Extending Natalizumab's Use Without Increasing Risk to MS Patients

A lot is known about the benefits of Natalizumab in the treatment of MS patients, but there is also a known risk of patients developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. When dealing with a chronic condition like multiple sclerosis, a 2-year safety window for an effective medication can provide a unique set of challenges for doctors and patients alike. How they handle those challenges was the topic of a recent study.

Lana Zhovtis Ryerson, MD, from the NYU Langone Medical Center discussed the results of recent research on this topic during the 67th annual American Academy of Neurology meeting in Washington DC. During her talk Ryerson discussed how the researchers attempted to space out the doses of the medication to allow patients to take the treatments for a longer period of time. While their work so far has not hit the goals they set for themselves she said it is a strong step in the right direction.