Novartis at ECTRIMS 2021

Treating to target in MS: Treating to Target in MS: Why, How and When¹ 

Watch our expert panel discussion from the Novartis symposium at ECTRIMS 2021.

Are we using the right treatment at the right time? 

In MS, acute lesions may evolve into active smoldering lesions over time, rendering an aggressive disease state.² Real-world findings indicate that high-efficacy therapies (HETs) when used early in the disease course may prevent or delay secondary disease progression.³

How to stay on treatment target in the COVID-19 era? 

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may confer protective immunity to people living with MS (PlwMS) on HETs; even if attenuated, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.⁴ During the pandemic, it is essential to stay on treatment target and use HETs effectively to prevent further disease progression.

Can treatment advances help lift the load?

Early initiation of HETs may lower disability accumulation, improve the quality of life, and reduce the overall burden of the disease in PlwMS.^3,5

MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.

References

1. Airas L, et al. Treating to target in MS: why, how and when? Industry sponsored satellite symposium at the 37th Congress of the ECTRIMS; October 13-15, 2021 (Virtual) 

2. Gillen KM, et al. Significance and in vivo detection of iron-laden microglia in white matter MS lesions. Front Immunol. 2018;9:255. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00255

3. Kuhle J, et al. Serum neurofilament light chain in early relapsing–remitting MS is increased and correlates with CSF levels and with MRI measures of disease severity. Mult Scler. 2016;22(12):1550–1559. doi:10.1177/1352458515623365

4. National MS Society. COVID-19 vaccine guidance for PlwMS. Accessed 10 February, 2022. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information/multiple-sclerosis-and-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-guidance; 5. National MS Society. Timing MS medications with COVID-19 vaccines. Accessed 10 February, 2022. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information/multiple-sclerosis-and-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-guidance/Timing-MS-Medications-with-COVID-19-Vaccines;