Bruce Bebo, PhD

“It’s a little more complicated than the [coronavirus] vaccine, unfortunately, but again, decades of research have been invested in developing vaccines for EBV, and there are some good candidates, so we’re very excited about that possibility.”

An article published in Science in Jan 2021 suggested that the 

, also known as herpesvirus 4, may be the leading cause for multiple sclerosis (MS), lending validation to a theory that has been historically investigated in the field. At the 

Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum

 2022, February 24-26, in West Palm Beach, Florida, NeurologyLive®sat down with Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president, National MS Society, to get his opinion on this relationship, as well as how he sees the field changing with these new findings.

According to Bebo, the biggest revelation of the study was that it provided strong evidence against reverse causation, which had stood out as a previous concern, and the last step will be to prove causation via a prevention trial with a vaccine. Noting the work that has been done by the National MS Society, Bebo further called attention to promising candidates in the realm of vaccine development for EBV. The vaccine will be more complicated than the recently developed vaccines for COVID-19, such as BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna), Bebo said, but years of research lend credence to the possibility of identifying a successful vaccine for EBV, as the potential leading concept for preventing the development of MS.

 recently hosted an expert-led panel discussion on the relationship between EBV and MS. 

For more coverage of ACTRIMS Forum 2022, 

REFERENCE
1. Bjornevik K, Cortese M, Healy BC, et al. Longitudinal analysis reveals high prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus associated with multiple sclerosis.

. Published online January 13, 2022. doi:10.1126/science.abj8222

Videos

The executive vice president of the National MS Society spoke on recently published data suggesting the relationship between EBV and MS, also sharing his opinion on the potential of vaccines. [WATCH TIME: 2 minutes]

Discussing Epstein-Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

“There's already a lot of excitement around the potential of identifying people at high risk for MS during this prodromal phase, and certainly biomarkers are going to be a key piece to that.”

, February 24-26, in West Palm Beach, Florida, is Biomarkers in MS, highlighting a key area of ongoing research for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and in monitoring patients’ response to therapy. Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president, National MS Society, sat down with 

 to discuss his thoughts on the ACTRIMS Forum 2022, noting that biomarkers also have the potential to impact diagnostic criteria for MS and move experts closer to “precision medicine” in the field.Further, understanding the role of biomarkers may also assist in recognizing MS in earlier stages, notably the prodromal stage.

When asked about the areas of unmet need in MS, Bebo noted that althoughthere has been progress made for treatment of relapsing forms of the disease, there is need to further investigate disease-modifying approaches to progressive forms of MS. Identifying those that are at risk of developing MS is another area, with health care professionals (HCPs) then incorporating wellness activities or disease modification strategies if they are able to identify those who are most likely to develop the disease. While there are ongoing clinical prevention trials in conditions like Parkinson disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Bebo said, research efforts are moving the field closer to applying this strategy in MS as well.

The executive vice president of the National MS Society spoke on the primary theme of ‘biomarkers’ at this year’s meeting, as well as the areas he believes require the most attention for patients with MS. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]

ACTRIMS Forum Takeaways and Unmet Needs in Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

“Employers [and] other organizations [are] looking to increase people's exercise, diet, wellness, in order to reduce the expense of providing health care for the populations that they serve, so I do think that lifestyle, wellness activities have the potential of reducing the economic burden of MS, as well as all comorbidities associated with MS.”

 2022, February 24-26, in West Palm Beach, Florida, outlined the economic burden associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the US in 2019. Incremental costs associated with the disease exceed $83 billion annually, creating financial hardships for those diagnosed. Lead investigator on the study, Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president, National MS Society, spoke with 

 on these findings, noting that lifestyle and wellness strategies may have on the disease course of MS.

While the study did not address wasted costs or inefficiencies, when queried about this, Bebo noted that will require additional study; however, earlier diagnosis and treatment of MS with disease-modifying therapies could be initiatives that will, in the long run, reduce financial, social, and personal impacts of the disease.

Bebo further noted another presentation at ACTRIMS covering comorbidities in MS and spoke on the need to promote healthy lifestyles and wellness strategies to mitigate the risk of developing comorbidities or to manage them more effectively if they do arise. According to Bebo, this can be particularly effective for patients with progressive forms of MS, as he believes there should be a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the importance of health and wellness as a “major part of the therapeutic prescription.”

For more coverage of ACTRIMS Forum 2022, 

REFERENCE
1. Bebo B, Cintina I, Yang W, et al. Economic burden of multiple sclerosis in 2019. Presented at ACTRIMS Forum 2022; February 24-26; West Palm Beach, FL and Virtual. Session CE3.1.

At the ACTRIMS Forum 2022, the executive vice president of the National MS Society commented on the need to diagnose and initiate treatment for MS early, as well as employing wellness strategies to reduce risk of comorbidities.  [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]

Cost Efficiency and Promoting Healthy Lifestyles in Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

“Being in this age of so many disease-modifying therapies, it felt like a good time to update the economic burden of MS, and it is information that we and others can use to illustrate the magnitude of MS and its impact, both socially and economically.”

The economic burden of multiple sclerosis (MS) generates challenges for this patient population, with associated medical costs of prescription medication, outpatient medication and administration, as well as nonmedical and indirect expenses. Data from a study that evaluated the economic burden of MS in the US in 2019 were presented at the 

 2022, February 24-26, in West Palm Beach, Florida, where investigators concluded that the burden of MS in the US has been previously underestimated.

Lead investigator Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president, National MS Society, sat down with 

 at ACTRIMS to discuss findings, sharing his perspective on significant data, as well as the motivations that prompted the analysis. According to Bebo, one of the more staggering findings was the estimated total economic burden of $85.3 billion for MS, which is the additional cost above the cost of general medical care for the condition. This number, which is higher than any previous estimate, is likely due to the expense associated with treating the disease, as well as the increased prevalence of MS, he said. Another big take-home message is regarding direct medical expenses, of which 70% is related to disease-modifying therapy, which is a key driver of expenses for MS when compared with other conditions.

The executive vice president of the National MS Society spoke on the updated data from an analysis on economic burden, which illustrated the ‘staggering’ impact of the disease. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]

Bruce Bebo, PhD

Articles

Discussing Epstein-Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

ACTRIMS Forum Takeaways and Unmet Needs in Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

Cost Efficiency and Promoting Healthy Lifestyles in Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

Discussing Economic Burden for Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Bruce Bebo, PhD

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