FAQs about Mavenclad

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mavenclad in March 2019 to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, namely relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Because it interferes with DNA replication, Mavenclad may cause damage to a developing fetus. Patients who have the potential to become pregnant or father a child are recommended to use effective contraception for at least six months after their last dose in each treatment course.

Mavenclad is not known to interact with alcohol. However, certain adverse reactions such as headache or liver damage may be more likely if patients consume alcohol while taking Mavenclad, given that both drugs can cause these effects individually. Patients are advised to talk to their healthcare teams about safe alcohol consumption.

Benefits may be seen in some patients in as little as 3.5 months. In the ORACLE-MS trial, which compared Mavenclad with a placebo in more than 600 patients with clinically isolated syndrome, a significant reduction in brain lesions was evident with Mavenclad as soon as 13 weeks. However, as each individual may respond differently to the medication, the benefits of Mavenclad for each particular patient should be discussed with a person’s healthcare team.

Weight gain has not been reported as a side effect of Mavenclad in clinical trials, but some people who received the medication in the CLARITY trial did experience hair loss. Individuals who experience unanticipated effects after starting treatment are advised to talk about such issues with their healthcare providers.

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