On the Frontlines of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease with a highly variable clinical course.1,2 Most patients who have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) will eventually transition to a secondary progressive course (SPMS).3 Patients with SPMS may live with significant impairment in physical and cognitive functions.4 Early identification of disease progression is important.2

Join Dr. Barry Singer from the MS Center for Innovations in Care at the Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St Louis, Missouri as well as Dr. Ann Bass from the Neurology Center of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas as they share their real-world clinical perspectives on the management of patients with more progressed RMS, including those with aSPMS, and MAYZENT as a treatment option. Together, they will explore the following decision points:

• How to actively identify first signs of RMS progression
• A therapy for progressing RMS, including active SPMS
• What to consider when getting patients started on MAYZENT, a disease-modifying treatment

There is no cure for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic and progressive disease in which disability accumulates over time, but available therapies may help modify the course by reducing disease activity. The MS specialist, Dr. Pavle Repovic, discusses KESIMPTA®, a treatment option offering adult RMS patients powerful efficacy with a demonstrated safety profile and flexible self-administration.

9/20 T-KSM-1393526

Here to discuss staying ahead of progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is Dr. Timothy William West. Dr. West walks us through pathophysiological changes in progressing RMS patients, a patient case demonstrating why patients may experience increasing disability, and key data on MAYZENT®(siponimod), the first and only oral disease-modifying therapy studied and proven to delay disability progression in a more progressed RMS patient population.

MAYZENT was evaluated in EXPAND—the largest Phase III study of secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients to date (N=1651), which included a broad range of patients with moderate-to-advanced disability. Dr. West discusses clinical data from EXPAND including data of up to 5 years from a preplanned interim analysis of the EXPAND open-label extension study.

Here to discuss staying ahead of progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is Dr. Timothy William West. Dr. West walks us through pathophysiological changes in progressing RMS patients, a patient case demonstrating why patients may experience increasing disability, and key data on MAYZENT®(siponimod), the first and only oral disease-modifying therapy studied and proven to delay disability progression in a more progressed RMS patient population, including active SPMS.

MAYZENT was evaluated in EXPAND—the largest Phase III study of secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients to date (N=1651), which included a broad range of patients with moderate-to-advanced disability. Dr. West discusses clinical data from EXPAND including data of up to 5 years from a preplanned interim analysis of the EXPAND open-label extension study.

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are increasingly choosing to start families. It is incumbent on us as healthcare professionals to try to ensure their chances for healthy pregnancies while maintaining adequate disease control.

In this program, Dr. Houtchens and Dr. Lopes discuss the importance of patient/healthcare provider partnerships in family planning. Specific points of focus include the role of effective contraception, key concepts regarding the use of disease modifying therapies, and important practical considerations related to patient care in the time before, during, and after pregnancy.

EMD Serono is a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
©EMD Serono, Inc. All rights reserved. US/NPR/1019/0558a

The disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS) can take many paths based on numerous factors, including age at diagnosis, gender, and MS subtype. Layered upon the typical MS management challenges are those that can occur with the physical and physiological changes of the normal aging process. How might the care of a patient with MS need to be modified as they age?

In this discussion, Dr. Bove and Dr. Weinstock-Guttman will review:

• The effects that aging may have on patients with MS
• The interplay between menopause and MS
• How aging may affect the approach to disease management

EMD Serono is a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
©EMD Serono, Inc. All rights reserved. US/NPR/1019/0520B

With less and less primary care physicians partnering with physical therapists, it’s time we ask: are we doing ourselves—and our patients—a disservice by not taking advantage of this option? To find out, Dr. Jennifer Caudle sits down with physical therapist Catherine Apicella to discuss the often-overlooked benefits of physical therapy and how primary care physicians and physical therapists can work together to benefit their patients.

Please note: This activity is no longer available for continuing education credit.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. As the treatment armamentarium continues to grow, patient involvement in the development of an effective treatment strategy is becoming increasingly important. In this Clinical ExchangesSM activity, leading MS specialists discuss issues of diagnosing MS, initiating treatment, and switching therapies, all in the context of practical shared decision-making techniques demonstrated by their own patients.

Pregnancy is a major point of discussion for all women of child-bearing age, and when you factor in diseases like multiple sclerosis, it only further complicates matters. Hear from experts Dr. Kerstin Hellwig, Dr. Jiwon Oh, and Dr. Shiv Saidha about their approach to managing MS patients before, during, and after pregnancy.

B cells have generally been considered to be only peripherally involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. More recently, however, drug agents that deplete B cells have been shown to profoundly impact multiple sclerosis, greatly improving outcomes for patients affected by this autoimmune disease. Nonetheless, B-cell involvement in multiple sclerosis, for some, remains controversial.