Two years of treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) outperformed Rebif (interferon beta-1a) at preventing myelin loss in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis of data from the OPERA II clinical trial. Ocrevus’ protection against demyelination was observed both in MS lesions,…

As comic Rodney Dangerfield might have said, older people with MS “just don’t get no respect.” By older, I mean those of us who are 55 and up. By respect, I mean from researchers and some neurologists. So, as I approach my 73rd birthday, I have to tip my cap…

Biogen is presenting new data highlighting the potential clinical benefits of Tysabri (natalizumab), Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a), and Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for the treatment of specific groups of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), including pregnant women and patients with relapsing forms of the disease. The new…

Oral ozanimod is more effective at reducing the frequency of relapses than Avonex (interferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and does so with reasonable safety, results of Phase 3 trial show. These findings were described in the study, “Safety and efficacy of ozanimod…

Long-term treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)  — as well as switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a) to Ocrevus — leads to a significant and sustained reduction in disease activity in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). These previously reported findings are further supported by the latest results drawn from pooled data…

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) was more effective than Rebif (interferon beta-1a) at preventing relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, according to an analysis that covered two Phase 3 clinical trials. The comparison dealt with the therapies’ ability to generate and maintain a condition known as no evidence of disease activity,…

Ocrevus improved vision among relapsing multiple sclerosis patients who participated in the Phase 3 clinical trials of the treatment, according to updated analyses recently presented at the ACTRIMS Forum 2018. While Ocrevus-treated patients improved their ability to read low-contrast letters over the course of the two trials, people who received Rebif (interferon beta-1a) did not. Laura J. Balcer, a neurologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, shared the data in a presentation titled, “Effect of Ocrelizumab on Visual Outcomes in Patients with Baseline Visual Impairment in the OPERA Studies in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.” Balcer had earlier shared data on the visual outcomes of relapsing patients in the OPERA I and OPERA II Phase 3 clinical trials of Ocrevus at the 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting in Paris, last year. The two studies — sponsored by Ocrevus developer Genentech, a member of the Roche group —  compared Ocrevus and Rebif in patients with relapsing MS. This time, her presentation focused only on patients who had visual impairment when they enrolled in the trials. Among a total of 1,656 participants, 375 of those treated with Ocrevus and 373 in the Rebif group had visual impairment. Researchers tested vision using a low-contrast letter acuity test. The test is similar to an ordinary vision test, with letters of different sizes on a chart. But the low-contrast test uses gray letters — instead of black — on a white background. Researchers included charts with two shades of gray to test different contrast levels. These tests can detect reduced visual function. At the beginning of the trials, both groups performed in a similar manner — correctly identifying about 35 letters on a chart with somewhat higher contrast. After 96 weeks, those receiving Ocrevus identified on average 3.4 more letters, while Rebif-treated patients worsened by 0.5 letters — a significant difference, Balcer said. Researchers tested vision every 12 weeks. At the end of the trials, they found that 39 percent more patients in the Ocrevus groups had a cumulative improvement of at least 10 letters, compared to those treated with Rebif. At this time, 26.4 percent of Ocrevus-treated patients improved 10 letters or more, compared to 19.8 percent in the Rebif group. The difference between the groups for at least seven letters was 54 percent, with Ocrevus-treated patients performing better. Researchers believe that a seven-letter change is the minimal clinically important difference for the test. Based on the results, researchers believe that the findings demonstrate Ocrevus’ ability to reverse visual impairment in relapsing MS. The ACTRIMS Forum 2018 is being held in San Diego, California, Feb. 1–3.

Celgene‘s investigative drug ozanimod has been shown to be more efficient than an intramuscular injection of interferon beta-1a (marketed as Avonex by Biogen) in reducing relapses and disease progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results of the two-year Phase 3 RADIANCE trial. The findings were…

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is a less expensive treatment option for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) than subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (Rebif) in the long-run, according to a cost-effectiveness analysis published in the Journal of Medical Economics. In addition to lower total costs over a 20-year period, the analysis suggested that Ocrevus…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who used the RebiSmart (Merck Serono) device to inject themselves with interferon beta-1a (INF β-1a) did an excellent job of sticking to their treatment timetable without skipping treatments, according to a study. They also had a lower annual disease relapse rate and more relapse-free periods,…

An extension of a Phase 3 clinical trial has shown that early treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in patients with initial manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) can prolong the time to a clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) diagnosis over five years. The study, “Subcutaneous interferon β-1a in…

More relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with Zinbryta (daclizumab) said they felt its health benefits than did those given Avonex (interferon beta-1a) — demonstrating that patient-reported outcomes do mirror objective measures of improved health in a clinical trial of the two drugs. Patient-reported changes in both physical and psychological health contribute to a more comprehensive picture of…

Data from the CARE-MS II clinical trial showed that Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) can lessen pre-existing disabilities in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who failed to respond adequately to previous disease-modifying therapies, according to a study of the trial’s data. The treatment was evaluated against Rebif (interferon beta-1a) therapy. The study, “Alemtuzumab…

RedHill Biopharma recently announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Japan Patent Office for a new patent covering RHB-104 as a potential treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Once granted, the patent will be valid until 2032. The European Patent Office also recently approved a patent application for the drug with this…

People with relapsing multiple sclerosis who use a device called RebiSmart (Merck Serono) to self-inject medications like Rebif (interferon [IFN] beta-1a) are more likely to take their therapies on a regular schedule and adhere to that schedule, resulting in fewer relapses than those not using the device, according to a retrospective study by  researchers…

Merck Biopharma  announced it has entered into a partnership with a French subsidiary called HAPPYneuron, and now has an exclusive license to that company’s cognitive remediation training program for multiple sclerosis (MS). The program, a series of brain training games and exercises, will be made available to people needing it through Merck’s MSdialog platform. An e-Health…

A study, recently presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Md., showed MS patients of African decent might better benefit from treatment with alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) compared to subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (Rebif) – with lower rates of relapses evident over five years…

EMD Serono, the U.S. and Canadian subsidiary and biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, focuses exclusively on specialty care. With expertise in fertility, endocrinology, oncology and neurology, the company is featuring several innovative products with therapeutic potential in the oncology, immuno-oncology, and immunology fields. Rebif (interferon beta-1a), EMD Serono’s therapy for patients with relapsing…

Scientists at the Pediatric MS Center at NYU Langone, New York, reported that U.S. adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving interferon-beta 1a therapy had a higher body mass index (BMI), more relapses, and were managed differently compared to patients of similar age in seven other countries. The study, “Subcutaneous…

EMD Serono, the North American biopharmaceutical business arm of Merck, announced it has gained exclusive rights over Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in the United States. Rebif  is a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Rebif, an approved drug, is used to decrease the frequency of MS relapses and delay the occurrence of…

RedHill Biopharma, Ltd., recently announced the conclusion of the last dosing and patient follow-up visit for its Phase 2a proof-of-concept study to assess the efficacy and safety of the experimental drug RHB-104 as an add-on therapy to interferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Biogen Idec, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hematologic conditions and autoimmune disorders, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved PLEGRIDYTM (peginterferon beta-1a), a new treatment for people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis…