| Literature DB >> 26000222 |
Channa Kolb-Sobieraj1, Sahil Gupta1, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman1.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered an autoimmune disease with inflammatory and neurodegenerative underlying processes that affect the central nervous system. The available disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) approved to treat MS have only shown partial benefit in controlling the disease progression, primarily impeding its inflammatory component, while the parenteral administration of most of these therapies has shown to affect patient compliance. Laquinimod is a promising new oral drug recently evaluated in a third phase III clinical trial that demonstrated beneficial effects in delaying disease progression and preventing brain atrophy, suggesting a potential neuroprotective effect and a favorable safety profile. AREAS COVERED: This is a comprehensive review covering clinical efficacy and safety data obtained from two phase III clinical trials, as well as the presumed beneficial mechanism of action, of laquinimod. This article also provides a short overview of the oral DMTs recently approved for the treatment of relapsing MS, as well as challenges that still remain to be overcome to fully control the relentless course of MS.Entities:
Keywords: Clinical trials; Disease modifying therapies; Laquinimod; Multiple sclerosis; Neurology; Neuroprotection
Year: 2014 PMID: 26000222 PMCID: PMC4381916 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-014-0017-6
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Neurol Ther ISSN: 2193-6536
Fig. 1The figure illustrates the mechanism of action of laquinimod and its presumed site of action. IFN interferon, IL interleukin, TNF tumor necrosis factor
Comparison of results of phase III clinical trials of different oral therapies for RRMS
| Disease-modifying agent | Clinical trial name, number of patients | Results | Key adverse events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fingolimod | FREEDOMS, 1,272 [ | ARRfor 0.5 mg FIN and 1.25 mg FIN vs. PL (0.18 and 0.16 vs. 0.40, respectively; Risk of disability progression for 0.5 mg FIN and 1.25 mg FIN vs. PL (HR 0.7 and 0.68, respectively; | Cardiovascular events like bradycardia and AV block Severe infection (herpes simplex, varicella zoster) Macular edema |
| TRANSFORMS, 1,292 [ | ARR for 0.5 mg and 1.25 FIN vs. IFNβ (0.16 and 0.20 vs. 0.33, respectively; Reduced brain lesions on MRI for FIN vs. IFNβ No significant difference seen in disability progression | ||
| Teriflunomide | TEMSO, 1,088 [ | Decreased ARR in TER 7 mg and TER 14 mg vs. PL (31.2% and 31.5%; Decreased proportion of patients with disability progression in 7 mg TER and 14 mg TER vs.PL (21.7% and 20.2% vs. 27.3%, respectively) Improved MRI outcomes in TER groups vs. PL | Elevated liver enzymes Lymphocytopenia Opportunistic infections |
| TOWER, 1,169 [ | Decreased ARR in TER 7 mg vs.PL and TER 14 mg vs. PL (22.3%, Decreased disability progression in 14 mg TER vs. PL | ||
| TENERE, 324 [ | Preliminary results: No statistical superiority of IFNβ over TER on risk of treatment failure (48.6%, 37.8%, and 42.3% in 7 mg, 14 mg, and IFNβ, respectively) ARR not statistically different in 14 mg TER and IFNβ group (0.259 vs. 0.216).ARR in 7 mg TER(0.410) higher than IFNβ (0.216) | ||
| Dimethyl fumarate | DEFINE, 1,237 [ | Decrease in proportion of people with relapse in DMF 240 mg bid and tid vs. PL (27% and 26% vs. 46%, respectively; ARR decreased in DMF 240 mg bid and tid vs. PL (0.17 and 0.19 vs. 0.36, respectively; Decrease in percentage of patients with disease progression as compared to PL(16 % in DMF bid, Reduced MRI measure of disease activity in DMF groups as compared to PL ( | Mild/Moderate infections Elevated liver enzymes Leukopenia |
| CONFIRM, 1,430 [ | ARR decreased for DMF 240 mg bid (0.22; Decrease in MRI based endpoints in DMF and GA patients vs. PL ( No differences in disability progression between DMF or GA vs. PL | ||
| Laquinimod | ALLEGRO, 1,106 [ | Lower ARR in LAQ vs. PL (0.3 vs. 0.39; Decrease in risk of disability progression in LAQ vs. PL (11.1% vs. 15.7%; Decrease in MRI endpoints ( | Elevated liver enzymes Infections |
| BRAVO, 1,331 [ | After adjusted analysis, reduced ARR in LAQ vs. PL (21.3%; Reduction in disability progression in LAQ vs. PL (33.5%; Reduction in brain volume loss in LAQ vs. PL (27.5%; |
Clinical trial acronyms: ALLEGRO, Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Laquinimod for Multiple Sclerosis; BRAVO, Laquinimod Double Blind Placebo Controlled Study in RRMS Patients With a Rater Blinded Reference Arm of Interferon β-1a; CONFIRM, Comparator and an Oral Fumarate in RRMS; DEFINE, Determination of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Fumarate in RRMS; FREEDOMS, A placebo-controlled trial of oral Fingolimod in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis; TEMSO, The Teriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Oral Trial; TENERE, A study comparing the effectiveness and safety of Teriflunomide and Interferon Beta-1a in Patients with Relapsing multiple sclerosis; TOWER, Teriflunomide efficacy and safety in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis; TRANSFORMS, Trial Assessing Injectable Interferon versus FTY720 Oral in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
ARR annualized relapse rate, AV atrioventricular, bid twice a day, DMF dimethyl fumarate, FIN fingolimod, GA Glatirameracetate, HR Hazard ratio, IFN interferon, LAQ laquinimod, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, PL placebo, TER teriflunomide, tid three times a day