Results on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Booster from an Open-Label Multicenter Study in Ofatumumab-Treated Participants with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Few data exist on how ofatumumab treatment impacts SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccination response. METHODS: KYRIOS is an ongoing prospective open-label multicenter study on the response to initial and booster SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination before or during ofatumumab treatment in relapsing MS patients. The results on the initial vaccination cohort have been published previously. Here, we describe 23 patients who received their initial vaccination outside of the study but booster vaccination during the study. Additionally, we report the booster results of two patients in the initial vaccination cohort. The primary endpoint was SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell response at month 1. Furthermore, serum total and neutralizing antibodies were measured. RESULTS: The primary endpoint was reached by 87.5% of patients with booster before (booster cohort 1, N = 8) and 46.7% of patients with booster during ofatumumab treatment (booster cohort 2, N = 15). Seroconversion rates for neutralizing antibodies increased from 87.5% at baseline to 100.0% at month 1 in booster cohort 1 and from 71.4% to 93.3% in booster cohort 2. Of note, 3 of 4 initially seronegative patients in booster cohort 2 and one seronegative patient in the initial vaccination cohort seroconverted after the booster during ofatumumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Booster vaccinations increase neutralizing antibody titers in ofatumumab-treated patients. A booster is recommended in ofatumumab-treated patients.

Efficacy, safety and patient reported outcomes in patients with active relapsing multiple sclerosis treated with ocrelizumab: Final results from the PRO-MSACTIVE study.

BACKGROUND: Ocrelizumab, a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, has been approved in Europe for the treatment of adult patients with active relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), on the basis of previous phase III studies. However, limited data were available on ocrelizumab efficacy in RMS according to the Lublin definition of activity (clinical and/or imaging features) used in the current drug label. The PRO-MSACTIVE study was thus designed to provide additional data on ocrelizumab efficacy according to this definition, and also on safety and patient reported outcomes (PROs). METHODS: PRO-MSACTIVE is a national, multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase IV French study, conducted in patients with active RMS (relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, RRMS, or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, SPMS). The primary endpoint, which was assessed at week (W) 48, was defined as the proportion of patients free of disease activity (defined by no relapses and no T1 gadolinium-enhancing nor new and/or enlarging T2 lesions using brain MRI). Disease activity, disability and PROs using 6 questionnaires for disease severity, quality of life, impact on work productivity, and treatment satisfaction were described at W24 and W48. Adverse events were described until W72. RESULTS: Among the 422 analyzed patients (RRMS: 376, SPMS: 46), 63.3% (95% CI [58.5%; 67.9%]) were free of disease activity at W48 (RRMS: 62.2% [57.1%; 67.2%], SPMS: 71.7% [56.5%; 84.0%]). A total of 358 patients (84.8%; RRMS: 84.6%, SPMS: 87.0%) were relapse-free up to W48, and the overall adjusted annualized relapse rate was 0.14 (RRMS: 0.15, SPMS: 0.09). Overall, 67.8% of patients (RRMS: 66.8%, SPMS: 76.1%) had no evidence of MRI activity (no T1 gadolinium-enhancing lesions [83.4%] and no new/enlarging T2 lesions [75.1%]); 58.5% of patients (RRMS: 57.7%, SPMS: 65.2%) achieved No Evidence of Disease Activity (NEDA: no relapses, no confirmed disability progression, and no MRI activity) at W48. All PRO scores were stable between the first dose of ocrelizumab and W48 and better outcomes were seen for patients having an EDSS score ≥4. Overall, 89.3% of patients reported adverse events, 62.3% adverse events assessed as related to ocrelizumab, and 8.5% serious adverse events. No serious infusion-related reactions, opportunistic infections, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, nor deaths were reported. No new safety signal was identified. CONCLUSION: These data confirm the efficacy of ocrelizumab in a pragmatic setting and its favorable benefit-risk profile in patients with RMS. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03589105; EudraCT identifier: 2018-000780-91).

Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines in an Open-Label Multicenter Study in Participants with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Ofatumumab.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether multiple sclerosis (MS) patients receiving ofatumumab mount an immune response after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. METHODS: KYRIOS is an ongoing, multicenter, open-label, prospective clinical study on immune responses in MS patients after initial or booster SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination prior to (cohort 1) or during (cohort 2) ofatumumab treatment. We report one-week and one-month results of the initial vaccination. A comparison with patients vaccinated while receiving beta-interferon, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide or no treatment was included (cohort 3). RESULTS: In total, 11 patients received their initial vaccination during the study. The primary endpoint of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells at month 1 was reached by 80.0% of patients in cohort 1 (N = 6) and 100.0% in cohort 2 (N = 5). T-cell reactivity peaked at week 1. All cohort 1 patients reached seroconversion for SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies at week 1 and month 1. In cohort 2, neutralizing antibodies increased in all patients and exceeded the cut-off for seropositivity in 40.0% of patients at week 1 and 25.0% at month 1. Immune responses in cohort 3 were comparable to cohort 1. CONCLUSION: Presence of T-cell response and increase in levels of neutralizing antibodies, although less pronounced compared to controls, suggest that MS patients receiving ofatumumab are able to mount an immune response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.

Safety experience with continued exposure to ofatumumab in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis for up to 3.5 years.

BACKGROUND: Ofatumumab is approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Ongoing safety reporting is crucial to understand its long-term benefit-risk profile. OBJECTIVE: Report the safety and tolerability of ofatumumab in RMS after extended treatment up to 3.5 years. METHODS: Patients completing ASCLEPIOS I/II (phase 3), APLIOS, or APOLITOS (phase 2) trials could enter ALITHIOS, a phase 3b, open-label, long-term safety study. We analyzed cumulative data of continuous ofatumumab treatment and of patients newly switched from teriflunomide. RESULTS: The safety population had 1969 patients: 1292 continuously treated with ofatumumab (median time-at-risk 35.5 months, 3253 patient-years) and 677 newly switched (median time-at-risk 18.3 months, 986 patient-years). A total of 1650 patients (83.8%) had ⩾1 adverse events and 191 (9.7%) had ⩾1 serious adverse events. No opportunistic infections or progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy events were identified; the risk of malignancies was low. Mean serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels remained stable. Mean IgM levels decreased but remained above the lower limit of normal in most. Serious infection incidence was low; decreased Ig levels were not associated with serious infections. CONCLUSION: In patients with up to 3.5 years' exposure, ofatumumab was well tolerated, with no new safety risks identified. These findings, with its established effectiveness, support a favorable benefit-risk profile of ofatumumab in RMS.

Expert opinion on COVID-19 vaccination and the use of cladribine tablets in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Gaps in current evidence and guidance leave clinicians with unanswered questions on the use of cladribine tablets for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular relating to COVID-19 vaccination. OBJECTIVE: We describe a consensus-based program led by international MS experts with the aim of supplementing current guidelines and treatment labels by providing timely recommendations relating to COVID-19 vaccination and the use of cladribine tablets in clinical practice. METHODS: A steering committee (SC) of 10 international MS experts identified 7 clinical questions to answer concerning the use of cladribine tablets and COVID-19 vaccination, which addressed issues relating to patient selection, timing and efficacy, and safety. Clinical recommendations to address each question were drafted using available evidence combined with expert opinion from the SC. An extended faculty of 28 MS experts, representing 19 countries, in addition to the 10 SC members, voted on the recommendations. Consensus on recommendations was achieved when ⩾75% of respondents expressed an agreement score of 7-9, on a 9-point scale. RESULTS: Consensus was achieved on all 13 recommendations. Clinical recommendations are provided on whether all patients with MS receiving cladribine tablets should be vaccinated against COVID-19, and whether they should be prioritized; the timing of vaccination around dosing of cladribine tablets (i.e. before and after a treatment course); and the safety of COVID-19 vaccination for these patients. CONCLUSION: These expert recommendations provide timely guidance on COVID-19 vaccination in patients receiving cladribine tablets, which is relevant to everyday clinical practice.

COVID-19 Outcomes and Vaccination in People with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Ofatumumab.

INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitated better understanding of the impact of disease-modifying therapies on COVID-19 outcomes and vaccination. We report characteristics of COVID-19 cases and vaccination status in ofatumumab-treated relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients. METHODS: COVID-19 data analyzed were from the ongoing, open-label, long-term extension phase 3b ALITHIOS study from December 2019 (pandemic start) and post-marketing cases from August 2020 (ofatumumab first approval) up to 25 September 2021. COVID-19 cases, severity, seriousness, outcomes, vaccination status, and breakthrough infection were evaluated. RESULTS: As of 25 September 2021, 245 of 1703 patients (14.4%) enrolled in ALITHIOS receiving ofatumumab (median exposure: 2.45 years) reported COVID-19 (confirmed: 210; suspected: 35). Most COVID-19 was of mild (44.1%) or moderate (46.5%) severity, but 9% had severe/life-threatening COVID-19. There were 24 serious cases (9.8%) with 23 patients hospitalized; 22 recovered and 2 died. At study cut-off, 241 patients (98.4%) had recovered or were recovering or had recovered with sequelae and 2 (0.8%) had not recovered. Ofatumumab was temporarily interrupted in 39 (15.9%) patients. Before COVID-19 onset, IgG levels were within the normal range in all COVID-19-affected patients, while IgM was < 0.4 g/l in 23 (9.4%) patients. No patient had a reinfection. Overall, 559 patients were vaccinated (full, 476; partial, 74; unspecified, 9). Breakthrough infection was reported in 1.5% (7/476) patients, and 11 reported COVID-19 after partial vaccination. As of 25 September 2021, the Novartis Safety Database (~ 4713 patient-treatment years) recorded 90 confirmed COVID-19 cases receiving ofatumumab. Most cases were non-serious (n = 80), and ten were serious (1 medically significant, 9 hospitalized, 0 deaths). Among 36 of 90 cases with outcomes reported, 30 recovered and 6 did not recover. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 in RMS patients on ofatumumab was primarily of mild/moderate severity and non-serious in these observational data. Most recovered from COVID-19 without treatment interruption. Two people died with COVID-19. Breakthrough COVID-19 despite being fully/partially vaccinated was uncommon.