Head-to-head comparisons show the monoclonal antibody ofatumumab is associated with a lower relapse rate than teriflunomide in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).

Two studies with identical protocols — the ASCLEPIOS trials I and II initiated and funded by oftumumab manufacturer Novartis — were carried out in 927 and 955 patients, respectively, across 385 centres in 37 countries from 2016-18.

Participants had a mean age of 38 years, two thirds were female, 94% had relapsing-remitting MS while the remainder had secondary progressive MS, with their illness diagnosed about 5.5 years prior, on average.

The primary endpoint was the annualised relapse rate over a median follow-up of 1.6 years, the authors wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine.