title: Alemtuzumab improves preexisting disability in active relapsing-remitting MS patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize effects of alemtuzumab treatment on measures of disability improvement in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with inadequate response (≥1 relapse) to prior therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of Alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis (CARE-MS) II, a 2-year randomized, rater-blinded, active-controlled, head-to-head, phase 3 trial, compared efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab 12 mg with subcutaneous interferon-β-1a (SC IFN-β-1a) 44 μg in patients with RRMS. Prespecified and post hoc disability outcomes based on Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), and Sloan low-contrast letter acuity (SLCLA) are reported, focusing on improvement of preexisting disability in addition to slowing of disability accumulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alemtuzumab-treated patients were more likely than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients to show improvement in EDSS scores (p < 0.0001) on all 7 functional systems. Significantly more alemtuzumab patients demonstrated 6-month confirmed disability improvement. The likelihood of improved vs stable/worsening MSFC scores was greater with alemtuzumab than SC IFN-β-1a (p = 0.0300); improvement in MSFC scores with alemtuzumab was primarily driven by the upper limb coordination and dexterity domain. Alemtuzumab-treated patients had more favorable changes from baseline in SLCLA (2.5% contrast) scores (p = 0.0014) and MSFC + SLCLA composite scores (p = 0.0097) than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with RRMS and inadequate response to prior disease-modifying therapies, alemtuzumab provides greater benefits than SC IFN-β-1a across several disability outcomes, reflecting improvement of preexisting disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study provides Class I evidence (based on rater blinding and a balance in baseline characteristics between arms) that alemtuzumab modifies disability measures favorably compared with SC IFN-β-1a.
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted). g.giovannoni@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giovannoni
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Alasdair J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Coles
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Havrdova
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Krzysztof W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Selmaj
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Margolin
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kaup
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Panzara
authors.affiliation: From Queen Mary University of London (G.G.), Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK; Mellen Center (J.A.C.), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.J.C., D.A.S.C.), University of Cambridge, UK; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuropsychiatry (H.-P.H.), Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience (E.H.), First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (K.W.S.), Medical University of Łódź, Poland; Sanofi Genzyme (D.H.M., S.L.L., M.A.P.), Cambridge, MA; and Evidence Scientific Solutions (S.M.K.), Philadelphia, PA (at the time the work was conducted).
authors.forename: D Alastair S
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Compston
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D016899:Interferon-beta