Annie Zhang

Efficacy and safety of natalizumab in multiple sclerosis: interim observational programme results

Background Clinical trials established the efficacy and safety of natalizumab. Data are needed over longer periods of time and in the clinical practice setting. Objective To evaluate long-term safety of natalizumab and its impact on annualised relapse rate and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Methods The Tysabri (natalizumab) Observational Program (TOP) is an open-label, multinational, 10-year prospective study in clinical practice settings. Results In this 5-year interim analysis, 4821 patients were enrolled. Follow-up for at least 4 years from natalizumab commencement in 468 patients and at least 2 years in 2496 patients revealed no new safety signals. There were 18 cases of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy reported, following 11–44 natalizumab infusions. Mean annualised relapse rate decreased from 1.99 in the 12 months prior to baseline to 0.31 on natalizumab therapy (p<0.0001), remaining low at 5 years. Lower annualised relapse rates were observed in patients who used natalizumab as first MS therapy, in patients with lower baseline EDSS scores, and in patients with lower prenatalizumab relapse rates. Mean EDSS scores remained unchanged up to 5 years. Conclusions Interim TOP data confirm natalizumabs overall safety profile and the low relapse rate and stabilised disability levels in natalizumab-treated patients with RRMS in clinical practice. Trial registration number NCT00493298.

Anti‐JC virus (JCV) antibody prevalence in the JCV Epidemiology in MS (JEMS) trial

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is caused by reactivation of JC virus (JCV) infection due to combined host and viral factors. Anti‐JCV antibodies provide a means to assess JCV exposure and stratify PML risk. The reported seroprevalence of anti‐JCV antibodies varies from 39% to 91% depending on assay methodology and population studied. A two‐step anti‐JCV antibody assay (STRATIFY JCV™; Focus Diagnostics, Cypress, CA, USA) detected anti‐JCV antibodies in approximately 55% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This study describes the prevalence of anti‐JCV antibodies in a large, multinational MS population.

Quality of life outcomes with BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis: The DEFINE study:

Background: Oral BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate), approved for the treatment of the relapsing forms of MS, has demonstrated clinical efficacy with an acceptable safety profile in the Phase III “Determination of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Fumarate in Relapsing–Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)” (DEFINE) and “Comparator and an Oral Fumarate in RRMS” (CONFIRM) studies. Objectives: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment that is associated with RRMS and to assess the effects of BG-12 on HRQoL in the DEFINE study. Methods: Patients with RRMS were randomized to BG-12 240 mg twice (BID) or three times (TID) daily, or placebo, for 2 years. HRQoL was assessed by the Short Form-36 (SF-36), global assessment of well-being visual analog scale and the EuroQol-5D. Results: In the 1237 patients from DEFINE, HRQoL impairment was greatest in patients who had higher disability scores and in those who had experienced relapse. Change in SF-36 physical component summary scores during 2 years’ treatment significantly favored BG-12 over placebo (both doses: p < 0.001). We saw similar benefits in other measures of functioning and general well-being as early as Week 24. These benefits were maintained during the study. Conclusions: Our results add to evidence for a negative impact of RRMS on HRQoL and they demonstrate the benefits of BG-12 on HRQoL measures, which coupled with significant clinical efficacy, further support its use as a new treatment for RRMS.

Comparative efficacy of switching to natalizumab in active multiple sclerosis

To compare treatment efficacy and persistence in patients who switched to natalizumab versus those who switched between glatiramer acetate (GA) and interferon‐beta (IFNβ) after an on‐treatment relapse on IFNβ or GA using propensity score matched real‐world datasets.

Low-contrast acuity measures visual improvement in phase 3 trial of natalizumab in relapsing MS

OBJECTIVE Low-contrast letter acuity has demonstrated treatment effects for sustained visual loss in trials of natalizumab for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). To test new therapies that may involve neuroprotection and repair, it will be essential for outcome measures to detect improvement as well as loss of visual function. We determined the effects of natalizumab on the frequency and cumulative probability of visual improvement using low-contrast letter acuity a prespecified tertiary outcome measure in AFFIRM. METHODS AFFIRM was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial that evaluated efficacy and safety of natalizumab (n=627) vs. placebo (n=315) in relapsing-remitting MS. Binocular acuities were measured at low-contrast (1.25%, 2.5%) and high-contrast visual acuity (VA). Improvement was defined as 12-week sustained increases from baseline. Clinically meaningful change for primary analyses was pre-defined as 7-letter improvement for low-contrast acuity and 5-letter improvement for VA based upon previous studies. RESULTS Compared to placebo, cumulative probabilities of sustained visual improvement were greater in the natalizumab group by 57% for 2.5% contrast (21.7% vs. 14.0%; HR=1.57; 95% CI: 1.11-2.22; P=0.012) and 39% for 1.25% contrast (32.5% vs. 25.0%; HR=1.39; 95% CI: 1.07-1.82; P=0.014). The 5- and 10-letter low-contrast assessments did not show treatment differences. High-contrast VA was insensitive to changes over time and treatment effects. CONCLUSION Low-contrast letter acuity detected treatment effects on sustained visual improvement in patients with relapsing MS. The ability to detect visual improvement and loss makes low-contrast acuity an important measure for future trials assessing the impact of therapy on this outcome and the potential of a therapy for neuroprotection and repair.

Efficacy and safety of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate in patients newly diagnosed with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)

Background: Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF) demonstrated efficacy and safety in the Phase 3 DEFINE and CONFIRM trials. Objective: To evaluate delayed-release DMF in newly diagnosed relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, in a post-hoc analysis of integrated data from DEFINE and CONFIRM. Methods: Patients included in the analysis were diagnosed with RRMS within 1 year prior to study entry and naive to MS disease-modifying therapy. Results: The newly diagnosed population comprised 678 patients treated with placebo (n = 223) or delayed-release DMF 240 mg BID (n = 221) or TID (n = 234). At 2 years, delayed-release DMF BID and TID reduced the annualized relapse rate by 56% and 60% (both p < 0.0001), risk of relapse by 54% and 57% (both p < 0.0001), and risk of 12-week confirmed disability progression by 71% (p < 0.0001) and 47% (p = 0.0085) versus placebo. In a subset of patients (MRI cohort), delayed-release DMF BID and TID reduced the mean number of new or enlarging T2-hyperintense lesions by 80% and 81%, gadolinium-enhancing lesion activity by 92% and 92%, and mean number of new non-enhancing T1-hypointense lesions by 68% and 70% (all p < 0.0001 versus placebo). Flushing and gastrointestinal events were associated with delayed-release DMF. Conclusion: Delayed-release DMF improved clinical and neuroradiological outcomes relative to placebo in newly diagnosed RRMS patients.

Time course of clinical and neuroradiological effects of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate in multiple sclerosis

Delayed‐release dimethyl fumarate (DMF, also known as gastro‐resistant DMF), demonstrated efficacy and safety in relapsing−remitting multiple sclerosis in the 2‐year, randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase 3 DEFINE and CONFIRM trials. A post hoc analysis of integrated data from DEFINE and CONFIRM was conducted to determine the temporal profile of the clinical and neuroradiological effects of DMF.

Anti-JC Virus Antibody Prevalence in Canadian MS Patients.

BACKGROUND Anti-John Cunningham (JCV) antibodies have been detected in approximately 50% to 60% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Age, sex, and geographic location have been associated with seroprevalence differences. We describe anti-JCV antibody prevalence in the Canadian cohort of patients enrolled in the JCV Epidemiology in MS study. METHODS This cross-sectional multicenter study evaluated the effects of demographic and disease characteristics on anti-JCV antibody seroprevalence in MS patients irrespective of disease type and treatment. A single blood sample was collected for analysis of anti-JCV antibodies using a two-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Chi-square and logistic regression tests were used to determine significance. RESULTS A total of 4198 Canadian MS patients participated in the study; the overall anti-JCV antibody prevalence was 56.3% (95% confidence interval: 54.8% to 57.8%). Seroprevalence was significantly associated with age (increasing from 45% in young to 61% in those >60 years), sex, and region (p<0.0001 for age and sex; p=0.005 for region). No significant differences in anti-JCV antibody prevalence were associated with race, MS disease type and duration, or number and duration of treatments. Immunosuppressant use was associated with a higher seroprevalence rate (63.4%) compared with no immunosuppressant use (55.9%; p=0.040). CONCLUSIONS Canadian MS patients had an overall anti-JCV antibody seroprevalence that was consistent with previous studies using the two-step ELISA. Significant associations of anti-JCV antibody positivity were found with age, sex, region, and immunosuppressant therapy, whereas seroprevalence was not associated with race, MS type, MS duration, or number or duration of MS treatments.

Comparative effectiveness using a matching-adjusted indirect comparison between delayed-release dimethyl fumarate and fingolimod for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Objective: Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF; also known as gastro-resistant DMF) and fingolimod are approved oral disease-modifying treatments for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. In phase 3 trials, DMF (DEFINE/CONFIRM) and fingolimod (FREEDOMS/FREEDOMS II) resulted in significant reductions in clinical and magnetic resonance imaging activity, with acceptable safety profiles. Direct comparisons of these treatments are not possible due to a lack of head-to-head trials. We compared 2 year efficacy of DMF versus fingolimod at the approved dosage using a matching-adjusted indirect approach. Research design and methods: Individual patient data from DEFINE and CONFIRM, and aggregate data from FREEDOMS and FREEDOMS II, were pooled and compared using the matching-adjusted in-direct method. To account for cross-trial differences, data from trials with available individual patient data were adjusted to match aggregate data (i.e. average patient characteristics) from trials without patient-level data. Data from DMF-treated patients were weighted such that average baseline characteristics matched those of fingolimod-treated patients. After matching, weighted treatment outcomes for DMF-treated patients (240 mg twice daily) were compared with summary outcomes for fingolimod-treated patients (0.5 mg once daily). All comparison results of DMF versus fingolimod used fingolimod as the reference. Results: After matching, baseline characteristics were balanced between DMF and fingolimod. At year 2, the efficacy of DMF was similar to that of fingolimod for annualized relapse rate (rate ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.11 [0.88, 1.40]), 12 week confirmed disability progression (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.90 [0.63, 1.29]), and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (mean difference [95% CI]: 0.04 [−0.05, 0.13]). For patient-reported outcomes (EuroQoL 5-Dimensions questionnaire), the mean differences (95% CI) were 0.05 (0.01, 0.08) for utility score and 3.22 (0.58, 5.86) for visual analog scale score, significantly favoring DMF. There was no significant difference in the percentage of patients with no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) for DMF versus fingolimod among matching-adjusted patients with complete NEDA data: rate ratio (95% CI): 0.92 (0.51, 1.64). Conclusions: Using the matching-adjusted indirect comparison approach, the efficacy of DMF and fingolimod were similar on all clinical outcomes, while patient-reported outcomes showed greater benefit with DMF. Study limitations include possible confounding from unobserved/unknown differences between trials, and trial length may have been insufficient to detect significant differences on disability progression. Clinical trial registration: NCT00420212 (DEFINE); NCT00451451 (CONFIRM); NCT00289978 (FREEDOMS); NCT00355134 (FREEDOMS II).

Comparative efficacy of first-line natalizumab vs IFN-β or glatiramer acetate in relapsing MS

Background:We compared efficacy and treatment persistence in treatment-naive patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) initiating natalizumab compared with interferon-&bgr; (IFN-&bgr;)/glatiramer acetate (GA) therapies, using propensity score–matched cohorts from observational multiple sclerosis registries. Methods:The study population initiated IFN-&bgr;/GA in the MSBase Registry or natalizumab in the Tysabri Observational Program, had ≥3 months of on-treatment follow-up, and had active RRMS, defined as ≥1 gadolinium-enhancing lesion on cerebral MRI at baseline or ≥1 relapse within the 12 months prior to baseline. Baseline demographics and disease characteristics were balanced between propensity-matched groups. Annualized relapse rate (ARR), time to first relapse, treatment persistence, and disability outcomes were compared between matched treatment arms in the total population (n = 366/group) and subgroups with higher baseline disease activity. Results:First-line natalizumab was associated with a 68% relative reduction in ARR from a mean (SD) of 0.63 (0.92) on IFN-&bgr;/GA to 0.20 (0.63) (p [signed-rank] < 0.0001), a 64% reduction in the rate of first relapse (hazard ratio [HR] 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28–0.47; p < 0.001), and a 27% reduction in the rate of discontinuation (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58–0.93; p = 0.01), compared with first-line IFN-&bgr;/GA therapy. Confirmed disability progression and area under the Expanded Disability Status Scale–time curve analyses were not significant. Similar relapse and treatment persistence results were observed in each of the higher disease activity subgroups. Conclusions:This study provides Class IV evidence that first-line natalizumab for RRMS improves relapse and treatment persistence outcomes compared to first-line IFN-&bgr;/GA. This needs to be balanced against the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in natalizumab-treated patients. Classification of evidence:This study provides Class IV evidence that first-line natalizumab for RRMS improves relapse rates and treatment persistence outcomes compared to first-line IFN-&bgr;/GA.