High-Dose Biotin May Be an Effective Treatment for Progressive MS

The following article is part of conference coverage from the 34th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Berlin, Germany. Neurology Advisor’s staff will be reporting breaking news associated with research conducted by leading experts in neurology. Check back for the latest news from ECTRIMS 2018.

MD1003 300 mg/day, a highly concentrated oral biotin formulation, is effective for reducing disability and improving walking ability in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study presented at the 34th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, held October 10-12, 2018, in Berlin, Germany.

“In the MS-SPI study, MD1003 (high dose Pharmaceutical grade Biotin) treatment was shown to be effective and well-tolerated in patients with progressive MS,” the researchers reported. “Notably, MD1003 reversed MS-related disease disability in 13% of patients with progressive MS. MD1003 is currently being prescribed to patients with progressive MS in France under an expanded access programme.”

Patients with progressive MS or secondary progressive MS who were receiving care at a single institution in France were prescribed 300 mg/day MD1003 (n=220). In the overall cohort, the mean age of the patients was 59.5 years (SD=9.3), and 70.3% of participants had secondary progressive MS. To examine the effect of MD1003 on MS outcomes, investigators assessed improvements in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and timed 25-foot walk (T25W) from baseline to 1-year follow-up. Additional outcomes assessed were the 9-hole peg test (9-HPT), number of relapses, and gadolinium (Gd)-enhancing lesions on T1-weighted imaging.

At baseline, the mean EDSS, TW25, dominant-hand 9-HPT, and number of previous relapses were 5.9 (SD=1.3), 50.7 seconds (SD=69.3), 35.1 (SD=20.7), and 5.1 (SD=4.8), respectively. Approximately 23% (n=19) of patients showed improvements in the EDSS at 1-year follow-up. In addition, the researchers observed a ≥20% improvement in T25W from baseline after 1 year of treatment. Up to 11% (n=9) of patients experienced either active disease, a clinically-defined relapse, and/or a Gd-enhancing T1 lesion during follow-up.

Limitations of the study included its small number of patients, lack of a comparator group, and the limited follow-up duration.

For more coverage of ECTRIMS 2018, click here.

Reference

Brassat TD. Treatment of progressive MS with MD1003 (high dose pharmaceutical grade biotin): real-world evidence. Presented at: 34th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. October 10-12, 2018; Berlin, Germany. Abstract P1222.