Long-term Safety and Tolerability of 0.5 mg Fingolimod in Patients With Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis

Analysis of absolute and relative frequencies for Adverse Event (AE), Serious Adverse Event (SAE) and Deaths by primary System Organ Class (SOC) to demonstrate that Fingolimod 0.5 mg/day is safe in patients with relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) through the monitoring of relevant clinical and laboratory safety parameters. Only descriptive analysis performed.

Annualized relapse rate (ARR) is defined as the number of all relapses (including both confirmed and unconfirmed relapses) experienced during a specific period of time adjusted to a one-year period. ARR is calculated as follows: (total number of all relapses) / (total number of days in the study for all patients for that specific period of time) x 365.25. Month 0 is the first dose of fingolimod study drug among all studies in which patient participated. Only descriptive analysis performed.

A relapse is defined as the appearance of a new neurological abnormality or worsening of previously stable or improving pre-existing neurological abnormality, separated by at least 30 days from onset of a preceding clinical demyelinating event. The abnormality must be present for at least 24 hours and occur in the absence of fever (<37.5°C) or infection.

In Study Part One, a relapse must be confirmed by an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) certified Physician within 7 days of the onset of symptoms. A relapse is confirmed when it is accompanied by an increase of at least half a step (0.5) on the EDSS or an increase of 1 point on two different Functional Systems (FS) of the EDSS or 2 points on one of the FS (excluding Bowel/Bladder or Cerebral FS). Month 0 is the first dose of fingolimod study drug among all studies in which patient participated. Only descriptive analysis performed.

Annualized rate of new/newly enlarging T2 lesions (ARneT2) is defined as the number of new or newly enlarging T2 lesions experienced during a specific period of time adjusted to a one-year period. ARneT2 was calculated as follows: (total number of new/newly enlarging T2 lesions) / (total number of days in the study for all patients for that specific period of time) x 365.25.Month 0 is the first dose of fingolimod study drug among all studies in which patient participated. Only descriptive analysis performed.

Total volume of T2 lesions was summarized by presenting descriptive statistics for change from first dose of fingolimod baseline values by visit.

T1 hypointense lesion (black hole) volume was summarized by presenting descriptive statistics for change from first dose of fingolimod baseline values by visit.

Descriptive statistics on percent brain volume change from first dose of fingolimod baseline were presented by visit. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The annualized rate of brain volume change is an "averaged annual percentage change" in brain volume. ARBA was calculated as: ARBA = [(SIENA/100+1) ^ (365.25/#days)-1]*100 where SIENA=(Vk/V0-1)*100 and Vk is the brain volume at time k, V0 is the brain volume at time 0 and k is the total number of days in the study for all patients for that specific period of time) × 365.25. Only descriptive analysis performed.

Disability progression was defined based on an increase in the EDSS score by 1.5 point for patients with a first dose of fingolimod (FDF) baseline EDSS score of 0, 1 point for patients with FDF baseline EDSS of >=1 and <=5.5, and by 0.5 points for patients with an FDF baseline EDSS>5.5, confirmed after 6 months and all intermediate EDSS assessments. A 6-month confirmed disability progression was defined as a 6-month sustained increase from the reference (potential onset of progression) value in the EDSS scores. i.e., every EDSS score (scheduled or unscheduled) within a 6-month duration after the first progression should meet the progression criteria as specified above. The confirmation could only happen at a scheduled visit and in the absence of a relapse. Only descriptive analysis performed.

The EDSS is a scale for assessing neurological impairment in MS (Kurtzke 1983) including (1) a series of scores in each of eight functional systems, and (2) the EDSS steps (ranging from 0 (normal) to 10 (death due to MS). The functional systems are Visual, Brain Stem, Pyramidal, Cerebellar, Sensory, Bowel and Bladder, Cerebral and Other functions. Based on the assessment of each FS, the participant's overall score is categorized as Improvement, Stable or Deterioration.

If baseline EDSS score is <=5, improvement is indicated by an EDSS score change of <= -1, stable is indicated by an EDSS score change of > -1 and <= 0.5, deterioration is indicated by an EDSS score change of > 0.5; if baseline EDSS score is > 5, improvement is indicated by an EDSS score change of <= -0.5, stable is indicated by an EDSS score change of > -0.5 and <= 0, deterioration is indicated by an EDSS score change of > 0. Only descriptive analysis performed.

The EDSS is a scale for assessing neurological impairment in MS (Kurtzke 1983) including (1) a series of scores in each of eight functional systems, and (2) the EDSS steps (ranging from 0 (normal) to 10 (death due to MS). The functional systems are Visual, Brain Stem, Pyramidal, Cerebellar, Sensory, Bowel and Bladder, Cerebral and Other functions. Based on the assessment of each FS, the participant's overall score is determined between 0 to 10. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement. Only descriptive analysis performed.