Basel, April 20, 2018
Novartis today announced new analyses from the Phase III EXPAND study of oral, once-daily siponimod (BAF312) in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). In pre-specified statistical analyses, treatment with siponimod consistently reduced the risk of confirmed disability progression in SPMS patients, with and without relapses[1]. In addition, new post-hoc analyses using more accurate methods to estimate the treatment effect on disability progression, now substantiate that the risk reduction with siponimod is largely disassociated from relapses. Siponimod also showed a significant benefit on cognitive processing speed, the key cognitive function impacted by MS, which frequently deteriorates in people with the disease[2]. These results are being presented at the 70th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, in Los Angeles, USA, April 21-27, 2018.