Novartis today announced that eligible patients in Scotland will soon have access to Kesimpta® (ofatumumab), the first self-administered, targeted B-cell therapy for patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with active disease defined by clinical or imaging features. The news comes as the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published their final advice recommending ofatumumab for the treatment of RRMS with active disease defined by clinical or imaging features1.
Scotland has the highest average prevalence rate of MS in the UK, with about 15,750 people estimated to be living with the disease2,3. Rates are significantly higher amongst women than men, and further to this MS is more prevalent to those living in the north of the country2.
Patients with RRMS in Scotland have previously been unable to access a high efficacy, B-cell therapy through the NHS without regular visits to a clinic or hospital for treatment. For patients in the far north of the country where MS is most prevalent, that could have meant a long journey to the nearest specialist centre in Inverness6.
Ofatumumab, designed to be self-injected once a month using the Sensoready® autoinjector pen, uses specially engineered antibodies that target a subset of the body’s B-cells, a type of immune cell that abnormally damages nerves in the brain and spinal cord in patients with MS7,8. In clinical trials, ofatumumab delivered on the primary endpoint significantly reducing relapses by more than 50% when compared to teriflunomide (a commonly prescribed oral disease modifying therapy for RRMS)4.
The SMC concluded that ‘Ofatumumab has the potential to reduce relapse rates, slow disease progression and improve quality of life.’ It went on to say, ‘while some people with MS may need help from a carer or family member for administration, self-injection once a month is likely to be straightforward and will minimise the treatment burden for many people. Taking medication at home also minimises any delay in starting treatment and reduces the need for regular hospital visits1.’
“It is welcome news that we will soon have access to a convenient, new medicine for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in Scotland”, said Dr Javier Carod Artal, consultant neurologist at Raigmore hospital, NHS Highlands, Inverness. “As the first targeted B-cell therapy that can be taken at home, ofatumumab provides a much-needed high-efficacy treatment option that clinicians can prescribe from diagnosis onwards, even to patients who can’t travel for regular hospital visits for treatment.”
Research published by the MS Society in June 2020 found that during the first wave of the pandemic, one in four MS patients surveyed in the UK said they had appointments delayed or cancelled, and a further 6% said they cancelled their appointments for fear of infection9.
“People living with MS need to have access to a range of different treatment options so they can work with their healthcare team to find the one that’s best for them. But, the ability to administer yourself once a month will be a game changer”, said Iain Morrison, Chief Executive, Revive MS Support. “Many people living with MS in Scotland live in very rural areas a long way from specialist MS care, and despite widespread vaccination some still tell us they are worried about catching COVID-19 if they travel to visit them.”
The SMC’s decision follows a similar recommendation from NICE earlier this year. The Final Appraisal Document (FAD) from NICE was published in April unusually quickly, just two weeks after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted Marketing Authorisation, recognising the value ofatumumab brings to patients and the NHS10,11. The SMC’s decision today means tha...
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