August 3, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ocrevus Outperforms Rebif in Preventing Myelin Loss in Trial 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,…
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…
February 3, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Self-injectable Therapies Tied to No Disease in 50% of Patients at 2 Years More than half of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with self-injectable therapies ā namely, glatiramer acetate, marketed as Copaxone, among others, or any of a host of interferons ā showed no evidence of disease activity after two years, according to a study out of Turkey. Among patients treated for…
October 18, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ECTRIMS2021 ā Early Ocrevus Slows MS Better Versus 2-year Delay 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. Early use of…
January 29, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Tecfidera Safe and Effective Over Long Term in Children With RRMS, Trial Shows Long-term treatment with TecfideraĀ (dimethyl fumarate)Ā safely and effectively reduces the frequency of relapses in children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to 2.5 years of data from the FOCUS Phase 2 trial and its extension study. These findings are consistent with those previously reported for adult patients, supporting…
December 3, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Nasal Delivery of Interferon-beta at Lower Doses Shows MS Treatment Potential in Mice Nasal delivery of Rebifās active ingredient interferon-beta, loaded in carbohydrate-based nanoparticles, reduced disease progression and nerve cell inflammation in a preclinical mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrated. This alternate, non-invasive, low-cost treatment strategy…
September 17, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Early Use of Ocrevus Slows Thalamic Atrophy in Relapsing MS and PPMS Early use of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) significantly slows shrinkage of the thalamus ā a brain region involved in sensory and motor functionsĀ ā inĀ peopleĀ with relapsing forms ofĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) and primary progressive MSĀ (PPMS), according to new analyses from three Phase 3 trials that compared immediate use with a two-year…
September 10, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – New Safety, Efficacy Data on Mavenclad, Rebif and Evobrutinib on Way EMD Serono will present new data from programs assessing the efficacy and safety of Mavenclad (cladribine) andĀ Rebif (interferon beta-1a), as well as investigative evobrutinibĀ in treatingĀ relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) at the MSVirtual2020 meeting. FindingsĀ are part of 54 abstracts being presented by EMD Serono,…
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 9, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Disability Builds in Relapsing MS in Ways Not Tied to Relapses, Analysis Finds Disability appears to mostly accumulate in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a progressive manner ā rather than being due to relapses, a pooled analysis of patients in two Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) clinical trials shows. These findings, indicating that disease progression underlies relapsing MS as well,…
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…
April 3, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Headache a Common Side Effect of Interferon-beta Treatment, Study Finds New or worsening headaches are a more common side effect of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) than previously appreciated, a new study suggests. The study, “Interferon-Beta-Induced Headache in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Frequency and Characterization,” was published in theĀ Journal of Pain Research.
September 12, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – No Retinal Thinning with Ocrevus in Relapsing MS Patients, Phase 3 Trials Show Treating relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is not associated with retinal thinning ā unlike treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a), according to two Phase 3 trials. The findings also showed a link between retinal thinning and brain volume loss. The study, ā…
July 8, 2019 News by Alberto Molano, PhD Miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancy Not More Likely in Women Using Rebif, Study Suggests Results from a large observational study of pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with an interferon (IFN) beta-1a, likeĀ Rebif, before and during the first trimester showed no elevated risk of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy compared to those not using the medicine. This finding was presented at…
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 19, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Lemtrada Lowers Levels of Nerve Damage Biomarker Better Than Rebif, Trial Data Show Treatment with Sanofi GenzymeāsĀ LemtradaĀ (alemtuzumab) for up to two years lowers the levels of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a proposed biomarker of nerve damage, in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS) patients to levels comparable to those seen in healthy people, data from the CARE-MS I study shows. Lemtradaās effectiveness…
March 20, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Beta-interferons Extend Survival of Relapsing MS Patients, Study Reports Treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) with beta-interferon therapies is associated with extended patient survival, particularly if taking such treatments for more than three years, according to a real-world study in Canada and France. The study, āMultiple sclerosis: effect of beta interferon treatment on survival,ā was…
January 29, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias New Study Supports Hitting MS Fast and Hard The question of how quickly to start a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) after a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis is one that I frequently see when I browse online. It goes hand in hand with questions about which DMT is best to start with. There are many things to consider when…
December 13, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Patients with Stable Disease Who Switch to Another Interferon Therapy at Greater Risk of Flares, Study Reports Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who have been relapse-free while using an interferon-beta (IFN-Ī²) therapy but switch to anotherĀ IFN-Ī² are significantly more like to start experiencingĀ flaresĀ than patients who remain on their initial interferon treatment, a real-world study reports. Its results support letting patients remain on a current IFN-Ī² medication…
October 10, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #ECTRIMS2018 ā Merck KGaA to Present Latest Data on MS Portfolio Merck KGaA will present the latest advances made on several of its therapies aiming to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) at the 34th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research In Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). The conference is taking place through Friday in Berlin. The company, known as…
October 4, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Genentech to Present Ocrevus-related MS Studies at Conference Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) over five years lessened upper limb disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) patients, reduced relapses and brain disease activity in patients with relapsing MS, and helped achieveĀ no evidence of disease progression (NEDA) in a greater proportion of African-descent patients, compared to treatment…
September 26, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD DMTs Are Cost-Effective and Help to Slow MS Progression, 10-Year Study from UK Reports Four disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for Ā multiple sclerosisĀ āĀ Avonex, Rebif, Betaferon, and CopaxoneĀ ā are cost-effective and reduce disease progression in MS patients, especially those with relapsing-remitting disease, according to 10-year, real-world results from U.K.ās MS Risk Sharing Scheme (RSS). But the long-term benefits observed wane over…
July 9, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD NICE Agrees to Add Ocrevus to NHS for RRMS Patients in England and Wales, But Scotland Will Not Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with active disease may now be treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab, developed byĀ Genentech) within the National Health Service (NHS) ā the subsidized public health system that covers England and Wales. But those in Scotland will not. The National Institute for Health and…
June 19, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #EAN2018 ā Ocrevus Lowers Relapse Rates Over Long Term and Better Than Rebif Does, Data Show Long-term treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) Ā ā as well as switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a) to Ocrevus ā leads to a significant and sustained reduction in disease activity in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). TheseĀ previouslyĀ reportedĀ findingsĀ are further supported by the latest results drawn from pooled data…
June 6, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC2018 – Gains in Functional Abilities Seen in Lemtrada-treated MS Patients Over Six Years, CARE-MS II Extension Study Shows Patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) continue to show improvement ā lesser functional disability across a variety of measures ā and often without the need for continuous treatment after takingĀ LemtradaĀ for two years, according to six-year results from the CARE-MS II extension study. These results were shared in a…
April 20, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Switching from Rebif to Ocrevus Improves MS, Extension Study Shows Continuous treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a)Ā to Ocrevus leads to aĀ significant long-term reduction in relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, a two-year extension study shows. Ocrevus’s maker, Genentech,Ā drew the results from anĀ open-label extension of the Phase 3 OPERA trials. Researchers will present the findings at…
March 29, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Ocrevus Outperforms Rebif in Preventing Relapsing MS Activity, Analysis Shows Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) was more effective thanĀ RebifĀ (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,…
March 22, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Remyelination, RRMS, Quadrantanopia, and Other ‘Q’ and ‘R’ Terms Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letters “Q” and “R.” Symptoms of MS Quadrantanopia This eye-related symptom of MS refers to the compromising of vision in one of the quarters of the visual field,…
February 27, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias What’s Hot and What’s Not Among MS Therapies? The newest kids on the MS block, disease-modifying therapies (DMT) such as Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Sanofi Genzyme’s Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), are attracting a lot of interest these days. But, some DMTs that have been around for more than two decades are still being prescribed by a lot of neurologists.
February 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New Ocrevus Data, Post-FDA Approval, Supports Range of Benefits, Genentech’s Hideki Garren Says OcrevusĀ (ocrelizumab), GenentechāsĀ humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, continues to show clear evidence that it helps to slow disease progression and enable better function ā including in the hands and limbs ā ofĀ relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), latest data reveals. TheĀ first FDA-approved therapy ā in March…