Inebilizumab’s Efficacy in Patients With NMOSD Early in Disease Course: Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS, FAAN

Disclaimer: The American Academy of Neurology requested that all attendees remain masked during the Annual Meeting. This interviewee voluntarily removed their mask for this interview.

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“It’s important for clinicians to know and understand that inebilizumab can be used in individuals right at the time of first attack who are newly diagnosed, as well as in patients who have had a longer disease course, and, almost invariably, more treatment experience as well.”

New data from the phase 2/3 N-MOmentum trial (NCT02200770) in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) suggested that the FDA-approved inebilizumab (Uplizna; Horizon Therapeutics) is effective not only in patients who have had more long-term disease, but those with only a single relapse prior to treatment.^1,2 Presented at the 2022 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, April 2-7, in Seattle, Washington, the data show that of the 37 individuals with only 1 attack prior to study enrollment, only 4.2% (n = 1) experienced relapse posttreatment compared with 23.1% (n = 3) of the placebo cohort (n = 13) (HR, 0.160; 95% CI, 0.017-1.542).

Additionally, of the 176 participants with more than 1 attack prior to study enrollment, 12.4% (n = 17) of the cohort who were treated with inebilizumab (n = 137) experienced an attack compared with 48.7% (n = 19) of the 39 individuals in the placebo group (HR, 0.212; 95% CI, 0.110-0.408). There were no reported significant differences in attacks nor in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) worsening between those with 1 prestudy attack and those with 2 or more prestudy attacks.¹

Study investigator Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS, FAAN, professor of clinical neurology, University of California, San Francisco (USCF) Weill Institute for Neuroscience, and clinical research director, UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Center, sat down with NeurologyLive® at AAN 2022 to offer his perspective on the data, sharing his insight into the clinical takeaways and the efficacy of this new option for patients with NMOSD.

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REFERENCES
1. Lindsey J, Bernitsas E, She D, Katz E, Cree BA. Safety and Efficacy of Inebilizumab as Treatment for Newly Presenting Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Presented at: AAN Annual Meeting; April 2-7, 2022; Seattle, WA, and virtual. Abstract 1-004.
2. New Analysis Finds UPLIZNA® (inebilizumab-cdon) Effective for People with Newly-Presenting Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). News release. Horizon. March 31, 2022. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://ir.horizontherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/new-analysis-finds-upliznar-inebilizumab-cdon-e