MS Treatment Benefits During Treated and Untreated Intervals

Phase 3 studies of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis are limited to 2 to 3 years. Properly analyzed real-world data can provide insights into treatment effects beyond these intervals. Investigators included 14,717 patients from an international, observational registry (MSBase), of whom 1085 had ≥15 years of follow-up. Treatments included injectable DMTs for 59% of the follow-up, natalizumab for 5%, and fingolimod for 4%. Over 15 years, patients were exposed to DMTs 63% of the time. Patients were analyzed based upon their treated and untreated intervals.

The treated cohort had 44% less 12-month confirmed disability worsening, compared with the untreated cohort (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.82). T…