Latest News

Daclizumab: DECIDE trial update

October 8, 2015

REPORT FROM ECTRIMS – BARCELONA, SPAIN – OCTOBER 7-10, 2015 – DECIDE is the second phase III trial evaluating daclizumab, an anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody that modulates IL-2 signalling. Primary results were presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting (Kappos et al. AAN 2015; abstract S4.003) but are not yet published. Subjects (mean age 36 years) were randomized to subcutaneous daclizumab 150 mg q4weeks or intramuscular interferon-beta-1a for 96-144 weeks.

The annualized relapse rate (ARR) was significantly lower with daclizumab versus IFNbeta (0.216 vs. 0.393). The risk of three-month confirmed disability progression was reduced 16% with daclizumab versus active control but did not achieve statistical significance. Read More

Sublingual apomorphine in PD: phase II results

September 2, 2015

Report from the 1^st Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Berlin, Germany, June 20-23, 2015 – Subcutaneous apomorphine is clinically available in many countries for the acute treatment of Off periods in PD. Alternative delivery methods have been investigated for several decades.

A new sublingual formulation, APL-130277, by a Canadian drugmaker has now completed early open-label phase IIa testing and results are available (Hauser et al. EAN 2015; abstract P2153). Read More

Evaluating neurodegeneration biomarkers in AD

September 2, 2015

Report from the 1^st Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Berlin, Germany, June 20-23, 2015 – Imaging and CSF biomarkers of neurodegeneration appear to be correlated only in patients with Alzheimer’s disease with beta-amyloid pathology, according to a study by the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (Andriutal et al. EAN 2015;O3102). Read More

Sequencing MS therapies: 2 studies

August 19, 2015

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