Bridging Clinical Signs and Biological Evidence to Transform MS Diagnosis: Marcello Moccia, MD, PhD

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

"A huge update is that we are moving from a clinical diagnosis to the diagnosis of a biological disease."

Despite ongoing advancements in the therapeutic landscape, the impact of different disease-modifying treatment (DMT) sequences on healthcare system burden in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains underexplored. A recent study highlighted ocrelizumab (Ocrevus; Roche) as one of the most commonly prescribed DMTs, accounting for 28.8% of prescriptions for patients with MS between 2018 and 2022, underscoring its prominence in routine clinical practice.¹

The study included 3868 patients with from southern Italy who received either first-time or switched DMT prescriptions. Findings revealed that ocrelizumab demonstrated the highest rates of persistence and adherence among patients, with lower associated costs compared with other highly active DMTs. These results were presented by lead author Marcello Moccia, MD, PhD, at the 2024 European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Congress, September 18-20, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he also discussed the practical implementation of updated MS diagnostic criteria in a scientific session.

At the Congress, Moccia, an assistant professor in the department of molecular medicine and medical biotechnology at the University of Naples and a clinical research fellow at University College London, sat down with NeurologyLive^® to share his insights. During the discussion, he explored the implications of integrating biological evidence into MS management, emphasizing its potential to standardize care across diverse healthcare systems. He also addressed the challenges of adopting advanced diagnostic tools in under-resourced regions and the importance of balancing the complexity of new criteria with the need for practical, individualized patient care.

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REFERENCES
1. Moccia M, Affinito G, Marrazzo G, et al. A 5-year population based study on ocrelizumab within different treatment strategies for multiple sclerosis. Presented at: 2024 ECTRIMS; September 18-20; Copenhagen, Denmark. Abstract P860.