The effectiveness of teriflunomide in patients with multiple sclerosis in China: a real-world comparison to no DMT treatment in the first year after diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Teriflunomide is a first-line oral immunomodulatory agent approved in China for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis. OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment outcomes of teriflunomide and no disease-modifying therapy (DMT) treatment (in first year) in multi-center real-world Chinese multiple sclerosis patients. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: This study was conducted in five tertiary hospitals in different geographical regions of China. We collected clinical data of patients treated with teriflunomide and no DMT treatment (in first year) between 1 January 2017 and 31 August 2021. The effectiveness of teriflunomide was described. Potential factors influencing the effectiveness of teriflunomide were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 372 patients treated with teriflunomide and 148 no DMT treatment patients were included. A total of 292 patients were treated with teriflunomide for at least 6 months, described as a stable teriflunomide cohort. The annualized relapse rate was significantly lower in the stable teriflunomide cohort than in the no DMT treatment cohort (0.23 ± 0.47 versus 0.87 ± 0.67, p < 0.001). The mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of the stable teriflunomide cohort (1.77 ± 1.62) was slightly different from that of the no DMT treatment cohort (2.09 ± 2.00). A previous annualized relapse rate of ⩾1, a previous EDSS score of ⩾2, and a long disease duration of ⩾5 years were associated with better clinical effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Teriflunomide is associated with a lower relapse rate and less disability accumulation in Chinese patients with multiple sclerosis.