Efficacy of alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting MS patients who received additional courses after the initial two courses: Pooled analysis of the CARE-MS, extension, and TOPAZ studies.

Comi, GiancarloAlroughani, RaedBoster, Aaron LBass, Ann DBerkovich, ReginaFernández, ÓscarKim, Ho JinLimmroth, VolkerLycke, JanMacdonell, Richard AlSharrack, BasilSinger, Barry AVermersch, PatrickWiendl, HeinzZiemssen, TjalfJacobs, AlanDaizadeh, NadiaRodriguez, Claudio ETraboulsee, AnthonyCARE-MS I, CARE-MS II, CAMMS03409, and TOPAZ Investigators2023-02-082023-02-082019-11-25http://hdl.handle.net/10668/14739Alemtuzumab is given as two annual courses. Patients with continued disease activity may receive as-needed additional courses. To evaluate efficacy and safety of additional alemtuzumab courses in the CARE-MS (Comparison of Alemtuzumab and Rebif® Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis) studies and their extensions. Subgroups were based on the number of additional alemtuzumab courses received. Exclusion criteria: other disease-modifying therapy (DMT); In the additional-courses groups, Courses 3 and 4 reduced annualized relapse rate (12 months before: 0.73 and 0.74, respectively; 12 months after: 0.07 and 0.08). For 36 months after Courses 3 and 4, 89% and 92% of patients were free of 6-month confirmed disability worsening, respectively, with 20% and 26% achieving 6-month confirmed disability improvement. Freedom from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disease activity increased after Courses 3 and 4 (12 months before: 43% and 53%, respectively; 12 months after: 73% and 74%). Safety was similar across groups; serious events occurred irrespective of the number of courses. Additional alemtuzumab courses significantly improved outcomes, without increased safety risks, in CARE-MS patients with continued disease activity after Course 2. How this compares to outcomes if treatment is switched to another DMT instead remains unknown.enAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Alemtuzumabefficacymultiple sclerosisrelapseretreatmentsafetyAlemtuzumabHumansInterferon beta-1aMultiple SclerosisMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingRecurrenceEfficacy of alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting MS patients who received additional courses after the initial two courses: Pooled analysis of the CARE-MS, extension, and TOPAZ studies.research article31762387open access10.1177/13524585198886101477-0970PMC7720359https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1352458519888610https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7720359/pdf