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NCT01633112: ASSESS

MS Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Two Doses of Fingolimod Versus Copaxone

Terminated Phase 3 Results posted Last updated 28 May 2019
What this trial tests

Phase 3 trial testing fingolimod in Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) in 1,064 participants. Terminated before completion.

Timeline
9 August 2012
Primary endpoint
30 April 2018
30 April 2018

Quick facts

Lead sponsorNovartis Pharmaceuticals
PhasePhase 3
StatusTerminated
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingdouble
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment1,064
Start date9 August 2012
Primary completion30 April 2018
Estimated completion30 April 2018
Sites130 locations across Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, Puerto Rico, United States, Brazil

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

Novartis Pharmaceuticals — full company profile →

Who can join

Adults 18 to 65, any sex, with Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Confirmed Annualized Relapse Rate Primary · up to 12 months

Annualized relapse rate (ARR) was defined as the average number of confirmed relapses per year (i.e., the total number of confirmed relapses divided by the total days in the study multiplied by 365.25). The number of relapses included all the confirmed relapses experienced during the study from first dose to end of study.

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg0.1530.111 – 0.212
FTY720 0.25 mg0.2210.168 – 0.290
GA 20 mg0.2580.196 – 0.341
New or Newly Enlarging T2 Lesions Secondary · At 12 months/end of study

Inflammatory activity based on MRI measurement of new/newly enlarged T2 lesion count.

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg2.6± 5.42
FTY720 0.25 mg3.3± 6.94
GA 20 mg5.7± 10.71
Number of Participants Free of New/Newly Enlarged T2 Lesions Secondary · At 12 months/end of study

Inflammatory activity based on MRI measurement of new/newly enlarged T2 lesion count.

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg156
FTY720 0.25 mg155
GA 20 mg96
Change From Baseline in T2 Lesion Volume Secondary · Baseline, 12 months/end of study

Inflammatory activity based on MRI measurement of new/newly enlarged T2 lesion volume

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg-0.14± 1.583
FTY720 0.25 mg-0.05± 2.340
GA 20 mg0.42± 2.305
Gd Enhancing T1 Lesion Count Secondary · At 12 months/end of study

Inflammatory activity based on MRI measurement of Gd enhancing T1 lesion count

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg0.4± 1.57
FTY720 0.25 mg0.4± 1.56
GA 20 mg0.9± 3.67
Gd Enhancing T1 Lesion Volume Secondary · Baseline, 12 months/end of study

Inflammatory activity based on MRI measurement of Gd enhancing T1 lesion count

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg0.31± 1.067
FTY720 0.25 mg0.32± 1.421
GA 20 mg0.22± 0.841
Month 12/end of study
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg0.06± 0.215
FTY720 0.25 mg0.05± 0.181
GA 20 mg0.12± 0.450
Percentage of Patients Free of New T1 Hypointense Lesions Secondary · 12 months

Based on MRI measures of new T1 hypointense lesions

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg55.3
FTY720 0.25 mg52.1
GA 20 mg44.3
Change From Baseline in TSQM Scales Secondary · 6 months, 12 months/end of study

Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) was developed and validated as a general measure for treatment satisfaction. Each scale score was calculated by summing individual items and then transformed to a 0-100 scale. Higher summary scores indicate better satisfaction with study drug.

Global Satisfaction (Month 6)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg20.8± 28.15
FTY720 0.25 mg23.4± 27.04
GA 20 mg14.4± 25.42
Global Satisfaction (Month 12)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg19.2± 31.87
FTY720 0.25 mg20.5± 32.21
GA 20 mg9.4± 30.43
Effectiveness (Month 6)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg15.2± 25.96
FTY720 0.25 mg18.2± 25.05
GA 20 mg12.9± 23.43
Effectiveness (Month 12)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg16.8± 26.85
FTY720 0.25 mg17.9± 28.29
GA 20 mg8.0± 27.38
Side Effects (Month 6)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg16.9± 31.58
FTY720 0.25 mg18.8± 30.63
GA 20 mg9.3± 31.94
Side Effects (Month 12)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg16.2± 31.52
FTY720 0.25 mg17.2± 32.52
GA 20 mg7.6± 32.76
Convenience (Month 6)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg30.7± 25.76
FTY720 0.25 mg26.5± 25.93
GA 20 mg4.4± 20.73
Convenience (Month 12)
GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg29.5± 24.42
FTY720 0.25 mg26.5± 26.36
GA 20 mg0.8± 25.72
Percent Brain Volume Change From Baseline Secondary · Baseline, 12 months, end of study

Using a Central MRI vendor to ensure calibrated MRI scanning equipment across all sites, MRI scans were performed on subjects following the established parameters and transferred to the central vendor for review of quality and assessment/evaluation.

GroupValue95% CI
FTY720 0.5 mg-0.652± 0.7810
FTY720 0.25 mg-0.636± 0.8097
GA 20 mg-0.561± 0.7819

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious AEs (SAEs) were collected during treatment exposure and follow up where: AE summaries on the follow-up set were conducted for time periods defined by days relative to study drug discontinuation: days 1 - 45 after discontinuation, or day 46 or later after drug discontinuation. For SAEs (death and non-fatal ), all SAEs starting after the first dose date, including those starting > 45 days after study drug discontinuation, were included in the safety set summaries.. Reporting threshold: 5%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Fingolimod 0.5 mg
Serious: 25/345 (7%)
Deaths: 0/345
FTY 0.25 mg
Serious: 32/366 (9%)
Deaths: 0/366
GA 20 mg
Serious: 20/324 (6%)
Deaths: 0/324
All@Patients
Serious: 77/1035 (7%)
Deaths: 0/1035

Serious adverse events (83 terms)

ReactionSystemFingolimod 0.5 mgFTY 0.25 mgGA 20 mgAll@Patients
Multiple sclerosis relapseNervous system disorders
Basal cell carcinomaNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)
Urinary tract infectionInfections and infestations
HeadacheNervous system disorders
SeizureNervous system disorders
LeukocytosisBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Angina pectorisCardiac disorders
PancreatitisGastrointestinal disorders
Gait disturbanceGeneral disorders
PyrexiaGeneral disorders
CholecystitisHepatobiliary disorders
SyncopeNervous system disorders
Acute kidney injuryRenal and urinary disorders
DyspnoeaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Pneumonia aspirationRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
AnaemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Acute myocardial infarctionCardiac disorders
Atrioventricular block second degreeCardiac disorders
BradycardiaCardiac disorders
Cardiac arrestCardiac disorders
Coronary artery stenosisCardiac disorders
PalpitationsCardiac disorders
Sinus bradycardiaCardiac disorders
TachycardiaCardiac disorders
Ventricular fibrillationCardiac disorders
Other adverse events (21 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemFingolimod 0.5 mgFTY 0.25 mgGA 20 mgAll@Patients
HeadacheNervous system disorders
Urinary tract infectionInfections and infestations
FatigueGeneral disorders
Upper respiratory tract infectionInfections and infestations
HypertensionVascular disorders
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders
Pain in extremityMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
NasopharyngitisInfections and infestations
DepressionPsychiatric disorders
DiarrhoeaGastrointestinal disorders
Back painMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
DizzinessNervous system disorders
ArthralgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
InsomniaPsychiatric disorders
AnxietyPsychiatric disorders
LymphopeniaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Alanine aminotransferase increasedInvestigations
Injection site painGeneral disorders
Injection site erythemaGeneral disorders
Injection site pruritusGeneral disorders
Injection site reactionGeneral disorders

Most-reported serious reactions: Multiple sclerosis relapse, Basal cell carcinoma, Urinary tract infection, Headache, Seizure, Leukocytosis, Angina pectoris, Pancreatitis.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01633112 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that at least one dose (0.5 mg followed by 0.25 mg) of fingolimod is superior to glatiramer acetate 20 mg SC in reducing the ARR up to 12 months in patients with relapsing-remitting MS

Publications & conference data

6 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. The S1P-S1PR Axis in Neurological Disorders-Insights into Current and Future Therapeutic Perspectives.
    Lucaciu A, Brunkhorst R, Pfeilschifter JM, Pfeilschifter W, et al · · 2020 · cited 53× · PMID 32580348 · DOI 10.3390/cells9061515
  2. Fingolimod for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
    La Mantia L, Tramacere I, Firwana B, Pacchetti I, et al · · 2016 · cited 46× · PMID 27091121 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd009371.pub2
  3. Efficacy and Safety of 2 Fingolimod Doses vs Glatiramer Acetate for the Treatment of Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
    Cree BAC, Goldman MD, Corboy JR, Singer BA, et al · · 2020 · cited 22× · PMID 32852530 · DOI 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.2950
  4. Risk for Cardiovascular Adverse Events Associated With Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor Modulators in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Insights From a Pooled Analysis of 15 Randomised Controlled Trials.
    Zhao Z, Lv Y, Gu ZC, Ma CL, et al · · 2021 · cited 20× · PMID 34950154 · DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2021.795574
  5. Challenges in randomized controlled trials and emerging multiple sclerosis therapeutics.
    Huang D. · · 2015 · cited 5× · PMID 26480875 · DOI 10.1007/s12264-015-1560-6
  6. Efficacy and safety of disease-modifying oral drugs in treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: systematic review and network meta-analysis.
    Zhao Y, Chen B, Zhao X, Yang R, et al · · 2026 · PMID 41918730 · DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1733948

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of fingolimod

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other Novartis Pharmaceuticals trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT01633112.

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing