December 7, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Phase 3 studies of BTK inhibitor evobrutinib fail to meet main goal The Phase 3 EVOLUTION clinical trials have failed to demonstrate that evobrutinib is more effective than the approved medication Aubagio (teriflunomide) at preventing disease flares in people with relapsing types of multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings, which were shared by the drug’s developer Merck KGaA (known…
August 7, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Mavenclad lowers relapse rates, helps RRMS patients reach NEDA-3 Treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine), an approved short-course oral therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly reduced patients’ relapse rates and the development of new lesions while keeping disability stable over two years, according to a real-world study in Kuwait. Among patients who completed the two courses…
May 24, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD High Adherence to Rebif Seen With RebiSmart Use, Chats With Doctor Regular feedback from doctors about dosing data and health status is associated with high and sustained treatment adherence to RebifĀ (interferon beta-1a) amongĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients using the RebiSmart autoinjector, a two-year observational study shows. This study’s level of treatment adherence ā 97.9% ā was comparable or superior to the…
April 5, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #AAN2022 ā Long-term Evobrutinib Safe, Effective in Relapsing MS Long-term treatment with evobrutinib safely and effectively reduces the rate of relapses in adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to 2.5 years of data from a Phase 2 extension study. These findings ā supporting evobrutinibās therapeutic potential in relapsing MS ā were shared in an…
February 28, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2022 ā In New Mouse Model, Evobrutinib Shows Efficacy Researchers developed a new mouse model that more closely captures a specific type of inflammation characteristic of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) ā and found, in experiments, that treatment with an oral medicationĀ called evobrutinibĀ can lessen disease activity. This new mouse model may help scientists in MS to better study…
October 15, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ECTRIMS2021 ā Real-world Data Support Mavenclad Benefits in Relapsing MS Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13ā15. GoĀ here to see the latest stories from the conference. Mavenclad…
October 6, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Trial Analyses Support Evobrutinib for Relapsing MS Treatment with evobrutinib, an experimental therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reduced the size of inflammation-associated brain lesions in a Phase 2 clinical trial, data show. The oral medication was also found to be generally safe and well tolerated, according to an analysis of trial data in…
May 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mavenclad’s Ability to Lower RRMS Relapse Rates May Last Years, Study Says Treatment with Mavenclad (clabridine) reduces the frequency of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), with benefits appearing to be evident two years after patients stopped taking the treatment, new data suggest. These findings wereĀ in the study, “Analysis of frequency and severity of relapses…
April 27, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD #AANAM ā Mavenclad, for RRMS, Lowers Long-term Need for Other DMTs Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17ā22. GoĀ hereĀ to read the latest stories from the conference. A majority of theĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients givenĀ Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets in the CLARITY Phase 3 trial did…
March 18, 2021 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Mavenclad Quickly Reduces MRI Lesions in Early MS, ORACLE-MS Data Show Mavenclad (cladribine) reduces the number and volume of lesions in patients at risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) after a first clinical demyelinating event, a study based on Phase 3Ā trial data found. A demyelinating event occurs when myelin ā the protective coating around nerve fibers ā experiences damage; this…
February 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS EVOLUTION Trials Testing Evobrutinib Now Recruiting Two global Phase 3 clinical trials testing the investigational oral medication evobrutinib are recruiting participants with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The two identically-designed trials āĀ EVOLUTION RMS 1 (NCT04338022) and EVOLUTION RMS 2 (…
November 23, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ChariotMS to Test Mavenclad in SPMS, PPMS Patients With Little Ability to Walk An upcoming Phase 2 clinical trial, called ChariotMS, will test whether Mavenclad (cladribine) can slow a worsening of hand and arm function in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and very limited walking abilities. Patients reliant on wheelchairs or aids to walk even short distances generally have…
August 25, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Mavenclad Effectively Lowers Relapse Rates, Study Comparing DMTs Finds MavencladĀ (cladribine) appears to be better at lowering relapse rates during the first two years of disease in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients than other MS therapies, including interferon, Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), a head-to-head observational study found. Mavenclad, however, was less effective at…
August 10, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD 1 in 5 MS Patients Don’t Adhere to Daily Oral DMTs, Real-world Study Finds About 20%, or 1 in 5,Ā multiple sclerosis (MS) patients fail to adhere to oral disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) taken each day, and about 1 in 4 stop using a prescribed daily oral treatment within one year, a study based on reported real-world use found. The study āReal-world adherence to,…
July 7, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Study: Mavenclad Shows Long-term Effectiveness at Preventing MS Relapses, Disease Progression MavencladĀ (cladribine) prevents relapses and disease progression in more than half of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) for at least five years after the last dose, according to a real-life study from Italy. These findings, based on real-world data from Italian MS patients previously treated…
June 1, 2020 News by Mary Chapman FDA Updates Rebif Label on Pregnancy and Breastfeeding for MS Patients TheĀ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved adding new safety data on pregnancy and breastfeeding to the U.S. label for Rebif (interferon beta-1a), a disease-modifying treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The label update draws on findings from a large population-based study, together with…
May 26, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Evobrutinib Lowers MS Relapse Rates Over 2 Years of Use, Trial Data Show Note: This story was updated May 27, 2020, to note a change in the protocol of the EVOLUTION trials, which are now comparing evobrutinib with Aubagio, rather than Avonex, along with updated NCT numbers. The investigational oral medication evobrutinib leads to a sustained reduction in relapse rates…
April 6, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Biogen’s Plegridy or Avonex Use Possible in Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, FDA Says Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a) and Avonex (interferon beta-1a), both by Biogen, may be used ā if necessary ā by women with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosisĀ who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in updating prescribing informationĀ for these MS treatments. Due to the limited…
October 11, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Mavenclad, Ocrevus Use Rising in EU as Injectables and Tysabri Decline, Spherix Reports Prescriptions of two multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) treatments ā Ā Merck KGaA‘s Mavenclad (cladribine) and Roche‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) ā have been rising in Europe over the past six months, bolstered by greater market access and compassionate use programs, according to a survey of 250 EU neurologists run…
September 24, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Interferon Beta Use by Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients OK, Office in Europe Says If necessary, women with relapsing multiple sclerosis can continue treatments based on interferon beta while pregnant and breastfeeding, according to an updated recommendation by an office of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Interferon beta-based treatments are a mainstay of approved MS therapies. Three specific treatments were mentioned in press…
September 23, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS EMD Serono Opening Phase 3 Trials of Oral Evobrutinib in Relapsing MS Patients EMD Serono (Merck KGaA in Germany) is opening two pivotal and global Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral evobrutinibĀ in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Evobrutinib, also known as M2951, works by blocking a protein called Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK), which is…
August 28, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Mavenclad Cost-Effective Treatment for At-risk RRMS Patients Compared to Other DMTs, Dutch Study Finds Treating at-riskĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients is most cost-effective withĀ MavencladĀ (cladribine) tablets when compared to Gilenya (fingolimod), Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) or Tysabri (natalizumab),Ā according to a study in Dutch patients. The study, āCost Effectiveness of Cladribine Tablets for the Treatment of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in…
July 3, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Rebif Cost-effective and Can Reduce Brain Lesions in RRMS Patients, Data Show Merck KGaA presented new evidence supporting the safety and clinical efficacy of RebifĀ (interferon beta-1a) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at the 5thĀ Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), June 29āJuly 2 in Oslo, Norway. The company, known asĀ EMD SeronoĀ in the U.S. and Canada, presented 16…
June 28, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Mavenclad Continues to Demonstrate Sustained Efficacy, Safety in Patients with Relapsing Forms of MS, Post-hoc Analyses Show Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets continue to show sustained efficacy and consistent safety in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), post-hoc analyses of a Phase 3 trial extension study show. The findings are set to be presented in several posters during the 5th Congress of the European…
June 3, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD EMD Serono and ‘MS Inside Out’ Campaign Join Global Effort to Make MS More ‘Visible’ EMD SeronoĀ is supportingĀ World MS Day, an initiative created by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) to promote solidarity and raise awareness about multiple sclerosis (MS) worldwide, by joining efforts to make the disease more “visible.” Known as Merck KGaA…
May 20, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM ā Evobrutinib Continues to Show Potential for MS, 48-week Phase 2 Data Suggest Investigational therapy evobrutinib, also known as M2951, can reduce relapse rates and brain lesions in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), 48-weekĀ data from a Phase 2 clinical trial suggest. Updated results from the trial (NCT02975349) were presented at the recent 2019 annual…
March 4, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2019 – Evobrutinib Significantly Reduces Brain Lesions in Relapsing MS, Phase 2 Trial Shows Evobrutinib, Merck KGaAās oral candidate for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), is safe and can significantly reduce active brain lesions overĀ 24 weeks of treatment, results of ongoing Phase 2 study show. Xavier Montalban, PhD, MD, withĀ Vall d’Hebron University HospitalĀ in Barcelona, presented the results in the talk āPrimary…
November 12, 2018 News by Mary Chapman Embracing Carers Expanding Global Reach to Brazil, Possibly China To more widely recognize and help those caring for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other chronic diseases, Merck KGaAĀ (known in the U.S. and Canada as EMD Serono) is expanding its global Embracing Carers program to include Brazil and possibly China. āCaregivers are a hidden pillar within the…
November 5, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc ‘MS On My Mind’ Aims to Help Others Better Understand Disease Through Words and Art EMD Serono has launched MS On My MindĀ with a goal of making people more aware of the emotional toll that multiple sclerosis (MS) can have on patients and caregivers. Patients are invited under the initiative to go to theĀ MSIsOnMyMind.comĀ website and finish the sentence “MS is on my…
October 29, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Mavenclad Named ‘Rapid Uptake Product’ in UK with Goal of Speeding Its Availability in NHS Mavenclad (cladribine tablets, 10 mg) was one of the seven medicinal and medical technology products selected by the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) as a “rapid uptake product” ā a U.K. recognition that aims to bring life-changing technologies into the country’s National Health System (NHS), and to patients,…