Health

Novartis MS drug remibrutinib cuts relapse rates by a third in Phase 3 trials

Novartis on Friday presented full results from the Phase III REMODEL-1 and REMODEL-2 trials of remibrutinib, an oral BTK inhibitor for relapsing multiple sclerosis, with simultaneous publication in The Lancet.

In two trials of about 2,000 patients, the drug cut annualized relapse rates by 35.2% and 31.2% versus Sanofi's Aubagio (teriflunomide) — roughly one relapse every 13 years of treatment. More than 92% of treated patients remained free of disability progression at the six-month measure, and no liver safety signal was observed.

Presenter Prof. Heinz Wiendl of the University of Freiburg called the effect "clinically meaningful." STAT News noted that a rival Roche drug had shown higher efficacy in its own trials but a less clean safety profile — a trade-off doctors weigh when choosing therapies.

Novartis said it plans global regulatory submissions for remibrutinib, a daily pill that would compete in a crowded MS market led by Sanofi's Aubagio and other oral therapies.

Sources: Novartis media release (Oct 23, 2026); STAT News (Oct 23, 2026).

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