Alemtuzumab improves preexisting disability in active relapsing-remitting MS patients
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Authors
Giovannoni, G
Cohen, JA
Hartung, H-P
Havrdova, E
Selmaj, KW
Margolin, DH
Lake, SL
Kaup, SM
Panzara, MA
Compston, Alastair
CARE-MS II Investigators,
Publication Date
2016-11-08Journal Title
Neurology
ISSN
0028-3878
Publisher
American Academy of Neurology
Volume
87
Issue
19
Pages
1985-1992
Language
English
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Giovannoni, G., Cohen, J., Coles, A., Hartung, H., Havrdova, E., Selmaj, K., Margolin, D., et al. (2016). Alemtuzumab improves preexisting disability in active relapsing-remitting MS patients. Neurology, 87 (19), 1985-1992. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003319
Abstract
$\textbf{Objective:}$ To characterize effects of alemtuzumab treatment on measures of disability improvement in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with inadequate response (≥1 relapse) to prior therapy.
$\textbf{Methods:}$ Comparison of Alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis (CARE-MS) II, a 2-year randomized, rater-blinded, active-controlled, head-to-head, phase 3 trial, compared efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab 12 mg with subcutaneous interferon-β-1a (SC IFN-β-1a) 44 μg in patients with RRMS. Prespecified and post hoc disability outcomes based on Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), and Sloan low-contrast letter acuity (SLCLA) are reported, focusing on improvement of preexisting disability in addition to slowing of disability accumulation.
$\textbf{Results:}$ Alemtuzumab-treated patients were more likely than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients to show improvement in EDSS scores ($p$ < 0.0001) on all 7 functional systems. Significantly more alemtuzumab patients demonstrated 6-month confirmed disability improvement. The likelihood of improved vs stable/worsening MSFC scores was greater with alemtuzumab than SC IFN-β-1a ($p$ = 0.0300); improvement in MSFC scores with alemtuzumab was primarily driven by the upper limb coordination and dexterity domain. Alemtuzumab-treated patients had more favorable changes from baseline in SLCLA (2.5% contrast) scores ($p$ = 0.0014) and MSFC + SLCLA composite scores ($p$ = 0.0097) than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients.
$\textbf{Conclusions:}$ In patients with RRMS and inadequate response to prior disease-modifying therapies, alemtuzumab provides greater benefits than SC IFN-β-1a across several disability outcomes, reflecting improvement of preexisting disabilities.
$\textbf{Classification of evidence:}$ This study provides Class I evidence (based on rater blinding and a balance in baseline characteristics between arms) that alemtuzumab modifies disability measures favorably compared with SC IFN-β-1a.
Sponsorship
Sanofi Genzyme, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals
Funder references
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY (39)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003319
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/261815
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International