How ENSPRYNG is thought to work

Voice-Over:

The subject of this video is "What Is ENSPRYNG?” ENSPRYNG is a prescription medicine used to treat neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, also known as NMOSD, in adults who are aquaporin-4, also known as AQP4, antibody positive.

It is not known if ENSPRYNG is safe and effective in children. ENSPRYNG may cause serious side effects, including infections, increased liver enzymes, and low neutrophil counts.

All required vaccinations should be completed before starting ENSPRYNG. Do not take ENSPRYNG if you are allergic to satralizumab-mwge or any of the ingredients in ENSPRYNG, have an active hepatitis B infection or have active or untreated inactive (latent) TB.

Please see Important Safety Information at the end of this video. If you have any questions, please talk to your healthcare provider or refer to the ENSPRYNG Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

This video features an accredited neurologist and a real person who is treating her NMOSD with ENSPRYNG.

SANDRA:

Hello, my name is Sandra. Many years ago, I was enjoying a successful career in sales. I soon lost my sense of smell, had a mysterious pain in my side, felt tremors, and ended up in the ER.

After many tests, I was misdiagnosed with MS. My neurologist explained that because NMOSD is a rare disease, it is often misdiagnosed as MS.

So, if you are diagnosed with NMOSD, I know what you are going through as you look to learn more about this rare disease and consider your treatment options. This is one video in a series. I wish I had these videos to turn to when I was first diagnosed with aquaporin-4 positive NMOSD.

Today, we are fortunate to have a doctor with us who will give you important information about ENSPRYNG. When I was first diagnosed with aquaporin-4 positive NMOSD, I was dumbfounded. I thought, what the heck is this?

I read everything I could about the disease. I got involved in patient advocacy, and I’m still very passionate about giving back to this day. The relationship with your neurologist is critical. You have to speak up and be an advocate for yourself.

Let them know everything you can about your condition. The more your doctor knows, the better they can understand the best path to your treatment. I’d now like to introduce you to Dr. Javed, who will tell us more about the NMOSD disease and how ENSPRYNG treats it.

DR. JAVED:

Thanks, Sandra. Hello, my name is Dr. Javed. I’m a neurologist. As Sandra pointed out, it’s important to work together with your doctor in coming up with a comprehensive treatment plan for your aquaporin-4 positive NMOSD. Today, I’m going to talk about a treatment called ENSPRYNG.

ENSPRYNG is indicated for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, also known as NMOSD, in adult patients who are aquaporin-4 antibody positive, also known as AQP4 positive.

Because NMOSD is a rare disease, it is often misdiagnosed as MS. As we learn more about the disease, the better we are able to diagnose it. So let’s take a closer look at NMOSD. To help confirm a NMOSD diagnosis and determine the right treatment, your doctor may order blood tests that look for the presence of specific antibodies to the AQP4 protein, known as aquaporin-4 IgG.

When a person is aquaporin-4 IgG positive, it means that they make antibodies to the aquaporin-4 protein.

When a person is aquaporin-4 negative, it means that they do not make antibodies to the aquaporin-4 protein. Around 75% of people with NMOSD are aquaporin-4 IgG positive, which means they make aquaporin-4 IgG antibodies.

An antibody is a protein produced by the body’s immune system when it detects a foreign or harmful substance. In some autoimmune diseases, the immune system, including certain antibodies, mistakes normal tissues as being foreign and attacks them. Aquaporin-4 is a protein that is found in the brain and spinal cord. Before we go over the specific details about ENSPRYNG, let’s review the characteristics of the disease known as NMOSD.

And what type of people are more likely to get it. NMOSD, also known as NMO, is a rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system with unpredictable relapses that may lead to cumulative and permanent damage and disability.

NMOSD affects nearly 15,000 people in the United States. NMOSD predominantly affects women, in fact, it affects women nine times more than men. It can occur in people in their 30s and 40s, but children and older adults can also be affected.

NMOSD appears to be more common in people of African or Asian descent, and 80 to 90% of people with NMOSD experience recurring relapses.

Keep in mind that every patient with NMOSD has a unique experience. This is why your doctor will work closely with you to discuss the risks and benefits of ENSPRYNG. Next, let’s go over the specifics of how ENSPRYNG is thought to work.

ENSPRYNG is the first FDA-approved, self-injectable treatment for adults with aquaporin-4 IgG positive NMOSD. It is intended for self-administration under the guidance of a healthcare provider. With proper training, and if your healthcare provider says that it’s OK, an adult patient or caregiver may inject ENSPRYNG. It is a subcutaneous injection given under the skin through a prefilled syringe. The specific way ENSPRYNG works is not completely understood but is thought to affect the protein interleukin-6 (IL-6).

ENSPRYNG is the first treatment for NMOSD designed to block IL-6, a protein made by the immune cells in our bodies that may play a key role in the inflammation that occurs in people with NMOSD. Let’s look at the illustration on the left without ENSPRYNG. The IL-6 protein connects to the cell surface and activates the cell.

Now, let’s look at the illustration with ENSPRYNG. See how ENSPRYNG blocks the IL-6 protein from connecting to the cell surface and prevents the activation of the cell.

Anyone with NMOSD knows how unpredictable relapses can be. They may lead to cumulative and permanent damage and disability. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor and develop a treatment plan for NMOSD that helps reduce the risk of relapses.

I urge you to become your own advocate and take advantage of all the resources out there that go into even more detail about living with NMOSD. Now that you’ve heard more about ENSPRYNG, let’s hear from a real NMOSD patient, Sandra, our Patient Ambassador.

SANDRA:

Thanks, Dr. Javed. Since being diagnosed with aquaporin-4 positive NMOSD, there are ways I’ve had to alter my life.

I had to change my diet, and it took me awhile to learn how to live with my body again. I tried to hide my condition for a long time, but I knew I never wanted to let it define me. You can still do things with a chronic illness, even if it is at a slower pace.

It’s important to always listen to your body and to communicate any changes to your healthcare team, so they can choose the best path forward. My neurologist and I discussed the potential benefits as well as the possible serious side effects of ENSPRYNG.

So far, the treatment has been great; however, this is just my experience and yours may be different. I hope you found this video informative and helpful. Check out all the other videos in the series relating to ENSPRYNG at www.ENSPRYNG.com.

They’re a valuable resource you can view anytime. You can even watch them more than once as a refresher. Thanks for listening. Stay tuned for additional Important Safety Information.