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B-Cell Therapy Halves MS Relapses Early On
16 Oct
Summary
- B-cell therapy reduced MS relapses by 62% compared to oral medications.
- Patients on B-cell therapy showed fewer MRI-detected brain scars.
- No significant differences in disability progression were observed after two years.
A recent study published in Neurology Open Access suggests that B-cell-depleting therapies offer improved outcomes for individuals in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). This research tracked 509 newly diagnosed MS patients and found that those treated with IV drugs targeting B cells had a 62% lower relapse rate compared to patients taking oral medications.
Furthermore, the study indicated that starting B-cell-depleting therapies shortly after diagnosis was associated with a reduction in brain scarring visible on MRI scans. Despite these promising findings regarding relapses and lesions, the research observed no clear differences in disability scores between the treatment groups after two years.
While B-cell therapies showed benefits in reducing attacks and MRI changes, the study emphasized that no single treatment is universally best. Patient characteristics remain crucial in selecting the most appropriate therapy. Further long-term follow-up is planned to determine if differences in disability emerge over extended periods.
