Alemtuzumab improved clinical and magnetic resonance imagining outcomes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis across varying age groups and maintained efficacy through year 8 of follow up.
Patients of varying ages with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who received alemtuzumab showed greater improvement in clinical and magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) outcomes than those who received subcutaneous (SC) interferon beta-1a (IFNB-1a) over a 2-year period, and the treatment was found maintain its efficacy and safety through 8 years of study, according to an abstract presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, held May 28,-June 1, 2019, in Seattle, Washington.
In the CARE-MS I and II studies, patients were administered 2 annual regimens of alemtuzumab, 1 at baseline and 1 at the start of the second year, or 3 weekly doses of SC IFNB-1a for 2 years. After CARE-MS I and II, participants had the opportunity to enroll in 2 consecutive extension studies, in an effort to evaluate the long-term effects of alemtuzumab over a period of 8 years.
Researchers conducted the current study to examine how alemtuzumab affected patients of different ages .
Data from 811 participants treated with alemtuzumab at baseline were stratified by age.
Of the total, 590 patients, or 73%, remained on study through year 8. Researchers found the annualized relapse rate (ARR) of patients from all age groups who received alemtuzumab significantly improved at year 2 and stabilized at year 8 compared to those who received SC IFNB-1a.
Expanded Disability Status Scale scores had either improved or stabilized, compared to baseline, for 59% to 80% of patients who received alemtuzumab at year 8. A greater number of alemtuzumab-treated patients from all age groups failed to demonstrate 6-month confirmed disability decline and attained 6-month confirmed disability improvement at year 2.
Confirmed disability worsening-free rates in patients who received alemtuzumab decreased with age through year 8 while confirmed disability improvement rates showed less variability.
Among all age groups, the percentages of patients without MRI disease activity were significantly higher for patients who received alemtuzumab compared to those who received SC IFNB-1a in year 2. A total of 61% to 86% of alemtuzumab-treated patients from all age groups remained free of MRI disease activity at year 8.
Within each age group through year 2, Alemtuzumab was also found to be more effective than SC IFNB-1a at reducing median annual brain volume loss. Patients who received alemtuzumab experienced a loss of less than or equal to 0.26% annually in years 3 through 8. The occurrences of adverse events were balanced across all age groups.
“Alemtuzumab significantly improved clinical and MRI outcomes vs SC IFNB-1a through [year] 2 in CARE-MS patients across all age groups tested. Efficacy was maintained through [year] 8, with a manageable and consistent safety profile across age groups, suggesting prolonged benefit with alemtuzumab irrespective of age,” researchers concluded.
Reference
Bass AD, Arroyo R, Boster A, et al. Alemtuzumab improves clinical and magnetic resonance imaging outcomes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients across age groups: CARE-MS I and II 8-year follow-up. Presented at: 33rd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers; May 28-June 1, 2019; Seattle, Washington. Abstract DXT05.
Serum Neurofilament Light Changes Not Always Apparent in Active RRMS, Study Finds
May 8th 2024A prospective study found evidence of serum neurofilament light (sNfL) level increases in patients affected by active forms of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS); however, these findings were not significant enough to suggest sNfL measurements replace clinical or MRI monitoring of disease activity.
Read More
Dr Kathy Zackowski Discusses the Importance of Rehabilitation Research and Trials in MS
April 26th 2024Kathy Zackowski, PhD, National MS Society, expresses the inherent value of quality rehabilitation trials for broadening clinical understandings of multiple sclerosis (MS) and bettering patient outcomes.
Read More
Distinguishing Biomarkers Identified in MS Outcomes
March 19th 2024Results from this cohort study found that levels of glial fibrillary acid protein, cerebral spinal fluid, and neurofilament heavy chain are distinguishable biomarkers that are associated with disease outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Read More
FDA Issues CRL for Glatiramer Acetate Depot for Relapsing Forms of MS
March 11th 2024The FDA has declined to approve glatiramer acetate (GA) depot in the treatment of relapsing types of multiple sclerosis (MS), issuing a complete response letter (CRL) for the long-acting, injectable form of GA.
Read More