VIDEO: Longer term ofatumumab lessened disability progression in MS

Longer-term treatment with ofatumumab led to lessening of disability progression and slowing of brain volume loss, according to Jeffrey A. Cohen, MD, in this Healio video.

“Previous studies had shown that ofatumumab had effectively controlled relapses and MRI lesion activity up to 4 years,” Cohen said. “These analyses extend those results.”

Cohen and colleagues sought to examine efficacy of ofatumumab for up to 5 years in 1,367 adults with MS who participated in the ASCLEPIOS I/II clinical trials, as well as the ALITHIOS open-label extension study.

According to results, treatment with ofatumumab led to lessening of confirmed disability worsening, with continuous improvement compared with the study population treated initially with teriflunomide and then switched to ofatumumab in the OLE.

Approximately 17% of individuals given continuous ofatumumab had confirmed disability worsening at the 5-year follow-up compared with roughly 20% of participants who switched medication.

Researchers also found that incomplete recovery from relapses as well as progression independent from relapsing were the causes of disability worsening, with 65% to 70% found as a result of the latter category.

Cohen additionally noted that brain volume loss slowed in the OLE phase at the same rate with those who were treated continuously with ofatumumab, with overall brain volume loss less than 1.5% in the continuous treatment group.