Ipsen Shares New Dysport Data at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Conference

Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, an affiliate of Ipsen, announced that five abstracts discussing Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) were presented at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Annual Assembly, held Oct. 12-15 in Denver, Colorado.

Dysport, a botulinum toxin product, is approved for treatment of spasticity, or shaking, in adult patients, which is present in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.

The drug was approved as a treatment for upper-limb spasticity in July 2015, and its indication was extended to the lower limbs in June 2017.

“The data being presented at this year’s AAPM&R meeting showcases important new data with Dysport across multiple patient populations, including adults with spasticity and children aged two and older with lower limb spasticity,” David Cox, VP North American Medical, HEOR & Regulatory Affairs, Ipsen, said in a press release. “We are excited to share this research with the community of physical therapy and rehabilitation specialists, as they are crucial members of the treatment teams for patients who experience spasticity.”

The five posters presented at the Colorado Convention Center are as follows:

• AbobotulinumtoxinA time to retreatment in spasticity: An analysis from 3 Phase 3 spasticity studies;
• Safety and efficacy of repeat abobotulinumtoxinA injections for dynamic equinus foot in children aged less than 6 years old: a subgroup analysis;
• Effect on voluntary movements of simultaneous upper and lower limb abobotulinumtoxinA injections in conjunction with Guided Self-rehabilitation Contracts in adults with spastic hemiparesis: methodology of the ENGAGE study;
• Time to retreatment with botulinum toxin A in upper limb spasticity management: Initial data from the Upper Limb International Spasticity (ULIS)-III study;
• AbobotulinumtoxinA injections in the upper and lower limb in patients with spastic paresis and impaired function following stroke or traumatic brain injury: analysis of gait speed.

Dysport comes with a warning that the toxin may spread from the site of injection to other parts of the body. This can lead to symptoms that are similar to botulism, including swallowing and breathing difficulties. These symptoms may appear hours to weeks after injection.

Patients with diseases such as ALS should be monitored closely after administration, as they are at a greater risk for adverse events including severe swallowing and respiratory difficulties.

For patients with upper limb spasticity, the most common adverse events from using Dysport include nasopharyngitis, urinary tract infection, muscular weakness, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness, falls, and depression. For patients with lower limb spasticity, the most common adverse events are falls, muscular weakness, and pain in the extremities. Muscular weakness was reported more frequently in women treated with 1,500 units of Dysport compared with men.