Path to Multiple Sclerosis Cure on the Horizon
MILAN — A path to a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS) may be on the horizon, a top MS researcher suggested. The field faces a great opportunity to advance from suppressing the disease to curing it, said Stephen Hauser, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, in the keynote speech at the joint meeting […]
Subcutaneous Ocrelizumab Not Inferior to IV Infusion
MILAN — An investigational 10-minute subcutaneous injection of ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) was non-inferior to the established IV infusion formulation of the drug in multiple sclerosis (MS), the phase III OCARINA II trial showed. During the first 12 weeks of treatment, blood levels of ocrelizumab — measured as the area under the serum concentration time curve (AUC) […]
ERS Roundup: Cell Transplant Boosts Lung Function in COPD Patients
MILAN — Research presented at this year’s annual European Respiratory Society congress included early successes in transplanting a patient’s own lung cells to ease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idrevloride treatment for primary ciliary dyskinesia, and using ultrasounds as a guide for more comprehensive pulmonary embolism screening. Improved Gas Exchange Capacity in COPD Through Lung […]
Benralizumab Allows Inhaled Corticosteroid Taper for Asthma Patients
MILAN — Benralizumab (Fasenra) allowed patients with severe eosinophilic asthma to reduce inhaled corticosteroid (ISC) use without compromising control, the SHAMAL phase IV randomized trial found. After 32 weeks, 92% of patients on the monoclonal antibody with planned tapering from high-dose ICS plus formoterol were able to reduce their use, reported David J. Jackson, MD, […]
Chronic Cough Drug Shows Some Benefit, but Taste-Related Events an Issue
MILAN — Twice-daily doses of the oral P2X3 receptor antagonist gefapixant may improve refractory or unexplained chronic cough, but at the cost of adverse events, a meta-analysis and systematic review found. Moderate-certainty evidence indicated that a 45-mg dose led to a small (17.6%, 95% CI 10.6-24.0) decrease in awake cough frequency, a small (16.0%, 95% […]