Roche says experimental MS pill cuts relapses by 55% in late-stage trials

By Reuters News

By Patrick Wingrove

Oct 21 (Reuters) - Roche said on Wednesday late-stage trial data showed its experimental drug fenebrutinib reduced markers of chronic brain inflammation and delivered broader disease control than comparator treatments in patients with relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

Key findings presented by the Swiss drugmaker at an MS conference in Toronto included:

  • Pooled data showed fenebrutinib reduced the annualised relapse rate by 55% versus comparator drug teriflunomide, over 96 weeks

  • Fenebrutinib reduced the volume of slowly expanding lesions, a marker of chronic inflammation, by up to 30% versus active comparators in relapsing MS patients over 96 weeks and in primary progressive MS patients over 120 weeks

  • The accumulation of paramagnetic rim lesions, another chronic inflammation marker, was reduced by 62% in relapsing MS patients compared with active comparators

  • Roche said the findings showed fenebrutinib directly targets chronic neuroinflammation in the brain, which it described as a primary driver of disability progression in MS

  • In pooled trials in relapsing-MS, 75% of patients receiving fenebrutinib showed no evidence of disease activity after nearly two years, meaning zero relapses, MRI activity or disability worsening. That represented a 70% reduction versus the comparator

  • Annual brain volume loss was reduced by 23%, while 12-week composite confirmed disability progression was reduced by 16%, which Roche said highlighted the drug's potential to slow brain tissue loss and preserve function

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