ObjectiveThis double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase IIb study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ponesimod, an oral selective S1P1 receptor modulator, for the treatment of patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).Methods464 patients were randomised to receive once-daily oral ponesimod 10, 20 or 40 mg, or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was the cumulative number of new T1 gadolinium-enhanced (T1 Gd+) lesions per patient recorded every 4 weeks from weeks 12 to 24 after study drug initiation. Secondary endpoints were the annualised confirmed relapse rate (ARR) and time to first confirmed relapse. Safety and tolerability were also evaluated.ResultsThe mean cumulative number of new T1 Gd+ lesions at weeks 12–24 was significantly lower in the ponesimod 10 mg (3.5; rate ratio (RR) 0.57; p=0.0318), 20 mg (1.1; RR 0.17; p<0.0001) and 40 mg (1.4; RR 0.23; p<0.0001) groups compared with placebo (6.2). The mean ARR was lower with 40 mg ponesimod versus placebo, with a maximum reduction of 52% (0.25 vs 0.53; p=0.0363). The time to first confirmed relapse was increased with ponesimod compared with placebo. The proportion of patients with ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) was similar across ponesimod groups and the placebo group. Frequently reported AEs with higher incidence in the three ponesimod groups compared with placebo were anxiety, dizziness, dyspnoea, increased alanine aminotransferase, influenza, insomnia and peripheral oedema.ConclusionsOnce-daily treatment with ponesimod 10, 20 or 40 mg significantly reduced the number of new T1 Gd+ lesions and showed a beneficial effect on clinical endpoints. Ponesimod was generally well tolerated, and further investigation of ponesimod for the treatment of RRMS is under consideration.Trial registration numberNCT01006265.

In the article the authors conduct the analysis of capacities for Russian universities to meet the requirements claimed by the Russian Ministry of Education which sets the aim to reach the first 100 lines of World University Rankings. In the stepwise manner the authors describe ranking criteria, particularly QS, and tailor them to the Russian system of education evaluating at the same time universities’ capacities to achieve these criteria in the timeframe of the following 7 years. In its turn, proposed some initiatives to bridge the “gaps” that are mostly connected with increasing academic mobility among students and professors and integrating scientific input to educational programs. As a conclusion the authors promote the idea that modernization of higher education in Russia should take into account the requirements of the ranking systems but with the aim at perceiving them as challenges to improve the system as a whole, keeping national values and traditions

Summary. The clustering of earthquakes as a premonition to a strong earthquake in the same region is defined as pattern BG, which is a generalization of patterns B ('burst of aftershocks') and S ('swarm'), described previously (Caputo et al.; Keilis‐Borok et al.); five out of the seven strongest earthquakes in Italy (M± 6.3, 1900–1980) are preceded by pattern BG within 5 yr; and eight out of 11 patterns BG are followed by a strong earthquake within 5 yr; the last pattern BG (1979 November 11) was diagnosed in advance of the Irpinia earthquake of 1980 November 23 (M= 6.5). The statistical significance of pattern BG cannot be tested with the data on Italy alone.

Objective:To evaluate the dose-response relationship of 10, 20 and 40-mg ponesimod and long-term efficacy and safety of ponesimod 20 mg using an analysis of combined data from the phase 2 Core and Extension studies in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients.Methods:In the Core study, 464 patients were randomized (1:1:1:1): placebo (n=121), 10-mg (n=108), 20-mg (n=116), or 40-mg ponesimod (n=119) once-daily for 24 weeks. Patients who completed the Core study transitioned into the Extension study, which had treatment period 1 (TP1; up to 96 weeks), TP2 and TP3 (up to 432 weeks). The 40-mg dose was discontinued due to low tolerability at the end of TP1 and 10-mg dose was subsequently discontinued due to lower benefit-risk profile vs 20 mg at the end of TP2. All patients received 10 or 20 mg during TP2, followed by 20 mg in TP3. Annualized relapse rate (ARR), 6-month confirmed disability accumulation (CDA), time to first confirmed relapse, MRI outcomes, and safety were evaluated.Results:A total of 435 patients received ≥1 dose of ponesimod (first randomized dose: 10 mg=139, 20 mg=145, 40 mg=151) at any time during the Core and/or the Extension study. As of 31 March 2019, 214 patients were still on ponesimod treatment. Median (range) of ponesimod exposure was 7.95 (0–9.36) years. Ponesimod 20-mg, from Core up to end of TP3, was associated with sustained low clinical activity (ARR for confirmed relapses: 0.154; at week 432, Kaplan-Meier estimate for confirmed relapse was 43.9% and 6-month CDA was 20.4%) and MRI disease activity, and over 64% of patients remained free of a confirmed relapse. Most common adverse events were nasopharyngitis (30%), headache (24%) and upper respiratory tract infection (21%).Conclusion:The effects on MS disease control were maintained with ponesimod 20 mg for approximately 8 years with no new safety concerns identified.Classification of evidence:This study provides Class IV evidence that in individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, long-term treatment with ponesimod 20mg was associated with sustained low annualized confirmed relapse rate (0.154 at week 432), with 64% of patients remaining relapse-free.Trial Registration Information:EudraCT Number 2008-006786-92 (Core study) and EudraCT Number 2009-011470-15 (Extension study)