Report from the 1^st Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Berlin, Germany, June 20-23, 2015 – Few studies have examined the feasibility of switching MS patients from one higher-efficacy therapy to another. In the TOFINGO and ENIGM (Enquête Nationale sur l’Introduction du Fingolimod en Relais au Natalizumab) prospective studies, disease reactivation was generally well controlled after switching from natalizumab to fingolimod, most notably when the washout period did not exceed 12 weeks (Kappos et al. Neurology 2015; epublished May 29, 2015; Cohen et al. JAMA Neurol 2014;71:436-441).

The MSBase study group has recommended a maximum 8-week washout period (Jokubaitis et al. Neurology 2014;82:1204-1211). Read More

Report from the 1^st Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Berlin, Germany, June 20-23, 2015 – There is an implied association between psoriasis and multiple sclerosis, as evidenced by an increased incidence of psoriasis in MS patients, and the efficacy of psoriasis treatments such as fumarates in MS. The relationship between psoriasis and MS was explored further in a retrospective database analysis from a single MS centre in Israel (Miron et al. EAN 2015; F2168). Read More

A number of preliminary studies have investigated the possible effects of natalizumab in progressive MS. The latest is the open-label phase IIb NAPMS trial that examined the effect of treatment on osteopontin, an inflammatory marker, and CSF neurofilament (NfL) light chain, a marker of axonal damage  (Romme Christensen et al. Neurology 2014;82:1499-1507). Read More