Avanir Pharmaceuticals Announces Three Poster Presentations at Consortium of MS Centers Meeting Including Preliminary Results From PRISM Patient Registry

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVNR) today announced the presentation of three posters, including preliminary results from the PRISM patient registry, at the Fourth Cooperative Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

PRISM Registry

The aims of the PRISM registry are to define pseudobulbar affect (PBA) prevalence and its quality of life (QoL) impact on patients with the associated underlying neurologic conditions of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Results

At the time of the data-cut a total of 3,647 patients with the six underlying neurologic conditions had enrolled in the PRISM registry. Among the enrolled patients, a total of 37.3% of all participants (n=1,361) had a positive screening score for PBA as measured by a CNS-LS≥13. The range of positive screening for PBA was similar across all the disease states (range of 34.7% to 40.0%); the prevalence of positive screens was also similar in the MS patient group (38.7%; n=354). The table below displays interim positive PBA screening rates of the current registry participants by underlying neurologic diagnosis. These prevalence rates of positive screens are similar to those seen in estimates previously published in the medical literature.

"We are excited by the preliminary results from the PRISM registry as we will have the opportunity to give healthcare practitioners an unprecedented insight into local and national PBA epidemiologic patterns," said Dr. Randall Kaye, chief medical officer at Avanir Pharmaceuticals. "The high prevalence estimates from the PRISM registry re-emphasize the need for continued education regarding PBA and proactive screening for PBA in at-risk populations."

Methodology

Enrolled patients in the PRISM patient registry completed the following:

• Center for Neurologic Study–Lability Scale (CNS-LS), a validated PBA screening tool*
• Quality of life scale
• Demographic/disease characteristics
• Use of concomitant medications

Additional Poster Presentations

In addition the company announced the following two poster presentations at the Fourth Cooperative Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Title: Dose-Finding Study of Dextromethorphan/Quinidine for Central Neuropathic Pain in MS
Program Number: SX01 (Poster Presentation)
Presentation Date/Time: Friday, June 1, 7:00 p.m.

Title: Pseudobulbar Affect in MS: Baseline Interrelations in a Study Cohort
Program Number: DX20 (Poster Presentation)
Presentation Date/Time: Friday, June 1, 7:00 p.m.

About Pseudobulbar Affect

People with pseudobulbar affect (PBA) have sudden outbursts of involuntary crying or laughing, even though there may not be anything particularly sad or funny to trigger those emotions. Many people who suffer from PBA describe their episodes as uncontrollable, exaggerated, or different from their true feelings. PBA may occur when certain neurologic diseases or injury damage the areas of the brain that control normal expression of emotion. This damage can disrupt brain signaling, causing a "short circuit" and triggering episodes of involuntary crying or laughing. PBA can occur in people diagnosed with a variety of otherwise unrelated neurologic conditions such as Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and Alzheimer's disease. For more information about PBA, please visit www.PBAinfo.org.

*The CNS-LS has been validated in ALS and MS patients

About Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative medicines to patients with central nervous system disorders of high unmet medical need. As part of our commitment, we have extensively invested in our pipeline and are dedicated to advancing medicines that can substantially improve the lives of patients and their loved ones. For more information about Avanir, please visit www.avanir.com.

AVANIR® is a registered trademark owned by Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

©2012 Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Avanir Investor & Media Contact
Ian Clements, PhD
[email protected]
+1 (949) 389-6700

SOURCE Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.