Safety and Efficacy of Natalizumab in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of natalizumab in the treatment of individuals who have been diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). It is hoped that natalizumab will prevent certain types of white blood cells from moving out of the bloodstream into organs, including the brain, that are being damaged by autoimmune disease (a disease in which the body's own immune system attacks certain organs). These white blood cells are thought to cause inflammation that can result in lesions (small areas of damage) in the brain. These lesions are thought to be the cause of relapses and disability in MS.

Timeline

Start

2001-11

Primary completion

2004-11

Completion

2005-01

Publications

• Background Voloshyna N, Havrdova E, Hutchinson M, Nehrych T, You X, Belachew S, Hotermans C, Paes D. Natalizumab improves ambulation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: results from the prospective TIMER study and a retrospective analysis of AFFIRM. Eur J Neurol. 2015 Mar;22(3):570-7. doi: 10.1111/ene.12618. Epub 2014 Dec 15.
• Results Polman CH, O'Connor PW, Havrdova E, Hutchinson M, Kappos L, Miller DH, Phillips JT, Lublin FD, Giovannoni G, Wajgt A, Toal M, Lynn F, Panzara MA, Sandrock AW; AFFIRM Investigators. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of natalizumab for relapsing multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med. 2006 Mar 2;354(9):899-910. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa044397.
• Nakamura K, Sun Z, Hara-Cleaver C, Bodhinathan K, Avila RL. Natalizumab reduces loss of gray matter and thalamic volume in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A post hoc analysis from the randomized, placebo-controlled AFFIRM trial. Mult Scler. 2024 May;30(6):687-695. doi: 10.1177/13524585241235055. Epub 2024 Mar 12.
• Strijbis EM, Coerver E, Mostert J, van Kempen ZLE, Killestein J, Comtois J, Repovic P, Bowen JD, Cutter G, Koch M. Association of age and inflammatory disease activity in the pivotal natalizumab clinical trials in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2023 Oct;94(10):792-799. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-330887. Epub 2023 May 12.
• Balcer LJ, Galetta SL, Polman CH, Eggenberger E, Calabresi PA, Zhang A, Scanlon JV, Hyde R. Low-contrast acuity measures visual improvement in phase 3 trial of natalizumab in relapsing MS. J Neurol Sci. 2012 Jul 15;318(1-2):119-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2012.03.009. Epub 2012 Apr 21.

Drugs

Indications