Patients treated with Kesimpta experienced considerable decreases in relapse rates
Novartis has presented pivotal long-term data from its ALITHIOS open-label extension clinical trial. The details were shared at the European Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting held in Hungary.
Data demonstrated the sustained efficacy of Kesimpta treatment during five years among patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS).
Individuals treated with Kesimpta – also known as ofatumumab – experienced significantly suppressed relapse rates. Pivotally, the patient cohort also had high rates of ‘no evidence of disease activity’ (NEDA-3).
Patients who changed from teriflunomide to Kesimpta experienced considerable decreases in relapse rates and MRI lesions. Meanwhile, fewer patients treated with teriflunomide achieved NEDA, however, those numbers increased substantially following a switch to Kesimpta.
Following the switch from teriflunomide to Kesimpta at year two to three, there was also a pronounced decrease in absolute risk reduction, which was duly was maintained throughout five years. In addition, moving to the Kesimpta treatment led to an increased suppression of MRI lesions.
The five-year efficacy data, combined with the well-tolerated five-year safety profile of Kesimpta, continues to uphold the favourable benefit-risk profile for the therapy in RMS patients.
Principal investigator, Ludwig Kappos, from the research centre for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel, was optimistic about the results: “Continuous Kesimpta treatment for up to five years showed sustained efficacy with very low relapse rates, profound suppression of MRI lesions and increasing NEDA-3 rates.”
He added: “Combined with its favourable safety profile, these findings support Kesimpta as a well-tolerated, efficacious treatment option for RMS patients.”
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system defined by axonal damage and myelin destruction in the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord. MS impacts around two million people worldwide.
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