May 27, 2020
Novartis has reported new data with its multiple sclerosis (MS) drug ofatumumab showing that it can suppress disease activity for up to two years, as it waits for an FDA decision on the drug next month.
New results from the Swiss drugmaker’s clinical trials programme for ofatumumab (OMB157) showed that 47% of patients with relapsing MS had no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) in the first year after treatment, rising to almost 88% in the second year.
Ofatumumab – a CD20-targeting antibody – is already used as an intravenous treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) under the Arzerra brand name, but has seen its use in that indication pegged back by increased competition.
Novartis reckons the subcutaneous version of the drug can make sales of $1 billion-plus per year as an MS therapy, and challenge other new therapies like Roche’s fast-growing Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), which also targets CD20 and brought in CHF 3.7 billion last year ($3.8 billion) in only its second full year on the market.
If approved it would become the first B-cell-targeting therapy for relapsing forms of MS that can be self-administered by patients at home once a month. A verdict is also due from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the first half of this year.
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