Biogen has announced the recent initiation of the phase 2 clinical trial affinity, designed to evaluate opicinumab as an investigational add-on therapy in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial follows the comprehensive review of SYNERGY, a phase 2 trial, which identified a specific population that may be more likely to respond to treatment.
These data are being presented at MSParis2017, the seventh Joint Meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS and Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS; 25 – 28 October).
The post-hoc analysis of SYNERGY data indicated an increased clinical effect of opicinumab versus placebo (when used at the same time as interferon beta-1a intramuscular injection) in patients who had the disease for shorter periods of time and in whom MRI showed certain brain features that suggest repair of MS lesions may be possible through remyelination.1
“As part of our long-standing commitment to the MS community, Biogen remains dedicated to advancing the treatment of MS and continues to pursue next-generation research to understand the therapeutic potential of repairing damage caused by the disease,” said Michael Ehlers, executive vice president, Research & Development at Biogen. “The SYNERGY data provide intriguing evidence that opicinumab, which has demonstrated remyelination properties in a previous Phase 2 study, may have a treatment effect in certain patients.”
The recently-initiated affinity study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 study that aims to enroll 240 people with relapsing MS. It will evaluate opicinumab as an add-on therapy in patients who are adequately controlled on their anti-inflammatory disease-modifying therapy (DMT), versus the DMT alone. The primary endpoint of the study, Overall Response Score (ORS), is an integrated measure of both the improvement and worsening of disability over time.
“When analyzing the SYNERGY results, we discovered which patients with relapsing MS may be more responsive to opicinumab, and this became a significant component of the trial design for affinity,” said Professor Gavin Giovannoni, chair of Neurology, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. “We now have an exciting opportunity to apply a more precise biological approach when evaluating the potential of opicinumab as a therapy that may improve patients’ disability and lead to a better overall outcome.”
Biogen initiates affinity, opicinumab, multiple sclerosis
