Stephen Krieger from Mount Sinai Hospital: New Agents Provide More Hope for Multiple Sclerosis Care

The past few years have seen the development and approval of a wide range of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments. This has meant doctors have many more options when looking to help their patients.

Stephen Krieger, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital, said some of the current MS treatments have been out for several decades. That long-term data now available can help doctors find the right treatment for each patient in the treatment of MS.

Highly active patients, or those who have regular relapses, were treated with a medicine administered once every 12 months, and Krieger said that with this particular agent the long-term data is particular useful. However, it also means there is increased monitoring so that the agent can be used safely.

Krieger said the data he is presenting is for a five-year cohort.

“No matter what, the treatment of MS is a long-term commitment, we are not ever going to have a one and done,” Krieger said of the applications. "This is a chronic disease." Despite the commitment the doctor and patient need to have with monitoring for this type of medicine, these types of agents can be an effective tool in treating MS, he said.