Remission of Tardive Dyskinesia in Patients Receiving Long-Term Valbenazine Treatment

Background: Valbenazine is a once-daily medication approved for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) and chorea associated with Huntington’s disease. Data from a 48-week, open-label study of valbenazine in patients with TD (KINECT 4 [NCT02405091]) were analyzed to assess a potential threshold for remission of TD while taking valbenazine.
Methods: Post hoc analyses were conducted using data from Week 48 treatment completers to assess the proportion of participants who reached a potential threshold for TD remission, defined as an item score of ≤1 (rating of “none” or “minimal”) in each body region (items 1-7) on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Shifts to remission were defined as a maximum item score of 2 (“mild”), 3 (“moderate”), or 4 (“severe”) at baseline and all item scores ≤1 at Week 48.
Results: Among 103 treatment completers, 61 (59.2%) had a score ≤1 in all AIMS items at Week 48. Of the 4 participants who had a maximum item score of 2 at baseline, 2 (50.0%) shifted to remission (all item scores ≤1) by Week 48. Among 56 participants with a maximum item score of 3 at baseline, 36 (64.3%) shifted to remission by Week 48. Of the 43 participants who had a maximum item score of 4 at baseline, 23 (53.5%) shifted to remission by Week 48.
Conclusion: The majority of participants who received 48 weeks of once-daily valbenazine achieved a potential threshold for remission of TD (item score ≤1 in each body region of the AIMS) while on treatment.