Frontiers in Multiple Sclerosis: New and Emerging Therapies Release Date: August 31, 2007 Expiration Date: August 31, 2008 Click here to view the program
This online activity is based on presentations at the CME/CE symposium titled "Frontiers in Multiple Sclerosis: New and Emerging Therapies" on Thursday, May 31, 2007, at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Persons in attendance at the symposium are NOT eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for completing this enduring material. The CMSC has reviewed and approved this report as appropriate for presentation as a spin-off of an Industry Supported Symposium. The report reflects the content and views of the sponsor and is not part of the official CMSC Annual Meeting program. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Target Audience This activity was developed for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals with an interest in MS. Statement of Need Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease with a highly variable clinical course and response to therapy. Early treatment with disease-modifying therapy can avoid axonal damage, reduce relapse rates, and delay progression, but the long-term management of MS remains challenging. Additionally, limitations in the effectiveness, tolerability, adherence, and toxicity of currently approved MS treatments underscore the need for new therapies. Advances in understanding of MS pathogenesis have elucidated targets for novel MS therapies that might expand treatment options. While translational and clinical research has revealed many new opportunities, healthcare providers striving to transform state-of-the-art research into improved care for MS patients will need to navigate an increasingly complex treatment landscape. This program is intended to help clinicians caring for MS patients gain a clearer understanding of the evolving picture of immunopathogenesis of MS and how this knowledge has provided the rationale for new mechanisms of action of novel therapies.
This knowledge will provide the groundwork for presentations on the rationale and clinical trial results with emerging agents. An expert panel will then discuss the potential role of new agents in the optimization of MS management, including their use in addressing the unmet needs of patient populations, adherence, combination and sequencing of therapies, risk-benefit assessment, and quality of life.
Learning Objectives On completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Discuss the rationale and mechanisms of action of novel treatment options for MS;
Review the relation of new therapy options to the role of B and T cells in MS pathogenesis;
Describe the potential clinical place of novel therapies in MS treatment and approaches to patient selection;
Summarize the benefits of combined, sequential, and multitargeted therapies for MS.
Accreditation Statements For Physicians This program is sponsored by MEC. This activity was developed in collaboration with Medical Education Collaborative and the Discovery Institute of Medical Education, New York Office Medical Education Collaborative, Inc. (MEC) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. MEC designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. For questions regarding the accreditation of this activity, please contact Medical Education Collaborative at (303)420-3252 or email
For Nurses ANCC Medical Education Collaborative (MEC) is the accredited provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
RNs, LPNs, LVNs and NPs can receive up to 1.7 contact hours for participation in this program. This program is cosponsored with Medical Education Collaborative, Inc. (MEC) and Discovery Institute of Medical Education (DIME). Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 12990, for 2.0 contact hour(s).
For questions concerning credit in the state of California please contact MEC online at www.meccme.org or by phone at 303-420-3252.
Funding Statement This activity is funded through an unrestricted educational grant from EMD Serono, Inc.
Faculty Disclosures MEC requires that those involved in the content development or presentation of this CME activity disclose to participants any significant financial interest or other relationship with (1) the manufacturer of any commercial product or provider of commercial services and (2) any commercial supporter of the activity.
This CME activity may include discussions regarding the use of medications that may be outside the approved labeling for these products. Physicians should consult the current prescribing information for these products. Medical Education Collaborative requires the speaker to disclose that the product is not labeled for the use under discussion. Compliance is documentation that demonstrates the provider has a practice in place to make this requirement known to the faculty.
Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MCR Assistant Professor of Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Center at UCSF San Francisco, California Sources of Funding for Research: Genentech, Inc Consulting Agreements: Genentech, Inc Speakers' Bureau/Honorarium Agreements: Biogen Idec; EMD Serono, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Financial Interests/Stock Ownership: None Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug Use: Cladribine; fingolimod; fumarate; laquinimod; teriflunomide
Bruce A. Cohen, MD Professor, Davee Department of Neurology Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Chicago, Illinois Sources of Funding for Research: Biogen Idec; EMD Serono, Inc; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp Consulting Agreements: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc; Biogen Idec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; Pfizer Inc; EMD Serono, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Speakers' Bureau/Honorarium Agreements: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc; EMD Serono, Inc; Pfizer Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Financial Interests/Stock Ownership: Abbott Laboratories; CVS/Caremark Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug Use: None
Patricia K. Coyle, MD Acting Chair, Department of Neurology Stony Brook University Medical Center; Director, Stony Brook Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center Stony Brook, New York Sources of Funding for Research: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; EMD Serono, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Consulting Agreements: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; EMD Serono, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Speakers' Bureau/Honorarium Agreements: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; EMD Serono, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Financial Interests/Stock Ownership: None Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug Use: None
Clyde E. Markowitz, MD Director, MS Center Assistant Professor of Neurology University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sources of Funding for Research: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc; Biogen Idec; BioMS Medical Corp; EMD Serono, Inc; Genentech, Inc; Opexa Therapeutics; PDL BioPharma, Inc; Pfizer Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Consulting Agreements: HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc; Biogen Idec; BioMS Medical Corp; EMD Serono, Inc; Genentech, Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Speakers' Bureau/Honorarium Agreements: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc, Biogen Idec; EMD Serono, Inc; Genentech, Inc; Pfizer Inc; Teva Neuroscience, Inc Financial Interests/Stock Ownership: None Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug Use: None The employees of Medical Education Collaborative have no financial relationships to disclose.
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