marketing. After receiving domestic marketing authorization last November, Donga ST is currently proceeding with the process to have the drug included in the National Health Insurance reimbursement list.
