Latest Conference Coverage

Inhaled Levodopa Holds Off Dyskinesia in Parkinson Disease

Acorda Therapeutics’ Inbrija, an inhalation powder formulation of levodopa, was associated with no significant increases in troublesome dyskinesia for patients being treated with carbidopa/levodopa.

Amantadine ER Capsules for Dyskinesia Show Consistent Safety, Improved Motor Skills

Data of amantadine (Gocovri, Adamas) extended-release tablets suggested that the therapy is, in fact, safe and tolerable with a unique pharmacokinetic profile, and results in significant improvements in dyskinesia for patients with Parkinson disease.

Pimavanserin Improves Parkinson Disease Depressive Symptoms

Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ pimavanserin significantly improved Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores for patients with Parkinson disease with depressive symptoms in an 8-week, open-label study.

Tavapadon Posts Positive Phase 2 Results in Early Parkinson Disease

Cerevel Therapeutics’ highly selective dopamine D1/D5 agonist showed significant reductions in UPDRS-III scores for those with early-stage Parkinson disease and is planned to enter phase 3 in 2020.

Danielle Andrade, MD, MSc: Communicating and Network Building in Epilepsy Care

The professor of medicine, neurology, at the University of Toronto shared insight into the importance of communication and a good network of physicians to an adult neurologist caring for patients with epilepsy.

Marie D'hooghe, MD, PhD: Treating Multiple Sclerosis During Pregnancy

The neurologist at the National MS Center and University Hospital, in Brussels, spoke to the decision-making process when treating women with MS who seek to get pregnant, or who are planning a family.

Danielle Andrade, MD, MSc: Education for Adult Neurologists on Pediatric-Onset Epilepsies

The professor of medicine, neurology, at the University of Toronto discussed the best ways for adult neurologists to ensure a smooth transition of care for patients with epilepsy entering their care.

Jan Hillert, MD, PhD: The Blood-Brain Barrier in Multiple Sclerosis

The professor and senior physician in the department of clinical neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet discussed the evolving understanding of the blood-brain barrier in MS, and what might still be left to uncover.

Achthar Gel Associated With Lower Cost Per Response in Multiple Sclerosis Relapse

Mallinckrodt’s repository corticotropin injection was shown to have a lower cost per patient response compared to other late-line treatments for multiple sclerosis relapses, costing an estimated $148,528 less per response.

Danielle Andrade, MD, MSc: Ensuring Smooth Transitions to Adult Epilepsy Care

The professor of medicine, neurology, at the University of Toronto discussed the best ways for pediatric neurologists to ensure a smooth transition of care for patients with epilepsy who are leaving the pediatric system.

MS Treatment Temelimab (GNbAC1) Shows Sustained 96-Week Efficacy

The GeNeuro agent showed marked reductions in brain atrophy in the thalamus and cerebral cortex through a long-term extension period treating patients with multiple sclerosis.

R. Edward Hogan, MD: Clinician Takeaways for Using Diazepam Nasal Spray

The director of the adult epilepsy center at Washington University in St. Louis discussed the takeaways for clinicians regarding the use of intranasal diazepam as a treatment for runs of seizures in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Jan Hillert, MD, PhD: Treating the Non-Inflammatory Aspects of MS

The professor and senior physician in the department of clinical neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet spoke to the aspects of MS—such as brain volume loss—which are not currently being addressed by the available disease-modifying therapies.

Relapsing MS Treatment With Natalizumab Linked to High NEDA Rate Over 4 Years

According to new data from STRIVE, 75.4% of those treated with natalizumab achieved overall No Evidence of Disease Activity status by year 4, and no patients had incidence of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Siponimod Delays Time to Wheelchair Use in Secondary Progressive MS

After showing significant benefits in delayed disease progression in patients with secondary progressive MS, new data suggests siponimod can delay the time to wheelchair dependence by 4 years.

Ocrelizumab Reduces MS Disease Activity in Patients With Prior DMT Failure

Nearly 87% of patients enrolled in the phase 3b CASTING study had no evidence of disease activity following treatment with ocrelizumab after having an inadequate response to prior DMTs.

Ocrelizumab Is Beneficial Across Long-Term Multiple Sclerosis Outcomes

The global head of neuroimmunology at Genentech spoke about the wealth of data being presented on its anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab, as well as the success thus far in trials of its NMOSD agent, satralizumab.

Satralizumab's Efficacy in NMOSD Boosts the Case for IL-6 Inhibition

Study coauthor and professor of neurology and ophthalmology at the University of Colorado provides insight into phase 3 study results of satralizumab, presented at ECTRIMS 2019.

Alberto Ascherio, MD, DrPH: Using Vitamin D to Treat MS

The professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health discussed what might be an optimal dose of vitamin D supplementation in MS, and how vitamin D deficiency should be addressed as a modifiable risk factor.

Ponesimod Superior to Teriflunomide in Lowering MS Relapse Rates

New phase 3 data from the OPTIMUM head-to-head trial show that 20-mg ponesimod resulted in a significantly lower annualized relapse rate in adults with multiple sclerosis compared to 14-mg teriflunomide at 108 weeks.

Satralizumab Reduces Neuromyelitis Optica Relapse Risk Across Spectrum of Disease

The humanized monoclonal antibody was particularly effective in patients who were seropositive for aquaporin-4 autoantibodies.

Dimethyl Fumarate Treatment Maintains Low MS Relapse Rates Long-Term

New decade-long data have suggested that multiple sclerosis treatment with dimethyl fumarate is associated with stable EDSS scores ≤3, and a low number of patients with confirmed disability progression.

Danielle Andrade, MD, MSc: Coordinating Epilepsy Care Transition Between Physicians

The professor of medicine, neurology, at the University of Toronto discussed the need for physicians to work together while transitioning patients with epilepsy—who may have any number of comorbidities—from pediatric care to adult care.

Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS: Exploring Clinical Utility of Siponimod, Fingolimod in MS

The clinical research director of the UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Center discusses recent data on siponimod and its impact on cognitive measures in patients with secondary progressive MS, as well as results of the 3-arm ASSESS study comparing low-dose fingolimod and glatiramer acetate.

Ocrelizumab Analyses of Neurofilament Light Levels Reveals Disease Progression Insights

New data from clinical trials of ocrelizumab showed that the anti-CD20+ B cell therapy lowered serum NfL levels, and that the NfL levels offered prognostic value for disease progression in MS.

Ozanimod Lowers ARR, Reduces Grey Matter Loss Compared to Interferon Beta-1a

Data from the phase 3 SUNBEAM trial of the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator have suggested that the Celgene treatment lowers annualized relapse rates and reduces the rate of cortical gray matter loss, improving cognition measures, compared to IFN-ß1a.

R. Edward Hogan, MD: Diazepam Nasal Spray Offers Benefits and Long-Term Safety

The director of the adult epilepsy center at Washington University in St. Louis spoke about the use of diazepam nasal spray in patients with epilepsy ­and detailed the advantages it offers these patients and their physicians.

Danielle Andrade, MD, MSc: Transitioning Patients With Epilepsy to Adult Care

The professor of medicine, neurology, at the University of Toronto spoke to the hurdles faced by both pediatric and adult neurologists when transitioning a patient with epilepsy from childhood care to adult care.

Richard Lipton, MD: Interpreting Eptinezumab's Impact on HIT-6 Score

The director of the Montefiore Headache Center will provide further insight into migraine care at the 1st Annual International Congress on the Future of Neurology, to be held September 27-28 in New York City.

Ofatumumab Superior to Teriflunomide in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

Novartis’ CD20+ B cell- targeting, fully-human antibody has outperformed teriflunomide (Aubagio) in a pair of phase 3 studies. The top-line data were presented at ECTRIMS 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden.