Disease Modifying Therapies and COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies are a major issue during the current coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, and in anticipation of possible next waves. Methods: In a nationwide study we retrospectively collected data of persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) with suspected or confirmed Covid-19. We assessed the association of therapies for MS with Covid-19 by comparing their observed frequency with the one expected in non-pandemic conditions (expressing the association by Odds Ratios [OR]). We evaluated baseline characteristics and MS therapies associated to a severe Covid-19 course by multivariate logistic models. Findings: Of 784 PwMS with suspected (n=593) or confirmed (n=191) Covid-19 and a median follow-up of 84 days (range=30-135), 13 (1·66%) died: 11 of them were in a progressive MS phase, and 8 were without any therapy. Thirty-three (4·2%) were admitted to an Intensive Care Unit; 90 (11·5%) had a radiologically documented pneumonia; 88 (11·2%) were hospitalized. We found an excess of patients treated with Ocrelizumab (OR=1·84,95%CI=1·31-2·56, pInterpretation: This study showed an acceptable level of safety of therapies with a broad array of mechanisms of action. However, the study detected elements of risk and protection with respect to Covid-19 in MS. These will need to be considered in countries where the pandemic is persisting and in preparation for post-pandemic scenarios. Funding: Roche donated the web-Platform and funded a fellowship to the University of Genoa.Declaration of Interests: MP. Sormani reports grants from Roche, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Biogen, Merck, Roche, Sanofi, Novartis, Medday, Geneuro, Celgene, Mylan outside the submitted work. N. DeRossi received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis; received funding for participation in advisory board to Novartis, Biogen and Genzyme-Sanofi and for travel to scientific meetings from Biogen Idec, Teva, Sanofi-Genzyme, Roche, Almirall and Novartis. L. Moiola has received speaker’s honoraria from the following companies: Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi-Genzyme, and TEVA. M. Radaelli received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Sanofi-Genzyme ,Novartis and Merck Serono and funding for travel to scientific meetings from Biogen Idec, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Merck Serono, Teva and Roche. P. Immovilli reports personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Biogen, personal fees from Merck, outside the submitted work. M. Capobianco reports personal fees and non-financial support from Biogen, personal fees and non-financial support from Merck Serono, personal fees and non-financial support from Roche, personal fees and non-financial support from Novartis, personal fees and non-financial support from Sanofi, personal fees from Almirall, outside the submitted work. M. Trojano reports grants and personal fees from Biogen, grants and personal fees from Novartis, grants and personal fees from Roche, grants and personal fees from Merck, personal fees from Sanofi, personal fees from TEVA, from null, outside the submitted work. G. Comi reports personal fees from Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Teva Italia Srl, Sanofi Genzyme, Genzyme Corporation, Genzyme Europe, Merck KGgA, Merck Serono SpA, Celgene Group, Biogen Idec, Biogen Italia Srl, F. Hoffman-La Roche, Roche SpA, Almirall SpA, Forward Pharma, Medday, Excemed, outside the submitted work. F. Patti reports grants from Biogen, grants from Merck, grants from FISM, grants from Onlus association, grants from University of Catania, personal fees from Almirall, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees from Biogen, personal fees from Merck, personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Sanofi, personal fees from TEVA, outside the submitted work. M. Salvetti reports grants and personal fees from Biogen, grants and personal fees from Merck, grants and personal fees from Novartis, grants and personal fees from Roche, grants and personal fees from Sanofi, grants and personal fees from Teva, grants from Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, grants from Sapienza University of Rome, outside the submitted work. IS, LC, CC, PZ, GT, MAB have nothing to disclose.Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee of Liguria (University of Genoa) (n 130/2020 – DB id 10433) and at a national level by Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA).