blue sky background with sun and lourds - WELCOME TO MY MS FAMILY

What Is Highly Effective Treatment for MS?

Posted on December 30, 2021

 (20) (81) (15)

Medically reviewed by
Amit M. Shelat, D.O.

Article written by
Brooke Dulka, Ph.D.

  • Highly effective (HE) disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) can help slow progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and reduce disability.
  • Highly effective DMTs also have the potential to cause rare but serious side effects.
  • Your doctor can help you carefully weigh the decision to switch to a highly effective DMT in a process known as shared decision-making.

It is common for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to try switch therapies in the quest to manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease. Drugs used to slow the progression of MS are called disease modifying therapies.

Highly effective DMTs have received much attention in recent years, and they are increasingly being recommended as the initial treatment for some people with relapsing forms of MS. Since HE DMTs can also carry the risk for serious side effects, it is important to understand all of the risks and benefits involved.

What Are Highly Effective DMTs?

DMTs slow the progression of MS. They do this by targeting the immune system to reduce its attacks on the central nervous system. MS is considered an autoimmune disease because the body essentially attacks its own nerves and brain cells.

The HE DMTs are a group of medications for MS that have been deemed to be highly effective on how they performed in clinical trials compared to other existing treatments. HE DMTs include MS medications in several different drug classes, including sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. HE DMTs in different classes work in different ways to slow the progression of MS.

Examples of Highly Effective DMTs

Many different HE DMTs are now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). HE DMTs currently available include:

Measuring Effectiveness

Measuring effectiveness is important because it lets a physician know if a treatment option is working in an individual who has MS. It also helps classify different prescriptions as being moderately effective, highly effective, etc.

But how is effectiveness measured? Briefly, there are three main ways doctors monitor the effectiveness of an MS treatment. A doctor’s recommendations on whether to continue or switch medications are mainly based on:

Since your doctor understands how your MS has progressed and how you have responded to DMTs, they can recommend which DMT is most likely to be effective for you if you decide to switch.

Read more about how MS treatment effectiveness is measured.

Benefits to Starting a Highly Effective DMT Early

The earlier someone with MS starts HE DMT treatment, the greater the likelihood that the treatment will effectively slow their MS progression. For instance, research has shown that 68 percent of those who started treatment with HE DMTs reached the goal of no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) after 12 months of treatment. Moreover, 52.4 percent reached NEDA after 24 months of treatment. This can be compared to 36 percent (after 12 months) and 19.4 percent (after 24 months) of those who started a moderate efficacy DMT as a first drug instead.

Read more about when and why people switch MS treatments.

Although starting HE DMTs earlier is better, your neurologist may not recommend one as a first therapy due to concerns about side effects.

Side Effects of Highly Effective DMTs

Unfortunately, HE DMTs are sometimes associated with the risk of more serious side effects. It is important to note that some of these side effects occur very rarely. Additionally, each individual has a different risk based on their medical history, inherited risk factors, and overall health. Your doctor is the best person to help you assess your personal risk for each side effect.

More serious adverse side effects of HE DMTs can include:

  • Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle
  • Opportunistic infections, such as herpes simplex virus 1 or salmonella
  • Basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer
  • Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow
  • Macular edema, an eye disease
  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a disease of the white matter of the brain, caused by a virus infection
  • Posterior reversible encephalopathy, a syndrome characterized by a spectrum of neurological and radiological features such as headache, seizures, altered mental status, and vision loss

Weighing Risks and Benefits of Highly Effective DMTs

Like all medications, even those available over the counter, HE DMTs have both their risks and benefits. Safety concerns should be a key consideration when thinking about switching therapies. Additionally, every individual’s safety profile may change as they age, develop additional health conditions, or experience immune system changes. It is expected that safety risks of certain therapies are likely to be greater as people age.

However, these risks must be carefully weighed against the benefit of reductions in the progression of MS. In shared decision-making, you and your doctor will discuss these risks and benefits, and your goals, preferences, and priorities will be taken into account.

Building a Community

MyMSTeam is the social network for people with multiple sclerosis and their loved ones. On MyMSTeam, more than 178,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with multiple sclerosis.

Are you thinking of switching to a highly effective DMT for multiple sclerosis? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

Source: What Is Highly Effective Treatment for MS? | MyMSTeam

Home Adaptations: Simple Changes for Enhanced Accessibility

Creating a home environment that accommodates everyone’s needs, regardless of physical limitations, is a compassionate and necessary endeavor. It involves thoughtful consideration of individual challenges and the strategic implementation of modifications. By focusing on personal requirements, safety, technology, and structural adaptations, you can transform any living space into a sanctuary that promotes independence and ease of living. Here are some tips from My MS Family to get you started!

Stranded

  As I sit here wanting to get my thoughts out, An image of me stranded in a body of stagnant water comes about.   The water is dark and I'm all alone, Holding on to dear life with all its unknown.   I'm cold and numb and not sure what to think. How...

WOODBRIDGE SUPPORT GROUP STARTING UP AGAIN

It’s understandable to feel concerned about how someone might react when you share something personal and sensitive like your diagnosis. However, being open and honest is essential for building trust in any relationship, and if she truly cares for you, she will...

 The Power Within

We have the power to determine our worth. It is time to stop putting ourselves down and realize the value, skills, and creativity that we each can bring to the workplace. Daily, I hear people share with me about their struggles with their self-worth whether it is not...

‘For a better tomorrow’: York Region car show at Bloomington GO Station cuts costs for multiple sclerosis patients

One of York Region’s most acclaimed car shows will return, “bigger and badder” on Saturday, Aug. 31, to display hundreds of amazing four-wheeled vehicles. But it’s two-wheeled vehicles — new powered wheelchairs for their members — that the host group at MS Road to a...

In memory of Deborah Cross

It is with profound sadness that the family of Deborah Cross (neé Richardson) announce her passing on August 31st, 2024, at the age of 68, due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis. She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters, Stephanie Cross (Chris Ling) and...

‘It’s time’: York Region residents with multiple sclerosis want satellite rehab centre and end to barriers

From the moment someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a maze of barriers awaits. But in York Region, such people aren’t alone. Other residents who also have MS, an auto-immune disease affecting the central nervous system, volunteer to help them buy...

Mavenclad Effect on Quality of Life

Treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine) over two years significantly improved physical and mental health aspects of quality of life in people with highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis, according to a final analysis of data from a Phase 4 study. Mavenclad is an...

2023 Leah Watson Pritchett Recognition Award Recipient

Dear Mirella: Congratulations on receiving the Leah Watson Pritchett Award for 2023. We have been told that you are a selfless member of MY MS Family who volunteers at every event. On many occasions, you have driven members who required mobility assistance to their...

Join our eMailing List

Have you recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or do you care about someone who has?

If you provide your name and email address, we'll send you regular updates about our activities as well as important topics related to life with MS.

Please NOTE: Completing this form gets you on our mailing list but not paid membership status.

If you would like to tap into our membership benefits, please use this link.

* indicates required

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information. Never gonna happen. You have our word on that.

Become a Volunteer or Donate Today!

Get InvolvedDonate