Watch time: 3 minutes
“For all 3 of these approved therapies, there is significant work to be done at the payer level. This work includes removing barriers that force the use of unproven, off-label experimental therapies as a first step, and promoting these Use of Therapies “These have undergone strict regulatory approval and have shown benefits. I believe, in my opinion, this is an area that we need to continue to work on. “
Since 2019, there have been 3 FDA-approved treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), including eculizumab (Soliris; Alexion), inebilizumab (Uplizna; Horizon Therapeutics), and satralizumab (Enspryng ; Genentech). In a recent survey of 33 academic neuroimmunologists from 18 US states, approximately 88% reported use of novel NMOSD therapies (NNT). The results showed that switching to NNT in clinically stable patients was uncommon, with 69% switching to no NNT and 22% switching to NNT, with a range of 1% to 25% switching to NNT. Respondents noted that a common challenge to treatment is insurance and cost-related barriers.1
Lead author Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS, FAAN, director of clinical research at the UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Center, presented efficacy data from MSMilan’s 2023 N-MOmentum open-label extension study of inebilizumab in the AQP4+ NMOSD subpopulation. ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS joint conference, held in Milan, Italy, from October 11 to 13, October 11 to 13 in Milan, Italy. In the presented analysis, the researchers compared the treatment effects of azathioprine, immunosuppressants, and placebo. The study results showed that patients treated with inebilizumab had a statistically significant reduction in the risk of exacerbations compared with other treatments and patients who received no treatment.2
I believe he was interviewed Neurology Live® discussed at the recently concluded meeting how these approved treatments for NMOSD impact patients’ care landscape and some of their lingering challenges. He explains why third-party payers deny access to high-cost drugs even though they have FDA approval. Cree also discussed how the medical community is educating general neurologists about the superiority of inebilizumab over other treatments for NMOSD. Additionally, I discuss the key challenges patients face in obtaining approved treatments for their disease and what can be done to address these challenges.
Click here for more MSMilan 2023 coverage.