Antidepressants Safe in Those Taking Ozanimod for Relapsing MS

Data presented at the Americas Committee for Treatment & Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2023 suggest that concurrent administration of ozanimod (Zeposia; Bristol Myers Squibb, New York, NY) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) is not associated with a greater risk for developing adverse events (AEs) associated with serotonin syndrome (SS) or hypertension.

To evaluate whether SSRIs/SNRSs, also known as serotonergic antidepressants, when taken with ozanimod could cause SS and related AEs, researchers performed a search of the MedDRA database of narrow and broad terms (associated with SS and hypertension) associated with safety data from patients in the DAYBREAK phase 3 studies. A total of 274 (12.1%) of the 2256 patients enrolled in the DAYBREAK study (NCT02576717) who received at least one dose of ozanimod also used an SSRI/SNRI during the study period. No patients experienced AEs matching the MedDRA narrow search terms.

Researchers found that the percentage of individuals who experienced at least one AE as matched using the broad search terms was lower in those taking an SSRI/SNRI along with ozanimod (13.9%, n=274) compared with those not taking an antidepressant (17.7%, n=2032).

The incidence of reported hypertension was also lower for those taking SSRIs/SNRIs (4.7%, n=274) vs those who were not (9.2%, n=2032).