Edward Fox1, Maria Cecilia Vieira2, Kristen Johnson3, Miranda Peeples4, Arielle G Bensimon4, James Signorovitch4, Vivian Herrera2. 1. Central Texas Neurology Consultants, 16040 Park Valley Dr., #B-100,Round Rock, TX, USA. 2. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, 1 Health Plaza, East Hanover, NJ, USA. 3. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, 1 Health Plaza, East Hanover, NJ, USA. Electronic address: Kristen_m.johnson@novartis.com. 4. Analysis Group, Inc., 111 Huntington Ave, 14th Floor, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess real-world durability of reduction in relapse rates among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving fingolimod therapy over a longer-term period of follow-up. METHODS: Patients with MS who initiated fingolimod were identified from a US claims database (January 1, 2009 to September 30, 2016) and followed for 3 years post-initiation. Annualized relapse rates (ARRs) were calculated during the 1-year pre-initiation period, and during each year over the 3-year follow-up period. Time from fingolimod initiation to discontinuation (≥60-day treatment gap) was also summarized. RESULTS: Among 1599 fingolimod initiators, 1158 (72%) had continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 2 and 937 (59%) had continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 3. The mean baseline ARR during the 1-year pre-initiation period for all initiators was 0.51. After fingolimod initiation, mean ARRs were consistently lower in each year of follow-up: 0.25 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.28) in year 1 for all fingolimod initiators, 0.22 (0.18, 0.25) in year 2 for patients with continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 2, and 0.23 (0.19, 0.27) in year 3 for patients with continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 3. Median time on treatment was 33 months for all patients initiating fingolimod. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MS who received continuous fingolimod therapy experienced a sustained reduction in relapse rates (>50% vs. baseline) during each year of a 3-year follow-up period.
OBJECTIVE: To assess real-world durability of reduction in relapse rates among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving fingolimod therapy over a longer-term period of follow-up. METHODS:Patients with MS who initiated fingolimod were identified from a US claims database (January 1, 2009 to September 30, 2016) and followed for 3 years post-initiation. Annualized relapse rates (ARRs) were calculated during the 1-year pre-initiation period, and during each year over the 3-year follow-up period. Time from fingolimod initiation to discontinuation (≥60-day treatment gap) was also summarized. RESULTS: Among 1599 fingolimod initiators, 1158 (72%) had continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 2 and 937 (59%) had continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 3. The mean baseline ARR during the 1-year pre-initiation period for all initiators was 0.51. After fingolimod initiation, mean ARRs were consistently lower in each year of follow-up: 0.25 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.28) in year 1 for all fingolimod initiators, 0.22 (0.18, 0.25) in year 2 for patients with continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 2, and 0.23 (0.19, 0.27) in year 3 for patients with continuous fingolimod use up to the start of year 3. Median time on treatment was 33 months for all patients initiating fingolimod. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with MS who received continuous fingolimod therapy experienced a sustained reduction in relapse rates (>50% vs. baseline) during each year of a 3-year follow-up period.
Authors: Marcello Moccia; Vincenzo Brescia Morra; Roberta Lanzillo; Ilaria Loperto; Roberta Giordana; Maria Grazia Fumo; Martina Petruzzo; Nicola Capasso; Maria Triassi; Maria Pia Sormani; Raffaele Palladino Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-05-13 Impact factor: 3.390