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

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.