Ontozry® (cenobamate): Common questions answered

We asked Professor Jukka Peltola (Tampere University Hospital, Finland) to answer some commonly asked questions about the use of Ontozry in adult patients with focal epilepsy.  

• What are the treatment goals from physician’s perspective? How can they be discussed with the patient?  
• How to identify patients that could potentially benefit from Ontozry treatment? 
• What to consider during the titration and adjustment of co-medication? 
• What kind of information would the patients need and why? 

This short video was filmed in June 2024 in Copenhagen. 

Ontozry product information update in June 2026* states that serum transaminases (ALT and AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin should be evaluated before initiation of cenobamate and monitored during treatment. If liver injury is suspected or detected, dose reduction or discontinuation of cenobamate should be considered.¹

*Increased levels of hepatic enzymes and rare cases of severe liver injury with hepatic failure have been reported in patients treated with cenobamate. Many cases occurred in the context of a polytherapy with other antiseizure medications. In most cases, dose reduction or discontinuation of cenobamate was followed by prompt normalization of serum transaminases.²

About Professor Jukka Peltola:

Jukka Peltola is Professor (full) at Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Finland. The work of Peltola's research groups has focused especially on neuromodulation therapies, i.e. deep brain and vagus nerve stimulation, which are used in the treatment of severe epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, various obsessive symptoms and depression.

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MAT-DK-0091-P 12.8.2026