relapse prevention

Most neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients who start taking Enspryng (satralizumab) remain free of relapses for at least a year, with some being able to stop treatment with oral glucocorticoids, according to a study of real-world data. The findings are consistent with those of SAkuraStar (NCT02073279)…

None of the neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients in the Phase 3 CHAMPION-NMOSD clinical trial have had a disease relapse while on Ultomiris (ravulizumab-cwvz) treatment for a median of more than 2.5 years. These findings were shared by Sean Pittock, MD, the trial’s principal investigator, at the…

Tocilizumab, an anti-inflammatory medication used off-label for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), can help prevent relapses (flare-ups) and ease disability while being generally safe, according to a meta-analysis. The study, “Tocilizumab treatment in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: Updated meta-analysis of efficacy and safety,” was published in the journal…

Nearly two in 10 neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients develop new asymptomatic brain and spinal cord lesions during the period of disease remission, but these do not appear to increase risk of relapse, according to a study in Argentina. Asymptomatic, or silent, lesions are those that can be…

Long-term use of the approved therapy Soliris (eculizumab) safely and effectively prevents relapses in the real world in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and antibodies against the AQP4 protein. That’s according to two-year interim data from an observational study in Japan, where Soliris was approved in…

The rate of disease onset or relapse of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) after a SARS-CoV-2 infection — the virus that causes COVID-19 — is extremely low, at about 1 in 50 million, according to a worldwide review study. The occurrence of NMOSD was even lower, at 1 in…

Starting treatment with off-label rituximab soon after neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) symptoms begin may prevent long-term disability worsening, a South Korean study suggests. This approach was particularly true for patients who were younger than 50, female, and for those with a severe level of disability before starting rituximab,…

Ultomiris (ravulizumab) has been approved by authorities in Japan to prevent relapses in adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) positive for antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4). The decision from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare comes shortly after a similar approval by the European Commission,…

In a racially diverse group of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), rituximab worked better to prevent relapses than did oral immunosuppressive therapies, a single-center U.S. study showed. This result was particularly relevant for Black patients — who are usually underrepresented in NMOSD clinical trials but who, the…

Up to 4.6 years of treatment with Enspryng (satralizumab) continues to safely reduce relapse rates and prevent disability progression for people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who are positive for antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4). That’s according to pooled data from the Phase 3 SAkuraSky (NCT02028884) and…