Study Finds Genetic Biomarker May Predict Whether Patients With MS Will Respond To Glatiramer Acetate Therapy

Multiple Sclerosis News Today (8/18, Bryson) reports a study found that a genetic biomarker can predict whether patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) will respond to glatiramer acetate therapy. The study results show that “those who carry a form of the HLA gene called HLA-A*03:01 benefit significantly more from glatiramer acetate treatment than from interferon-beta therapies.” Researchers observed that “among HLA-A∗03:01 carriers, which made up 29%-49% of all patients, glatiramer acetate reduced the risk of relapse by 33% compared with IFN-beta in one group and by 34% in another. In another group, glatiramer acetate lowered the risk of first relapse by 63% over IFN-beta in HLA-A∗03:01 carriers.” In addition, “HLA-A∗03:01 carriers also had fewer MRI lesions during glatiramer acetate treatment and had lower levels of neurofilament light, a marker for nerve damage. None of these benefits were seen in HLA-DRB1*15:01 carriers.” The study was published in eBioMedicine.