What’s New in MS Research – July 2025

Ongoing study evaluating oral medication for MS-related spasticity

A Phase II study is examining whether an investigational medication that targets some of the biological pathways affected by marijuana can ease MS-related spasticity.¹ (A “biological pathway” refers to the actions of molecules within a cell that lead to some type of change.)

Spasticity is a common and often debilitating symptom of multiple sclerosis and one that often does not respond satisfactorily to currently approved medications. Some people with MS seek relief by smoking marijuana or using other products, such as “gummies,” that contain cannabinoids, the chemicals in marijuana that have an impact on spasticity.

Celgene Corporation, a subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb, is developing BMS-986368, an investigational medication, and is evaluating its potential role in the treatment of conditions including MS-related spasticity and agitation associated with Alzheimer’s disease.² Researchers say that BMS-986368 increases levels of neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in a way that essentially calms motor neurons, the nerve cells that contribute to spasticity.

The Phase II BALANCE-MSS-1 trial is an international study that began enrollment in March 2025. Sponsors hope to include 200 people in the trial. Participants must have had MS-related spasticity for six months or longer, and have an Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 3.0 to 6.5, which ranges between people with moderate disability but fully ambulatory, to individuals who need bilateral walking assistance (canes or crutches). In addition, participants could not have any other conditions that could cause spasticity. They also must stop taking any anti-spasticity medications or cannabinoid products before starting the trial.

Study participants will be assigned at random to one of four groups. Participants will either receive placebo or one of three doses of BMS-986368. The study will be conducted for six weeks. At the end of that period, participants will have the option of continuing in a six-week extension study. During the extension study, people who received placebo in the initial trial will receive one of the three doses of BMS-986368.

The study’s primary endpoint is the change from baseline to Week 6 in a measure of spasticity called the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). In determining the extent of change, researchers will assess the leg most affected by a person’s spasticity. Other measures of the medication’s effectiveness will also be evaluated, and investigators will carefully monitor the safety of BMS-986368.

 

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A look at how people with MS are using patient messaging portals

Secure electronic messaging portals provide a welcome alternative to playing “phone tag” with a clinician’s office when you need a question answered or medication refilled. But how are people with MS making use of this technology platform, and what impact is the need to respond to messages from multiple patients, often at the end of a long workday, having on providers?

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is examining both of those questions through two surveys, one sent to people with MS and the other distributed to physicians and nurse practitioners. While survey responses from the healthcare professionals (HCPs) are still being collected and analyzed, information from the 18-question patient survey was presented in late May at the CMSC Annual Meeting. Those findings include:³

• 43% of respondents said portal messaging was their preferred means of communicating with their healthcare team, while 31% favor phone calls and 9% like email best.

• More than half of respondents – 58% – reported that they felt they used portal messaging only when critically necessary. 

• The most frequently reported use for messaging was requesting medication refills (67%). Other common uses included requesting medical advice (53%), scheduling appointments (42%), conveying urgent concerns (39%), clarifying questions from a recent visit (38%), and asking time-sensitive medication questions (37%).

The study’s 426 participants largely reflected the composition of the MS population in the United States, with 83% identifying as White, 10% as Black, and 6% reporting Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish ethnicity. Several noted the value that messaging portals provide, particularly when a provider’s office is located far from their homes, or when there are limited in-person visits.

While the survey’s findings re-affirmed the convenience that messaging portals offer people with MS, the companion survey being completed by HCPs will examine whether replying to patient inquiries via portals is leaving providers feeling over-worked and overwhelmed.

The objectives of the research are as follows: “To contribute to understanding the role of patient portal messaging in multiple sclerosis (MS) care by evaluating its perceived value and usage among patients and clinicians, with the goal of identifying opportunities to enhance communication, improve care coordination, and better understand potential contributions to clinician burnout.”

A future goal of this initiative is to review the results of the HCP surveys, when these become available.

 

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Real-world patient experiences with Ocrevus Zunovo^™ subcutaneous infusion

In September 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of the twice-yearly disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Ocrevus Zunovo^™ (ocrelizumab/hyaluronidase) based on the results of clinical trials. But how do patients in real-world settings rate the medication, which is administered via a 10-minute subcutaneous infusion as opposed to an intravenous infusion requiring two-to-four hours for Ocrevus^® (ocrelizumab)?

According to the results of a study conducted by researchers from University of Virginia Health, patients are highly satisfied with this shorter, more convenient administration.⁴ The researchers surveyed 35 people with MS who were being treated with Ocrevus Zunovo. Twenty-one of those study participants had transitioned to the medication from Ocrevus. Six had switched to it from another DMT, and eight were receiving it as their first disease-modifying therapy. The participants’ experiences with the subcutaneous medication were assessed through questionnaires that each completed prior to infusion, immediately after infusion, and 72 hours after infusion. Key findings included:

• Thirty-four of the 35 patients reported a high degree of satisfaction with Ocrevus Zunovo.
• All of the patients in the study said they preferred subcutaneous infusion to intravenous administration. All of the people who had received Ocrevus previously said that treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo was more convenient for them.
• Most patients reported infusion-related adverse events, such as redness or tenderness at the infusion site. However, most of these events (73%) were rated as very mild or mild, and no patients reported more than moderate discomfort at the infusion site. One patient went to the hospital emergency department following infusion for evaluation of generalized body aches.

Ocrevus and Ocrevus Zunovo are the only DMTs approved for the treatment of both primary-progressive MS and relapsing forms of MS in adults, although several investigational therapies are in late stages of evaluation for both forms of MS.

After initial dosing, Ocrevus typically is given over a four-hour intravenous infusion, although people who have not experienced any serious infusion reactions with the four-hour administration may be able to switch to a two-hour infusion in which the same dose of medication is administered at a faster rate. Including pre-infusion preparations and post-infusion monitoring, the total process for Ocrevus delivered intravenously can range from about three and a half to six hours. The same process for Ocrevus Zunovo is typically 55 minutes to one hour and 40 minutes, according to Genentech, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures and distributes both medications.

The authors of this real-world study concluded that Ocrevus Zunovo “subcutaneous infusion administered in the clinic setting is a convenient and efficient treatment option for patients with MS, increasing patient convenience, providing decreased patient discomfort, and reducing time burdens and infusion center scheduling challenges.”

 

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At 48 weeks, Fenebrutinib shows impact on acute inflammation in relapsing MS

People with relapsing MS who took the investigational disease-modifying therapy (DMT) fenebrutinib had “near complete suppression of acute inflammatory disease activity” over one year of treatment, an international team of researchers reported.⁵

Fenebrutinib belongs to a class of medications known as Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or BTKis. These medicines inhibit the activity of an enzyme, BTK, which plays a role in the signaling pathways of B cells, which are immune cells that have been implicated in MS development and activity. Several BTKis are being evaluated for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, with researchers hoping that the medications will reduce inflammatory activity and thus slow MS progression. BTKis have long been used to treat certain cancers marked by B-cell mutations or other abnormalities.

The FENopta open-label extension study involved 99 people with relapsing MS. All of them had participated in the double-blind Phase II FENopta study, with some having received 200 mg of fenebrutinib orally twice a day and others having been assigned at random to receive placebo in FENopta. In the open-label extension (OLE) study, all participants received 200 mg of fenebrutinib twice a day.

Through 48 weeks of treatment in the OLE, 96% of participants were relapse-free, and the annualized relapse rate for the group was 0.04. Based on this rate, if 10,000 people with relapsing MS took fenebrutinib for one year, four of them would have a relapse in that period. Similarly, 99% of study participants did not have any new lesions marked by gadolinium enhancement – an indicator of inflammatory activity – on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ninety percent of people in the open-label extension had no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) through Week 48, meaning they had no relapses, no disease progression, and no new or active lesions on MRI. Further, there was no change in the overall group’s average Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score from baseline to Week 48.

The most common adverse events seen during the open-label extension study were urinary tract infections, affecting 8% of people, COVID-19 infection (7%), and sore throat (5%). One person experienced two serious adverse events, a urinary tract infection and kidney stones. Another person had an increase in liver enzymes without symptoms that was identified 16 weeks into the study and resolved when fenebrutinib was discontinued.

The researchers noted that three Phase III clinical trials of fenebrutinib are under way with the study of this medication in MS.

 

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Symposium presents a range of perspectives on CMSC’s biggest topics

Just prior to the CMSC Annual Meeting, MSAA partnered with our Chief Medical Officer and Arizona local, Dr. Barry Hendin, to host a community symposium in Phoenix. At MSAA, we believe raising awareness of MS among a broader range of healthcare providers is a key component to improving care and outcomes for the MS community by increasing the potential for earlier diagnosis, better symptom management, and more coordinated support.

The event panel featured perspectives from all corners of the MS healthcare journey, including MS neurologists, a nurse navigator who is also living with MS, a pharmacist, and experts from both the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Together, they discussed some of the biggest topics in MS today: diversity in research, advocating for underserved communities, breaking down barriers to care, treatment decision-making, and promoting health equity.

The symposium welcomed community members, MS clinicians, pharmacists, fellows, students, employers, insurance representatives, and more from across Arizona, as well as clinicians and researchers attending the CMSC Annual Meeting. More than just raising awareness, the event created an open and inclusive space for everyone to learn, connect, and ask the big questions, hopefully fostering a stronger, more-informed clinical community.

This project was made possible through the generous support of Genentech.

 

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Stopping DMT use in older patients: Exploring the data and neurologists’ views

Does the risk of side effects eventually outweigh the benefits of continuing to take a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) when an older person with MS has not experienced a relapse for several years? It’s one of the most hotly debated topics in MS care today, thanks to the aging of the population and clinicians’ differing interpretations of recent studies examining the question.

One of those studies was presented in late May at the CMSC Annual Meeting.⁶ Researchers examined data on 600 patients who had received care at a Cleveland Clinic MS center from 2010 to 2016. The patients were aged 60 years or older and had been diagnosed with MS before reaching their 60th birthday. The researchers assessed the individual’s experiences between February 2018 and April 2024, dividing study participants into those who had stopped their DMT (66%) and those who continued on medication. The median follow-up time after a person had turned age 60 was 10.5 years. Of the 600 patients, 101 of these patients treated during the initial 2010 to 2016 timeframe had died by the 2018 to 2024 follow-up period.

The researchers found that 20 patients, or 3.3% of the 600 people studied, had experienced at least one relapse after age 60. People who had stopped their DMT were 1.8 times more likely to have had a relapse than their counterparts who continued taking medication, but researchers noted that this difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of new T2 or gadolinium-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or in degree of functional brain tissue volume loss identified on imaging studies.

One notable difference between groups concerned their scores on a scale used to assess fatigue. People who stopped their DMT saw their scores slightly worsen over time (although this trend began before they discontinued their medication), while people who continued their DMT saw scores improve.

The study’s authors concluded that in people with MS who are older than 60 years, “relapse risk is low overall and does not differ significantly between those who continue a DMT vs. those who discontinue a DMT. These findings support DMT discontinuation as a strategy for managing MS among older patients.”

Meanwhile, another study presented at the CMSC meeting indicates that most clinicians are taking a cautious approach to stopping DMTs for older people with MS.⁷

The study was based on a survey of 341 neurologists who are members of the Medical Partnership 4 MS+. The survey, which was conducted from June 2024 to February 2025, found that:

• 87.1% of respondents agreed that when it comes to discontinuing DMTs, there is “really no [age] rule because patients are different” and that older people with MS can experience a relapse, even after long periods of stability.
• 50% felt that discontinuation should be considered only after 10 years of disease stability.
• 77.7% do not tell their stable patients to discontinue therapy, and 25% of those discuss discontinuation only after the topic is raised by a patient or care partner.
• 64.51% felt that having a high degree of disability should not play a role in discontinuation decisions.

The study’s authors noted, “A majority of the neurologists surveyed support individualized assessment rather than age-based rules in considering DMT discontinuation after long-term stability. Neurologists agree that disability, age, and ambulation should not preclude DMT use. Avoiding disease activity in patients remains a principal goal, including in those who are older. Most importantly, disability level should not be used by payors as a reason for DMT discontinuation.”

 

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Can high-efficacy anti-CD20 therapies help reduce disparities in MS outcomes?

Medications such as Ocrevus^® (ocrelizumab), Kesimpta^® (ofatumumab), and Briumvi^® (ublituximab) that deplete B cells by targeting the CD20 protein are often referred to as “high-efficacy” therapies because of their ability to reduce relapses and slow disease progression.

A recent study suggests that these medications may also be effective in addressing a serious societal problem – disparities in MS outcomes.⁸ The study was conducted by researchers from Harvard Medical School and Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Those investigators noted that social drivers of health such as race, socioeconomic status, level of education, and type of insurance have been linked to disability accrual in people with multiple sclerosis.

To determine whether highly effective anti-CD20 therapies could help offset the impact of those social factors, the researchers evaluated changes in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW) results in 239 people with MS who were receiving the medications. In analyzing data on study participants, researchers controlled for factors such as age, sex, MS subtype, body mass index, relapse history, and disease burden. They also made adjustments for indicators of MS severity.

The researchers found that non-White racial identity, educational attainment, marital status, insurance type, and the socioeconomic status of a person’s neighborhood as measured by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) were not significantly associated with a worsening of EDSS score or 25-foot walk times among study participants taking the high-efficacy medications.

However, employment was associated with an unfavorable change in EDSS score and tobacco use was associated with worsening in terms of both the EDSS and the timed walk, with both of those findings being statistically significant.

The study’s authors concluded, “Anti-CD20 therapy may attenuate [reduce] the effects of race, education, marital status, insurance coverage, and ADI on MS disability accrual and ambulatory impairment.” These findings highlight a promising strategy for clinicians to consider as they seek ways to obtain the best possible outcomes for all patients.

 

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MSAA’s MRI Access Program 2.0 to address two key needs

Since its inception more than 20 years ago, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America’s MRI Access Program has provided assistance to more than 10,000 people with MS for magnetic resonance imaging studies they might otherwise have been unable to obtain due to financial constraints.

Now, MSAA’s MRI Access Program 2.0 will meet a second important need while continuing to fulfill its original objective. Beyond facilitating access to imaging for people who meet income criteria, the initiative will create a research database containing comprehensive information on this traditionally underserved population, which is rarely represented in clinical trials.⁹

In a presentation at the CMSC Annual Meeting, the study’s authors said that the MRI Access Program 2.0 database will provide “insights into MS diagnosis, treatment, and disease progression among patients from underrepresented communities. This project will investigate these individuals’ health outcomes and treatment patterns, offering critical data to support new research and improve MS care.”

In addition to representatives from MSAA, the study’s authors include professionals from icometrix, a company that uses AI (artificial intelligence) to address challenges associated with neurological disorders. One of their resources is the AI-powered “icobrain,” which provides quantitative MRI analysis. They explained that the program will collect de-identified patient data from people who receive MRIs through the program, noting that the AI-powered MRI analysis will be used to generate objective information from the scans, including lesion load and brain volume changes.

In addition, patient-reported outcomes and information on treatment adherence will be gathered. As a result, clinicians will be able to obtain comprehensive information on their individual patients, while researchers can use the database to analyze anonymous information on the full cohort of patients or specific subgroups.

The study’s authors added that the dataset will offer insights into disease management and outcomes for people with MS “whose demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds often limit their participation in clinical trials.” With the MRI Access Program 2.0 expected to serve almost 1,500 people each year, they note that the breadth and depth of data gathered will allow for meaningful statistical analyses.

They conclude that the “MRI Access Program 2.0 could have a profound impact on MS research by providing a unique dataset that has been difficult to gather through traditional clinical trials. This program not only continues to address health inequities in MS care, but also offers a new resource for researchers aiming to improve MS diagnostics, treatment planning, and long-term outcomes.”

 

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Encouraging results from two-year study of investigational DMT frexalimab

The investigational disease-modifying therapy (DMT) frexalimab reduced disease activity in people with relapsing forms of MS over two years while being well tolerated, according to researchers.¹⁰

Frexalimab blocks the CD40/CD40L pathway, which regulates both adaptive and innate immunity and is believed to play a role in multiple sclerosis. The medication was evaluated in a 12-week, double-blind, Phase II trial in which 129 people with relapsing MS were assigned at random to receive 1200 mg of frexalimab every four weeks by intravenous (IV) infusion, 300 mg of the medication every two weeks by subcutaneous (SC) injection, or placebo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found that the 1200-mg intravenous dose of frexalimab had reduced new gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions, which indicate disease activity, by 89% at Week 12, relative to those in the placebo group.

At the end of the 12-week trial, study subjects were given the opportunity to enter an open-label extension study in which all participants would receive either 1200 mg of IV frexalimab or 1800 mg by SC injection every four weeks. (The subcutaneous dose that was evaluated in the 12-week study was lower than the IV dose; in the open-label extension study, the subcutaneous dose was increased to provide equal exposure to the IV dose of frexalimab.)

As of July 2024, 106 people who had entered the open-label extension study remained on treatment. At Week 96, the average numbers of gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions were:

• 0.1 in people who received IV frexalimab 1200 mg in both the 12-week trial and open-label study
• 0.1 in people who initially received placebo by intravenous infusion and then moved to IV frexalimab 1200 mg in the longer-term study
• ≤0.4 in people who received frexalimab by subcutaneous injection in both trials
• ≤0.4 in people who switched from placebo to subcutaneous frexalimab

Further, 92% of participants in the open-label extension study were relapse-free. The most common adverse events reported in the extension study were having a cold or sore throat, headache, and COVID-19.

The study’s authors concluded, “Frexalimab continues to show favorable safety and sustained reduction in disease activity in [people with relapsing MS] through [week] 96, supporting its further development in phase 3 trials.”

 

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How age and sex affect treatment priorities among people with MS starting therapy

While efficacy and safety are the top priorities for the great majority of people with MS starting a disease-modifying therapy (DMT), younger people tend to rank efficacy over safety, while middle-aged and older people are focused more on safety. That was one of the main findings to emerge from a survey conducted to examine how age, sex, and ethnicity influence patient preferences for a first DMT.¹¹

Researchers from Houston Methodist Hospital administered the survey to 42 treatment-naïve people with MS. (“Treatment-naïve people” refers to those who have not taken a DMT in the past.) Those people were asked to rank the importance of factors including efficacy, safety, ease of use, monitoring, vaccination compatibility, and pregnancy compatibility in their decision-making with regard to a therapy.

Survey findings included:

• 86% of respondents ranked either efficacy or safety as their first priority. Among study participants aged 18 to 35 years, 63% prioritized efficacy, while 23% ranked safety first.
• Conversely, those 36 years or older tended to choose safety (55%) over efficacy (30%) as their top priority.
• Women ranked efficacy higher than safety, while men were evenly split.
• Black participants prioritized safety (50% choosing safety first vs. 25% for efficacy), while White survey respondents leaned toward efficacy rather than safety (efficacy 45% vs. safety 29%); Hispanic and Asian respondents reported mixed preferences.

The study’s authors explain that their findings highlight the need for tailored discussions when clinicians engage patients in shared decision-making, which they note has been shown to positively affect treatment adherence and outcomes. The authors conclude, “These findings can guide clinicians in aligning treatment strategies with patient demographics and preferences.”

 

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Long-term safety and efficacy results for Ponvory^® in relapsing forms of MS

The disease-modifying therapy Ponvory^® (ponesimod) was efficacious and maintained a consistent safety profile over the course of a study that followed participants for five years or more, researchers report.¹²

Ponvory belongs to a class of medications known as selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators. These therapies reduce the ability of immune cells involved with the MS disease process to leave the lymph nodes and enter the bloodstream, where they can migrate to the central nervous system and contribute to nerve damage.

In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Ponvory for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. That approval was based largely on the results of the Phase III OPTIMUM study, which compared 20 mg daily of Ponvory with another disease-modifying therapy, Aubagio^® (teriflunomide).

People who completed the OPTIMUM trial were eligible to enter an open-label, long-term safety and efficacy study, the results of which are reported here. People with MS who had received Ponvory in OPTIMUM continued on the medication, while those who had taken Aubagio switched over to Ponvory for the long-term study, which was dubbed OPTIMUM-LT.

A total of 877 patients entered the long-term study. Of that total, 439 received Ponvory during both OPTIMUM and OPTIMUM-LT; 352 of those people completed the long-term study. Among patients who received Ponvory in both studies, the annual relapse rate was 0.143. At the end of the combined analysis period, which was up to 8.2 years, 56.7% of patients were relapse-free. Among those who did experience a relapse, the median time to that event was 402.7 weeks, or more than 7.5 years. Meanwhile, the average number of new/enlarging T2 lesions – which are indicators of disease activity as seen on magnetic resonance imaging – was 1.352 per year.

Ninety-four percent of study participants had at least one adverse event during the long-term study, with 13% having a serious adverse event and 8.5% stopping treatment due to a side effect. The most common adverse events to emerge during treatment were: COVID-19 infection (25%); increased liver enzyme levels (19.5%); cold/sore throat (17.8%); low number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell (14.8%); and headache (13.8%).

Researchers noted that the incidence, nature, and severity of side effects seen in the long-term study were in keeping with the safety results of the OPTIMUM trial. They concluded, “The OPTIMUM-LT study confirmed the sustained efficacy of ponesimod in terms of relapses, MRI lesions, and low disability accumulation. Further, the safety profile of ponesimod during long-term treatment was consistent with prior research.”

 

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As travel distance for treatment increases, adherence to infused DMTs decreases

People with MS who had to travel 61 to 120 miles roundtrip to receive an infusion of their disease-modifying therapy (DMT), were 10% less likely to adhere to their treatment regimen than people whose roundtrip distance to an infusion center was 60 miles or less.¹³

That inverse relationship between travel distance and DMT adherence was a key finding to emerge from an analysis of Medicare data conducted by researchers with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. The investigators parsed data on 20,961 people who received an infused DMT between January 2017 and September 2024. The people studied had an average age of 57 years. Slightly over two-thirds were women. Eighty percent were White; 80% lived in urban areas, and 84% received Ocrevus^® (ocrelizumab).

The researchers looked at two related but distinct measures of medication use. The first, termed persistence, was defined as the number of days from starting a DMT until stopping treatment or switching to another DMT. The other measure, adherence, was based on the number of days a person was on medication, with the threshold for being considered adherent set at 80% of a treatment period. In other words, if individuals are on a DMT for 10 months, did they receive infusions that would have provided active treatment for a total of at least eight months of that 10-month period?

The analysis showed that at 24 months, only 43% of people were continuing on the DMT that they had been receiving at the start of the study. By 36 months, that proportion had fallen to 29%. Meanwhile, the adherence rates at 24 and 36 months were 43% and 29%, respectively, indicating shortcomings not only with duration of treatment but also with frequency of treatment.

In examining factors associated with decreased adherence, researchers noted the 10% drop-off seen in people who had to travel more than 60 miles roundtrip for an infusion. That finding prompted the researchers to conclude that “high-efficacy DMTs administered at home may provide a more suitable option for Medicare beneficiaries with MS who are at risk for nonadherence due to travel burden.”

 

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References

1. Bethoux F, Carramusa B, Heine W, et al. Study design of phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of BMS-986368, a fatty acid amide hydrolase/monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor, for treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis. SYM02. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
2. Bristol Myers Squibb. In the pipeline. Available at https://www.bms.com/researchers-and-partners/in-the-pipeline.html. Accessed July 5, 2025.
3. Kline A. Assessing the role of patient portal messaging in multiple sclerosis care: patient preferences, usage, and potential implications for clinician burnout. LBA03. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
4. Holian A, Buckley MW, Dixon L, et al. Outpatient Ocrevus Zunovo subcutaneous infusion: real-world experience. DMT02. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
5. Bar-Or A, Oh J, Dufek M, et al. Fenebrutinib maintains low disease activity in relapsing multiple sclerosis: results from the FENopta open-label extension. PLA-A5. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
6. Orme DR, Matesen E, Conway DS, Thompson N, Hua LH. Long-term follow-up on discontinuation of disease-modifying therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis older than 60 years. DMT04. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
7. Nelson F, Perrin Ross A, Berkovich R, et al. Role of disease-modifying therapy in the aging multiple sclerosis population: neurologist survey. LBA13. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
8. Balshi A, Dempsey J, Sloane J. Anti-CD20 therapies mitigate the impact of social drivers of health on multiple sclerosis outcomes. WHI01. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
9. Montague A, Ribbens A, Kline A, Costers L, Bartz R. MRI Access Program 2.0: a unique research database for studying outcomes in underserved multiple sclerosis populations. MOC03. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
10. Vermersch P, Granziera C, Mao-Drayer Y, et al. Safety and efficacy of frexalimab from the phase 2 open-label extension in participants with relapsing multiple sclerosis: two-year results. PLA-A6. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
11. Eggert AP, Alchaki A. Disease-modifying therapy selection by treatment-naive patients. DMT01. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
12. Mayo MG, Polymeropoulos CM, Birznieks G, et al. Ponesimod in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis: long-term safety and efficacy results from the Optimum open-label extension study (OPTIMUM-LT). LBA17. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.
13. Thakkar K, Tai M-H, Pali SR, et al. Adherence and persistence with infusion disease-modifying therapies and travel burden in patients with multiple sclerosis on Medicare. DMT45. CMSC 2025 Annual Meeting. May 28-31, 2025. Phoenix, AZ.

 

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For More Information

For general information or to speak with a trained Client Services Specialist, please call MSAA’s Helpline at (800) 532-7667, extension 154. Questions to MSAA’s Client Services department may also be emailed to MSquestions@mymsaa.org.

Written by Tom Garry, Medical Writer
Reviewed by Dr. Barry Hendin, MSAA Chief Medical Officer
Edited by Susan Wells Courtney, MSAA Senior Writer

Medical details and study results provided in MSAA’s published materials are for informational purposes only and are not to be considered as treatment advice or recommendations. Readers are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional before making any changes to their current treatment regimen.