ECTRIMS2016

Results from the ORATORIO trial, exploring Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for the treatment of primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), showed that the drug stopped disease progression for more than two years in more patients than a placebo. The findings, a highlight at the European Committee for Treatment and Research…

Results from the extension period of a Phase 2 trial, assessing ozanimod as a potential treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, showed that the drug can effectively and safely improve clinical measures of RRMS after two years of treatment. The announcement was made by Celgene International Sàrl, a subsidiary of Celgene Corporation,…

A presentation at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress gave patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) a reason for optimism, as Novartis reported that siponimod (BAF312) reduced the risk of disability progression in a Phase 3 study of patients with secondary progressive (SP) MS.

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) as a first treatment option for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reduced relapse rates and disability progression throughout a study period of six years — although most patients received treatment only in the first two years. The study showed that Lemtrada has the potential to harness disease activity…

Autoimmune side effects during five years of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatment were generally not serious and mainly affected the thyroid, according to an analysis of patients in three large, Phase 3 clinical trials of the therapy. The data were presented at the Free Communications 1 session of the European Committee…

A recent study showed that after one year, the majority of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking oral Gilenya (fingolimod) therapy stuck with their treatment, while a large proportion of those using injectable disease-modifying drugs did not. The data, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016…

Novartis recently announced positive results from the ACROSS study, which is assessing the clinical effect of Gilenya (fingolimod) in 10-year disability outcomes in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The results were presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Sept. 14-17 in London. The ACROSS study…

GeNeuro announced that it has reached — more quickly than expected — the halfway mark for patient enrollment in its Phase 2b study, CHANGE-MS, assessing GNbAC1 as a therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Patient recruitment is continuing at sites across Europe. The company also reported on the trial’s design in a poster presentation, “A placebo…

A recent study showed that the clinical benefits offered by Ampyra (fampridine) in improving mobility among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has clinical significance. The results were shown in an oral presentation, “Sustained clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability with prolonged-release fampridine: results from the placebo-controlled ENHANCE study,” at the European Committee for…

A five-year study comparing the efficacy of different treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) found that, in general, Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) and Tysabri (natalizumab) are more effective as therapies than Gilenya (fingolimod) and interferon β. Study results were presented in an oral presentation, “Comparison of 5-year treatment outcomes between alemtuzumab versus natalizumab, fingolimod and interferon β-1a,”…

In a large nationwide study in Finland, researchers found evidence supporting the link between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) in women. The results were given in an oral presentation, “Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of multiple sclerosis among women in the Finnish Maternity Cohort,”…

Sanofi Genzyme presented positive results from its Phase 4 study into patient-reported assessments of Aubagio (teriflunomide), an approved oral treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). Real-world patient responses were reported at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), recently held in London. The clinical…

Preliminary results of a study in Danish patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suggest that inverse comorbidity may exist in the MS population, lowering patients’ risk for other types of diseases. The results were given in an oral presentation, “Inverse comorbidity in multiple sclerosis. Findings in a complete nationwide cohort,” at the 32nd Congress of the European…

A pilot study exploring the antioxidant lipoic acid in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) demonstrated that treatment for two years reduced the speed of brain tissue loss and improved the patients’ walking speed. The surprising finding was presented during the “New directions in progressive MS research”…

Merck recently presented new efficacy data from its three Phase 3 clinical trials, showing that a relatively short course of treatment with Cladribine tablets led to long-term reductions in annualized relapse rate (ARR) in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The data were given in two oral presentation at the 32nd Congress of the…

There might be years-long lags in response to disease-modifying drugs in patients with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study that analyzed data from two large clinical trials of progressive MS patients. The study fuels the idea that clinical trials of disease-modifying drugs for progressive MS need…

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) in North America identified a number of challenges in adhering to disease-modifying therapies — a potential first step to devising  therapeutic approaches that might improve adherence to MS medications among young patients and, subsequently, disease outcomes in these children. The results were presented in the talk, “Medication adherence in…

The presence of certain brain and spinal cord lesions can be used to predict if an MS patient with clinically isolated syndrome will progress into relapsing or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) within 15 years. Researchers agree that knowing which patients who will rapidly deteriorate will help physicians tailor both…

Biogen and AbbVie presented positive new post-hoc analysis from the pivotal DECIDE clinical trial, which showed that a significantly larger number of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients treated with Zinbryta (daclizumab) had no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) compared to those treated with Avonex (interferon beta-1a). The data were given at the recent 32nd Congress of the European…

Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) might benefit from cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) oil as an add-on therapy in the early phases of the disease. This finding was presented in an oral presentation, “High dose cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) oil as add-on therapy in subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving subcutaneous interferon β-1a,” given at the 32nd…

Long-term observations together with mathematical modeling present a way of predicting the likely disability trajectory of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The approach was outlined in a presentation, titled “Long-term disability trajectories in primary progressive MS patients – a latent class growth analysis,” given at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), held in London…

London’s ExCel exhibition and convention center is set for a busy Saturday as ECTRIMS winds down today and MS Life opens just down the hall. Organized by the MS Society, MS Life is billed as the biggest MS family event in Europe. With ECTRIMS drawing to a close, many…

On the second day of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress Sept. 14-17 in London, researchers shared their views on bone marrow transplants for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The debate, “Bone marrow transplantation is a justifiable treatment for active relapsing…

Interventions that aim to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ participation in physical activities need to take into account psychosocial constructs, such as their belief in their abilities and their expectations as to outcomes, in order to succeed. The finding, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS)…

Researchers found that blocking a protein, known as integrin alpha 8, may work to prevent inflammation in the central nervous system of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The results were revealed in an oral presentation, “Integrin alpha8 is a novel mediator of T lymphocyte migration across the CNS barriers,” at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee…

Immune activity in brain membranes may be the key to determining inflammatory profiles in the brain. These profiles, in turn, are linked to levels of brain gray matter damage, and to disability, in both early and later stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers behind the study, which was presented during the Parallel…

Two presentations at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress, now underway in London, underscored the value of measures of neurodegeneration in the eye in predicting a patient’s future disability. Peter Calabresi with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine opened the session with the presentation, “Tools for…

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other demyelinating conditions experience psychiatric disorders more often than other kids, and  mental health professionals need to be involved early in their care so that those with these disorders are identified and treated early, a new study reported. Data from the study, “Risks of…

Leustatin (cladribine) tablets, an investigational drug, were shown to be effective at reducing annual relapse rates, not only in MS patients, but also in patients with a first demyelinating event who later converted to a clinically defined multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The results were shared in a presentation titled “Cladribine tablets in the ORACLE-MS…

Another full day, today, at London’s ExCel center and numerous sessions, presentations, and debates to attract the attention of delegates attending ECTRIMS. After sifting through the agenda, here are my picks of Thursday’s highlights: This morning sees the beginning of the congress’s plenary sessions, featuring a lecture about “MS diagnosis and…