b'Medicine & ResearchNew Treatment Options ApprovedTwo new oral treatments were approved for use in March of 2019. The U.S. Food and DrugAdministration approved Novartis Mayzent (siponimod) tablets to treat adults with relapsingforms of multiple sclerosis, to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease,and active secondary progressive disease. The FDA also approved EMD Seronos Mavenclad(cladribine) to treat relapsing forms of MS, including relapsing remitting MS and activesecondary progressive MS. Mayzent Healthcare professionals should monitor thepatientsbloodpressureduringtreatment.Dosing: Women of childbearing potential should useMayzent is a daily oral medication. eective contraception during and for 10 daysThe Research: after stopping the drug because of the potentialIt was shown to be eective in a clinical trial risk of fetal harm. of 1,651 patients. The trial compared Mayzent For more information on Mayzent, andto placebo in patients with secondary prescribing information, visit www.mayzent.comprogressive MS who had evidence of disability Mavencladprogression in the prior two years and norelapses in the three months prior to enrollment. Dosing:The primary endpoint of the study was the Mavenclad is an oral medication with atime to three-month conrmed progression maximum of 20 days of treatment over aindisability.Thefractionofpatientswith two-year period (no more than ten days perconfirmed progression of disability was year). Following treatment over those two years,statistically signicantly lower in the Mayzent additional courses are not to be administered.group than in the placebo group. Mayzent also Re-treatment with Mavenclad during yearsdecreased the number of relapses experienced three and four may further increase the riskby these patients. ofmalignancy.ThesafetyandecacyofThe Warnings: reinitiating Mavenclad more than two yearsMayzent may increase the risk of infections, after completing two treatment courses hasso patients should have a complete blood count not been studied.taken before treatment is initiated. The drug The Research:may cause macular edema, so patients should The ecacy of Mavenclad was shown in acontact their physician if they experience a clinical trial in 1,326 patients with relapsingchange in vision. Mayzent may cause transient forms of MS who had least one relapse in thedecreases in heart rate and may cause a decline previous 12 months. Mavenclad signicantlyin lung function. Liver enzymes should be decreased the number of relapses experiencedcheckedbeforeinitiationofthedrugand by these patients compared to placebo.healthcare professionals should closely monitor Mavenclad also reduced the progression ofpatients withsevereliverimpairment. disability compared to placebo.msfocusmagazine.org 26'