Clinical

Bone metastases can cause pain in patients with cancer, and 2 abstracts presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting evaluated treating this pain.

Long-term use of ozanimod may be associated with improved cognitive speed and higher rates of no evidence of disease activity among patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to 2 new abstracts presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.

Patients who switched from ozanimod HCI 0.5 mg or interferon β-1a to ozanimod HCI 1.0 mg in an open-label extension study experienced sustained reduction in their annualized relapse rate. Patients who continued on with the 1.0 mg dose also experienced a sustained reduction.

New research has identified how bone cells subdue cancer cells that have reached the bone so that the cancer cells remain dormant for decades. The finding may help researchers develop new treatments to prevent or treat metastatic disease and put cancer cells to sleep permanently.

Adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who are treated with ozanimod have less gray matter volume loss than patients treated with interferon, according to a post hoc analysis from the phase 3 RADIANCE Part B trial. The research was presented at the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Analyses of real-world data have broadened the understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) and provided a snapshot into patient conditions and healthcare costs in the years leading up to and the years after an MS diagnosis, explained Bruce Pyenson, FSA, MAAA, Principal, Consulting Actuary, Milliman, Inc, during a session highlighting findings of a recent Milliman white paper at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In a session at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, speakers highlighted a pilot program to gather and use real-world evidence to compare outcomes at 7 large academic medical centers for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and malignant melanoma.

Currently, there is no universally accepted treatment standard for multiple sclerosis (MS), but 2 abstracts being presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting evaluated the use and impact of highly effective therapies.

In the past 5 decades, there has been a steady rise in the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to estimates using a validated algorithm across 5 large US administrative health claims data sets. The research was published in Neurology.

The challenge with translating good science into treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is getting the funding to get the trials done, said Rhonda Voskuhl, MD, Jack H. Skirball chair of multiple sclerosis (MS) research, director of the MS program, and professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Panelists discuss what PCSK9 inhibitors are, the evidence to support them, and challenges with operationalizing them in practice.