Ampyra for Optic Neuritis in Multiple Sclerosis

Summary

Fifty subjects will be enrolled in this Phase II, investigator-initiated, randomized and blinded cross-over trial of dalfampridine of 8 weeks duration The study will test the hypothesis that dalfampridine, when administered to subjects with incomplete visual recovery after optic neuritis from MS, will result in symptomatic improvement in visual function. The study will consist of one screening/baseline visit, one visit during treatment with active drug, and one visit on placebo. After the baseline visit, subjects will be randomly assigned to receive study medication or placebo for the first three weeks, followed by a two week wash-out, and then treatment reallocation for the latter three weeks.

Timeline

Start

2011-05

Primary completion

2013-12

Completion

2013-12

Publications

• Background Frohman EM, Frohman TC, Zee DS, McColl R, Galetta S. The neuro-ophthalmology of multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol. 2005 Feb;4(2):111-21. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(05)00992-0.
• Background Arnold AC. Evolving management of optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Jun;139(6):1101-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2005.01.031.
• Background Balcer LJ. Clinical practice. Optic neuritis. N Engl J Med. 2006 Mar 23;354(12):1273-80. doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp053247. No abstract available.
• Background Ma SL, Shea JA, Galetta SL, Jacobs DA, Markowitz CE, Maguire MG, Balcer LJ. Self-reported visual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: new data from the VFQ-25 and development of an MS-specific vision questionnaire. Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 May;133(5):686-92. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(02)01337-5.
• Background Noble J, Forooghian F, Sproule M, Westall C, O'Connor P. Utility of the National Eye Institute VFQ-25 questionnaire in a heterogeneous group of multiple sclerosis patients. Am J Ophthalmol. 2006 Sep;142(3):464-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2006.04.051.
• Background Mowry EM, Loguidice MJ, Daniels AB, Jacobs DA, Markowitz CE, Galetta SL, Nano-Schiavi ML, Cutter GR, Maguire MG, Balcer LJ. Vision related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: correlation with new measures of low and high contrast letter acuity. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009 Jul;80(7):767-72. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2008.165449. Epub 2009 Feb 23.
• Background Beck RW, Cleary PA, Anderson MM Jr, Keltner JL, Shults WT, Kaufman DI, Buckley EG, Corbett JJ, Kupersmith MJ, Miller NR, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of corticosteroids in the treatment of acute optic neuritis. The Optic Neuritis Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1992 Feb 27;326(9):581-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199202273260901.
• Background Visual function 5 years after optic neuritis: experience of the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial. The Optic Neuritis Study Group. Arch Ophthalmol. 1997 Dec;115(12):1545-52.
• Background Cleary PA, Beck RW, Bourque LB, Backlund JC, Miskala PH. Visual symptoms after optic neuritis. Results from the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial. J Neuroophthalmol. 1997 Mar;17(1):18-23; quiz 24-8. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)70814-1.
• Background Goodman AD, Brown TR, Krupp LB, Schapiro RT, Schwid SR, Cohen R, Marinucci LN, Blight AR; Fampridine MS-F203 Investigators. Sustained-release oral fampridine in multiple sclerosis: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. Lancet. 2009 Feb 28;373(9665):732-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60442-6.
• Background Fujihara K, Miyoshi T. The effects of 4-aminopyridine on motor evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Sci. 1998 Jul 15;159(1):102-6. doi: 10.1016/s0022-510x(98)00143-9.
• Background Schwid SR, Petrie MD, McDermott MP, Tierney DS, Mason DH, Goodman AD. Quantitative assessment of sustained-release 4-aminopyridine for symptomatic treatment of multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 1997 Apr;48(4):817-21. doi: 10.1212/wnl.48.4.817.
• Background Davis FA, Stefoski D, Quandt FN. Mechanism of action of 4-aminopyridine in the symptomatic treatment of multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1995 May;37(5):684. doi: 10.1002/ana.410370524. No abstract available.
• Background Bever CT Jr, Young D, Anderson PA, Krumholz A, Conway K, Leslie J, Eddington N, Plaisance KI, Panitch HS, Dhib-Jalbut S, et al. The effects of 4-aminopyridine in multiple sclerosis patients: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, concentration-controlled, crossover trial. Neurology. 1994 Jun;44(6):1054-9. doi: 10.1212/wnl.44.6.1054.
• Background Polman CH, Bertelsmann FW, van Loenen AC, Koetsier JC. 4-aminopyridine in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis. Long-term efficacy and safety. Arch Neurol. 1994 Mar;51(3):292-6. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1994.00540150090022.
• Background van Diemen HA, Polman CH, van Dongen MM, Nauta JJ, Strijers RL, van Loenen AC, Bertelsmann FW, Koetsier JC. 4-Aminopyridine induces functional improvement in multiple sclerosis patients: a neurophysiological study. J Neurol Sci. 1993 Jun;116(2):220-6. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(93)90329-w.
• Background van Diemen HA, Polman CH, van Dongen TM, van Loenen AC, Nauta JJ, Taphoorn MJ, van Walbeek HK, Koetsier JC. The effect of 4-aminopyridine on clinical signs in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study. Ann Neurol. 1992 Aug;32(2):123-30. doi: 10.1002/ana.410320203.
• Background Stefoski D, Davis FA, Fitzsimmons WE, Luskin SS, Rush J, Parkhurst GW. 4-Aminopyridine in multiple sclerosis: prolonged administration. Neurology. 1991 Sep;41(9):1344-8. doi: 10.1212/wnl.41.9.1344.
• Background Polman CH, van Diemen HA, van Dongen MM, Koetsier JC, van Loenen AC, van Walbeek HK. 4-Aminopyridine in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1990 Oct;28(4):589. doi: 10.1002/ana.410280421. No abstract available.
• Background Davis FA, Stefoski D, Rush J. Orally administered 4-aminopyridine improves clinical signs in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1990 Feb;27(2):186-92. doi: 10.1002/ana.410270215.
• Background Polman CH, Reingold SC, Edan G, Filippi M, Hartung HP, Kappos L, Lublin FD, Metz LM, McFarland HF, O'Connor PW, Sandberg-Wollheim M, Thompson AJ, Weinshenker BG, Wolinsky JS. Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2005 revisions to the "McDonald Criteria". Ann Neurol. 2005 Dec;58(6):840-6. doi: 10.1002/ana.20703.
• Background Jones RE, Heron JR, Foster DH, Snelgar RS, Mason RJ. Effects of 4-aminopyridine in patients with multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Sci. 1983 Aug-Sep;60(3):353-62. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(83)90145-4.
• Background Vollmer T, Henney HR 3rd. Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of single escalating doses of fampridine sustained-release tablets in patients with multiple sclerosis: a Phase I-II, open-label trial. Clin Ther. 2009 Oct;31(10):2206-14. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2009.10.008.
• Background Vollmer T, Blight AR, Henney HR 3rd. Steady-state pharmacokinetics and tolerability of orally administered fampridine sustained-release 10-mg tablets in patients with multiple sclerosis: a 2-week, open-label, follow-up study. Clin Ther. 2009 Oct;31(10):2215-23. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2009.10.007.
• Background Beck RW, Ruchman MC, Savino PJ, Schatz NJ. Contrast sensitivity measurements in acute and resolved optic neuritis. Br J Ophthalmol. 1984 Oct;68(10):756-9. doi: 10.1136/bjo.68.10.756.
• Background Trobe JD, Beck RW, Moke PS, Cleary PA. Contrast sensitivity and other vision tests in the optic neuritis treatment trial. Am J Ophthalmol. 1996 May;121(5):547-53. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)75429-7.
• Background Farnsworth D. The Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue and dichotomous tests for color vision. J Opt Soc Am 1943;33:568-574.
• Background Naismith RT, Tutlam NT, Xu J, Klawiter EC, Shepherd J, Trinkaus K, Song SK, Cross AH. Optical coherence tomography differs in neuromyelitis optica compared with multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2009 Mar 24;72(12):1077-82. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000345042.53843.d5.
• Background Naismith RT, Tutlam NT, Xu J, Shepherd JB, Klawiter EC, Song SK, Cross AH. Optical coherence tomography is less sensitive than visual evoked potentials in optic neuritis. Neurology. 2009 Jul 7;73(1):46-52. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181aaea32.
• Background Naismith RT, Xu J, Tutlam NT, Trinkaus K, Cross AH, Song SK. Radial diffusivity in remote optic neuritis discriminates visual outcomes. Neurology. 2010 May 25;74(21):1702-10. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e0434d.
• Background Naismith RT, Xu J, Tutlam NT, Scully PT, Trinkaus K, Snyder AZ, Song SK, Cross AH. Increased diffusivity in acute multiple sclerosis lesions predicts risk of black hole. Neurology. 2010 May 25;74(21):1694-701. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e042c4.
• Background Naismith RT, Xu J, Tutlam NT, Snyder A, Benzinger T, Shimony J, Shepherd J, Trinkaus K, Cross AH, Song SK. Disability in optic neuritis correlates with diffusion tensor-derived directional diffusivities. Neurology. 2009 Feb 17;72(7):589-94. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000335766.22758.cd. Epub 2008 Dec 10.
• Background Naismith RT, Shepherd JB, Weihl CC, Tutlam NT, Cross AH. Acute and bilateral blindness due to optic neuropathy associated with copper deficiency. Arch Neurol. 2009 Aug;66(8):1025-7. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2009.70.
• Background Vanden Bosch ME, Wall M. Visual acuity scored by the letter-by-letter or probit methods has lower retest variability than the line assignment method. Eye (Lond). 1997;11 ( Pt 3):411-7. doi: 10.1038/eye.1997.87.
• Background Acorda Therapeutics. AMPRYA package insert (2010).

Drugs

Indications