Assessment of Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Self-Reported Walking Ability in Participants with Multiple Sclerosis: Results from the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III ENHANCE Trial of Prolonged-Release Fampridine

BackgroundWalking impairment is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS). It affects>90% of individuals over time, reducing independence and negatively impacting health-related quality of life, productivity, and daily activities. Walking impairment is consistently reported as one of the most distressing impairments by individuals with MS. Prolonged-release (PR)-fampridine previously has been shown to improve objectively measured walking speed in walking-impaired adults with MS. The impact of PR-fampridine from the perspective of the individual with MS warrants full and detailed examination.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate whether PR-fampridine has a clinically meaningful effect on self-reported walking ability in walking-impaired participants with MS.MethodsENHANCE was a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of PR-fampridine 10mg twice daily in walking-impaired individuals age 18-70years with either relapsing or progressive forms of MS and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 4.0-7.0 at screening. Participants were stratified by EDSS score (6.0 or 6.5-7.0) at randomization to ensure a balanced level of disability in the treatment groups. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with a mean improvement in the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) score exceeding the predefined threshold for clinically meaningful improvement (8 points) over 24weeks. Secondary endpoints included the proportion with15% improvement in Timed Up and Go (TUG) speed, and mean changes in Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale physical impact subscale (MSIS-29 PHYS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and ABILHAND scores over 24weeks.ResultsIn total, 636 participants with MS were randomized (PR-fampridine, n=317; placebo, n=319; modified intention-to-treat sample: PR-fampridine, n=315; placebo, n=318). At baseline in the PR-fampridine and placebo groups, 46% and 51% had a progressive form of MS, median [range] EDSS scores were 6.0 [4.0-7.0] and 5.5 [4.0-7.0], mean [range] MSWS-12 scores were 63.6 [0-100] and 65.4 [0-100], and mean [range] TUG speed was 0.38 [0.0-1.0] and 0.38 [0.0-1.2] feet/s, respectively. A significantly higher percentage of PR-fampridine-treated participants (136/315 [43.2%]) had clinically meaningful improvement in MSWS-12 score over 24weeks versus placebo (107/318 [33.6%]; odds ratio 1.61 [95% confidence interval 1.15-2.26]; p=0.006). For PR-fampridine versus placebo, significantly more participants had a15% improvement in TUG speed, and there was significantly greater mean improvement in MSIS-29 PHYS score (