New data show sustained effect of Uplizna in NMOSD

Ireland-headquartered biotech Horizon Therapeutics (Nasdaq: HZNP) has announced the publication of a post-hoc analysis from the N-MOmentum Phase II/III pivotal trial of Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon), which highlights a sustained effect on attack risk with no new safety signals in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who received the treatment for four or more years. These data are published in the  Multiple Sclerosis Journal.

NMOSD is a rare, severe autoimmune disease that attacks the optic nerve, spinal cord and brain stem. The attacks are often recurrent and can cause irreversible damage to the nerves, leading to cumulative visual and motor disabilities over time.

“This long-term study is important because NMOSD is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management. Physicians need to understand the implications of prolonged treatment,” said Dr Bruce Cree, professor of clinical neurology at the University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences and primary study investigator, adding: “It is highly encouraging to see that most patients in this study were attack-free after the first year of Uplizna treatment and that new safety concerns were not observed. The data demonstrate that long-term Uplizna use is associated with a reduced risk of NMOSD attacks – possibly due to the depth and extent of B-cell depletion with repeated doses.”