Advancements in Multiple Sclerosis: Insights from the 2024 ACTRIMS Forum

The 2024 ACTRIMS Forum showcased groundbreaking research, which brought together experts, clinicians, and researchers to present and discuss the latest developments in the field of multiple sclerosis. The event provided a platform for unveiling novel insights and potential breakthroughs that could shape the future of MS diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.

The below outlines some of the major research from this year’s forum, provided by our partners at Practical Neurology.

• Common OTC Antihistamine May Accelerate Disability in Progressive MS: Researchers presented findings that the common over-the-counter medication, antihistamine clemastine, which was previously thought to have remyelinating potential in MS, may now accelerate disability in patients with progressive MS. Read more about the findings from the Targeting Residual Activity By Precision, Biomarker-Guided Combination Therapies of Multiple Sclerosis (TRAPS-MS) trial here.
• Kesimpta Study Shows Efficacy of Treatment for MS Relapse Reduction:  In a 12-month real-world study, Kesimpta treatment showed a 79 percent reduction in annualized relapse rate. Relapse was characterized as either an inpatient admission with a primary diagnosis of MS or an outpatient or emergency department visit with an MS diagnosis in the primary or secondary position, accompanied by a claim for high-dose oral corticosteroids, intravenous methylprednisolone, corticotropin, or plasma exchange within a seven-day period. Read more on the study design and its complete findings here.
• People with MS Show Increase in Biological Aging: Researchers from Ohio State University and the University of San Diego California found that a subset of people with secondary progressive MS showed an increase in epigenetic age acceleration. Read more about the analysis results and ongoing study here.
• Small Molecule Therapy Associated with Reduced Serum NfL Levels:  Interim analysis results from the CALLIPER trial showed that people with progressive MS treated with the small molecule therapy, vidofludimus calcium, for 24 weeks showed a reduction in serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels compared to placebo.  Further details on these results and the ongoing study can be found here.  

The above research, along with additional presented updates at the 2024 ACTRIMS forum, underscored the field's commitment to advancing patient care through personalized treatment approaches, state-of-the-art imaging technologies, immunotherapy innovations, emerging biomarkers, and neurorehabilitation strategies. As these breakthroughs continue to unfold, the future of MS research holds great promise for improved diagnostics, enhanced treatment options, and a better quality of life for patientss living with this complex neurological condition.