REPORT FROM THE 25^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – The TEMSO phase III trial reported that oral teriflunomide 7 mg or 14 mg significantly reduced the annualized relapse rate compared to placebo (0.37 for either dose vs. 0.57; relative risk reduction 31%) (O’Connor et al. N Engl J Med 2011; 365: 1293-1303).

Confirmed disability progression was 21.7% with the 7-mg dose, 20.2% with the 14-mg dose and 27.3% with placebo, representing a 20.5% and 26.0% reduction respectively versus placebo. Side effects included diarrhea, nausea, hair thinning and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.

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REPORT FROM THE 25^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE  FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – MS patients receiving a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) typically stop treatment or switch medications within a few years of starting treatment, according to a new database analysis of MS patients in British Columbia, Canada (Evans et al. ECTRIMS 2011; abstract P687).

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REPORT FROM THE 25^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – Two studies targeting B cells report mixed results – one positive, the other negative – in the treatment of MS, suggesting that there may be hidden challenges for this novel therapeutic approach.

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REPORT FROM THE 25^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – The experimental oral therapy BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) appears to be effective in reducing relapses and disability progression, according to the results of the phase III DEFINE study (Gold et al. ECTRIMS 2011; abstract 95).

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