Latest Conference Coverage

Takeaways From ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS 2020 Meeting

Rationale for Selected Dosing Regimen of Evobrutinib in Phase 3 Studies

OPTIMUM: Ponesimod Superiority in MRI-based Outcomes in RRMS

OLKIOS: Looking at Ofatumumab’s Continued Efficacy

Ofatumumab vs Teriflunomide: ASCLEPIOS I/II RMS Trials

Benjamin M. Segal, MD: The Multiple Sclerosis Prodrome

The chair of the department of neurology at The Ohio State University discussed the idea of the multiple sclerosis prodrome, presented in a plenary address at the MS Virtual 2020 meeting.

Benjamin M. Segal, MD: MS Virtual 2020 Highlights

The chair of the department of neurology at The Ohio State University discussed some of the main themes and takeaways from the MS Virtual 2020 meeting.

Rajesh Pahwa, MD: Understanding Levodopa-Carbidopa Treatment Impact

The director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Center for Excellence at the University of Kansas Medical Center provided insight on the lapses in levodopa-carbidopa treatment and what potential changes could come in the future.

Rajesh Pahwa, MD: Underutilization of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel

The director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Center for Excellence at the University of Kansas Medical Center shared the reasons why LCIG is underused in clinical care.

Joaquim Ferreira, MD, PhD: The Magnitude of Effect for Opicapone in Parkinson Disease

The head of the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Lisbon gave his perspective on the importance of the study population of this analysis.

Rajesh Pahwa, MD: Advantages of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel

The director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Center for Excellence at University of Kansas Medical Center detailed the pros and cons of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel.

Satralizumab Benefits Relapse Risk Across NMOSD Treatment Spectrum

The medical director manager of neuroscience at Genentech offered her perspective on the mountain of data presented at MS Virtual 2020 on the recently approved NMOSD treatment.

Ponesimod Shows Safe Cardiac Profile in MS

Researchers concluded that uptitration of ponesimod was not associated with clinically significant bradyarrhythmia events; none were serious or lead to discontinuation.

Stephen L. Hauser, MD: Fenebrutinib and BTK Inhibition in Progressive MS

The director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience spoke to the advantages of having agents that can be used across the spectrum of MS, and the role disease progression plays early on.

Low-Dose Rituximab Safe, as Effective as High Dose in MS

In the third year of treatment, both dose cohorts did not experience any contrast-enhancing lesions, and only a small population in the Barcelona center showed new T2 lesions.

Ocrelizumab Shows Range of Benefits for Spectrum of Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

The medical director manager of neuroscience at Genentech discussed the swath of data presented on the humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody at MS Virtual.

Early Intensive MS Treatment Yields Better Outcomes Than Escalation Approach

Early intensive treatment was more effective in controlling disability progression over time compared with an escalation therapy approach.

Stephen L. Hauser, MD: Increasing Understanding of Disease Progression in MS

The director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience spoke to the advantages of having agents that can be used across the spectrum of MS, and the role disease progression plays early on.

Fatigue Plays a Key Factor in Multiple Sclerosis Daily Functioning

Patients with lower levels of disability tended to report fatigue as the most impactful symptom in daily life.

Luc Truyen, MD, PhD: Advantages of Ponesimod as an S1P Modulator

The global head of Development and External Affairs-Neuroscience at Janssen Pharmaceutical detailed what makes ponesimod different from other currently FDA-approved treatments.

Ocrelizumab Holds Benefit for Relapsing MS Patients With Prior Suboptimal DMT Response

Treatment with ocrelizumab can improve freedom from individual events in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis regardless of suboptimal DMT response in the past.

The Importance of Patient-Centered Care in Parkinson Disease

The director of the VA Southwest Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers spoke to the importance of patient-focused interventions in PD.

Stephen L. Hauser, MD: Ofatumumab in Treatment-Naïve Patients With MS

The director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience offered his perspective on data presented at MS Virtual suggesting ofatumumab’s benefit in patients with MS who were treatment naïve.

Investigational Drug Targeting Epstein-Barr Virus Shows Promise for Progressive MS

Atara Biotherapeutics’ allogeneic EBV-targeted T-cell therapy, ATA188, is well-tolerated in phase 1, with a dose identified for the randomized placebo-controlled portion of the study.

Progressive and Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Share Similar Fatigue Severity

Future research may help better characterize whether fatigue interventions aimed at one patient population may be effective in the other.

Ocrelizumab Treatment Results in High NEDA Rates, Improvements in MS Symptoms

A pair of datasets from the phase 3b CASTING study of ocrelizumab (Ocrevus; Genentech) suggest that patients treated with the agent experienced high rates of no evidence of disease activity status regardless of prior DMT exposure.

Luc Truyen, MD, PhD: Long-Term Results of Ponesimod in Phase 2b Study

The global head of Development and External Affairs-Neuroscience at Janssen Pharmaceutical discussed the results of a phase 2 core and extension study of ponesimod in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Indu Subramanian, MD: Social Prescribing for Patients With Parkinson Disease

The director of the VA Southwest Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers explained how social prescribing can play a key role in the prevention of social isolation.

Ozanimod Shows Long-Term Safety, Efficacy in Open-Label Extension

Along with being generally well tolerated, ozanimod was able to help most patients become relapse free without disability progression.

Stewart Factor, MD: Long-Term Data on Apomorphine Sublingual Film in Parkinson

The director of the Movement Disorders Program and Vance Lanier Chair of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine gave his perspective on the interim findings of a long-term safety study of apomorphine sublingual film.