Persistence to oral disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis patients

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), fingolimod (FTY) and teriflunomide (TFN) are oral disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) approved for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) whose efficacy and tolerability have been separately assessed in phase III trials. Conversely, little evidence exists about their head-to-head comparison. The aim of the study was to evaluate the 1-year persistence to DMF, FTY and TFN in patients with RRMS. Patients affected by RRMS who started treatment with DMF, FTY or TFN were identified. The study end-point was 12-month drug persistence as time to discontinuation and proportion of patients who discontinued medication within 1-year. A total of 307 patients were included (DMF = 114, FTY = 129, TFN = 64). The mean times to discontinuation were 144 (84), 189 (72) and 138 (120) days in the DMF, FTY and TFN cohorts (p = 0.036). At 12-month, the proportion of patients discontinuing medication was lower for subjects taking FTY (9.8%) compared with those starting DMF (21.9%) and TFN (23.6%) (p = 0.020). Compared to FTY cohort, DMF [adjOR = 3.26 (1.38–7.70); p = 0.007] and TFN [adjOR = 2.89 (1.10–7.63); p = 0.032] treated patients were more likely to have discontinued their drug at 1-year since initiation. In patients with RRMS, FTY was associated with a better persistence profile as compared to DMF and TFN.