b'Truxima), ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) and now Tecdera has been one of the most prescribedofatumumab (Kesimpta). All of these therapies oral disease-modifying MS therapies. In 2019,work by attaching to a receptor on B-cells the FDA approved another fumarate forcalled a CD20 receptor and reducing the relapsing and active secondary progressivenumbers of these cells. Rituximab is not MS, Vumerity (Diroximal fumarate). VumerityFDA-approved for MS but is used o-label. may have less potential for GI side eectsRituximabandocrelizumabaretypically when starting therapy than Tecdera. In thegiven as a twice-yearly intravenous infusion. Spring of 2020, another fumarate made a quietThe new therapy, ofatumumab, is given as a entry on the market, Baertam (monomethylsubcutaneous injection once monthly. This fumaric acid). And now we have the latestcould prove to be more convenient for some option, a generic form of Tecdera from Mylanpeople. All of the B-cell therapies require lab pharmaceuticals.monitoring periodically. People with MS should be aware of theseFDA approves Baertam options and speak with their healthcare teamTwo treatment options for relapsing multiple about whats best for them. It is possible thatsclerosis, Tecdera and Vumerity, often lead insurancecarriersandpharmaciesmayto gastrointestinal side eects. In this study push patients to switch from name-brandBanner Life Sciences tests the side eects of Tecdera to a generic. In addition to medicalBaertam in a ve-week, randomized, double- considerations, people with MS will needblind, head-to-head, phase 1 study. Baertam to look at which option is the best for themisformulatedtoproduceplasmalevelsof nancially. Drug assistance programs maymonomethylfumaratebioequivalentto dier across these options.Tecdera, without the need for conversion in Opicinumab results provethe GI tract. There were 210 study participants to be disappointing who were assigned either Bafiertam or A worldwide study named SYNERGY forTecdera and assessed for tolerability and safety and ecacy of Opicinumab in patientssafety. A shorter version of the Modied Overall with relapsing MS was conducted as aGastrointestinal Symptom Scale was used by randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.patients to record occurrences of abdominal The primary end point was to see a conrmedpain, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, atulence, improvement from baseline of neurophysicalbloating,andconstipation. Therewereno function, cognitive function, or both over 72statistically signicant dierences between weeks of treatment. The second comparisonanyoftheseotherthanabdominalpain. was confirmed worsening at 12 weeksEven so, the values were all lower for Baertam compared with baseline at 72 weeks. Thethan Tecdera. In particular vomiting and nal comparison the overall response scorediarrhea were noted to be lower. The FDA ofintegratedassessmentsofdisabilityapproved the use of Baertam. improvement and worsening. More than 300Dr. ThrowerThings are getting interesting participants completed the study and afterin the world of fumarates as an MS therapy review there was no signicant dierence inoption. Tecdera (dimethyl fumaric acid) was adverseeventsbetweentheplaceboandapproved for relapsing forms of MS in 2013. opicinumab groups. 55 msfocusmagazine.org'