Onboarding of siponimod in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients in Australia: Novel, real-world evidence from the MSGo digital support programme

T A Hardy; P Aouad; M H Barnett; S Blum; S Broadley; W M Carroll; D Crimmins; D Griffiths; S Hodgkinson; J Lechner-Scott; A Lee; R Malhotra; P McCombe; J Parratt; C Plummer; A Van der Walt; K Martel; R A Walker

doi:10.1177/20552173231226106

Onboarding of siponimod in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients in Australia: Novel, real-world evidence from the MSGo digital support programme

Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2024 Jan 12;10(1):20552173231226106. doi: 10.1177/20552173231226106. eCollection 2024 Jan-Mar.

Authors

T A Hardy¹, P Aouad², M H Barnett^{3

4}, S Blum^{5

6}, S Broadley⁷, W M Carroll⁸, D Crimmins⁹, D Griffiths¹⁰, S Hodgkinson¹¹, J Lechner-Scott^{12

13}, A Lee¹⁴, R Malhotra¹⁵, P McCombe¹⁶, J Parratt^{2

17}, C Plummer¹⁸, A Van der Walt¹⁹, K Martel²⁰, R A Walker²⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia.
² Northern Clinical School, Sharp Neurology and North Shore Private Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
³ Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁶ Department of Neurology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
⁷ School of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.
⁸ Department of Neurology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perron Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
⁹ Central Coast Neurosciences Research, Erina, NSW, Australia.
¹⁰ Central Coast MS Clinic, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, NSW, Australia.
¹¹ Department of Neurology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia.
¹² Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.
¹³ Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District, New Lambton, NSW, Australia.
¹⁴ Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
¹⁵ Canberra Specialist Centre, Deakin, ACT, Australia.
¹⁶ University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
¹⁷ Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
¹⁸ Centre for Neurosciences and Neurological Research, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia.
¹⁹ Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
²⁰ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Siponimod is approved for use in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (pwSPMS). An integrated digital platform, MSGo, was developed for pwSPMS and clinicians to help navigate the multiple steps of the pre-siponimod work-up.

Objective: To explore real-world onboarding experiences of siponimod amongst pwSPMS in Australia.

Methods: Retrospective, non-interventional, longitudinal, secondary analysis of data extracted from MSGo (20 April 2022). The primary endpoint was the average time for siponimod onboarding; secondary endpoints were adherence and sub-group analyses of variables influencing onboarding.

Results: Mixed-cure modelling estimated that 58% of participants (N = 368, females 71%, median age of 59 years) registered in MSGo would ever initiate siponimod. The median time to initiation was 56 days (95% CI [47-59] days). Half of the participants cited 'waiting for vaccination' as the reason for initiation delay. Cox regression analyses found participants with a nominated care partner had faster onboarding (HR 2.1, 95% CI [1.5-3.0]) and were more likely to continue self-reporting daily siponimod dosing than were those without a care partner (HR 2.2, 95% CI [1.3-3.7]).

Conclusions: Despite the limitations of self-reported data and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study provides insights into siponimod onboarding in Australia and demonstrates the positive impact of care partner support.

Keywords: Australia; Multiple sclerosis; healthcare delivery; medication adherence; patient-reported outcome measures; regression analysis; siponimod.