To compare use of Relyvrio for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among general neurologists, ALS Center-affiliated neurologists (ALS-C) and neuromuscular specialists.

Disease modifying Relyvrio was FDA approved for ALS in 2022. The FDA approved it under an early, phase 2, priority review. We sought to understand the first-year uses of Relyvrio among general neurologists, ALS-C neurologists and neuromuscular specialists expecting Relyvrio familiarity and usage to be highest among ALS-C neurologists and neuromuscular specialists.   

Interim data show neuromuscular specialists have more patients with ALS under care (mean=37) than ALS-C (25) or general neurologists (15).  More neuromuscular specialists are highly familiar (i.e., 8-10 on a 10-point Likert scale) with Relyvrio (67%) than general (23%) or ALS-C neurologists (23%).  

Neuromuscular specialists currently have more patients on Relyvrio (mean=5.0) than ALS-C (3.0) or general neurologists (1.4). General (42%) and ALS-C neurologists (47%) rate “lack of familiarity/experience” as their top barrier to Relyvrio, compared to 20% of neuromuscular specialists.

While 89% of neuromuscular specialists who’ve yet to use Relyvrio will do so within 3 months, 84% of general neurologists are likely to take 4+ months to use.

Neuromuscular specialists consider 45% of ALS patients to be candidates for Relyvrio compared to 39% for general and 29% for ALS-C neurologists. 27% of both general and ALS-C neurologists are not actively recommending Relyvrio to their ALS patients whereas 2% of neuromuscular specialists are not recommending it to patients.

Neuromuscular specialists may be more enthusiastic about Relyvrio than ALS-C or general neurologists. They have higher familiarity with Relyvrio, consider more ALS patients to be candidates for the treatment, and plan to initiate new patients sooner than general neurologists.