Novartis says five-year data show Kesimpta suppressed relapse rates

Novartis presented new long-term data from the ALITHSIO open-label extension study, saying it showed the sustained efficacy of continuous Kesimpta treatment over five years in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Patients treated with Kesimpta experienced suppressed relapse rates, reduced MRI lesions and high rates of no evidence of disease activity, the company said in a statement. Patients who switched from teriflunomide to Kesimpta experienced reductions in relapse rates and MRI lesions, it added. Data from the ALITHIOS open-label extension study showed that annualized relapse rates remained less than 0.05 for up to five years in the continuous Kesimpta group after starting treatment. Gd+ T1 MRI and new / enlarging T2 MRI lesions were suppressed and the NEDA-3 status increased annually, indicating that Kesimpta leads to a decrease in disease activity, which resulted in more than 9 out of 10 patients achieving NEDA-3 at year five, according to Novartis.