60th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society, San Francisco CA, 29 June – 1 July 2018 – Erenumab, the first in a new class of monoclonal antibodies that inhibit calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), has now been approved in the U.S. Other agents in development are fremanezumab, eptinezumab and galcanezumab. The following is a summary of new data on these agents presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Read More
A large database analysis has reported that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition may be beneficial in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke (Brookes et al. Stroke 2018;49:54-61). Read More
Comment by Dr. Daniel Selchen – St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
An estimated 70% of clinicians managing multiple sclerosis experience therapeutic inertia when faced with the decision to escalate therapy, according to a series of studies conducted by Saposnik and colleagues. This delay in the use of more effective therapies may result in worse clinical outcomes. Read More
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of the Betaseron phase III study (Interferon-beta MS Study Group. Neurology 1993;43:655-661), which ushered in the era of disease-modifying therapies in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. In the usual course of things, first-generation agents – especially drugs administered by injection – would be superseded by novel therapies, either a more convenient oral agent (fingolimod, teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate, cladribine) or a more potent infusion drug (natalizumab, alemtuzumab, ocrelizumab). Market shares have shifted but all treatments remain available, resulting in the present state of a surprisingly lengthy list of options. This raises the questions: are so many medications needed, and what is the role of injectable agents in MS management? Read More
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Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors are emerging as an important class of agents for the prevention of episodic and chronic migraine (See Targeting CGRP in migraine, NeuroSens, March 28, 2018). Four monoclonal antibodies are currently in development: erenumab, a fully-human MAb targeting the CGRP receptor; and three humanized MAbs targeting the CGRP ligand (fremanezumab, eptinezumab, galcanezumab). Erenumab received FDA approval for the treatment of migraine this week. Read More