Special Episode: Addition of Valbenazine to Treat Huntington Disease Chorea

Welcome to this special episode of the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice. For major FDA decisions in the field of neurology, we release short special episodes to offer a snapshot of the news, including the main takeaways for the clinical community, as well as highlights of the efficacy and safety profile of the agent in question. In this episode, we're covering the recent expanded indication of valbenazine (Ingrezza; Neurocrine Biosciences) to include the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington disease (HD). Erin Furr-Stimming, MD, FAAN, FANA, a professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School of UTHealth Houston, and principal investigator of the phase 3 KINECT-HD studies, valbenazine's supportive studies, offered her immediate reaction to the news. In addition, she spoke about the efficacy observed in these trials, the advantages valbenazine has as a VMAT2 inhibitor, and the remaining unmet needs in the management of HD.   For more of NeurologyLive®'s coverage of valbenazine's expanded indication, head here: FDA Approves Neurocrine Biosciences’ Valbenazine for Huntington Disease Chorea Episode Breakdown: 0:30 – Valbenazine approved for Huntington disease chorea 1:35 – Erin Furr-Stimming, MD, FAAN, FANA, on immediate reaction 2:15 – Treatment toolbox for HD chorea  3:05 – Furr-Stimming on mechanistic advantages of valbenazine 5:10 – Phase 3 efficacy data of valbenazine 5:55 – Furr-Stimming on greatest clinical takeaways from trials 6:55 – Current state of Huntington management 8:00 – Furr-Stimming on current unmet needs for patients, including research on disease-modifying therapies Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com. REFERENCES 1. Neurocrine Biosciences Announces FDA Approval of INGREZZA® (valbenazine) Capsules for the Treatment of Chorea Associated With Huntington's Disease. News Release. Neurocrine Biosciences. Published August 18, 2023. Accessed August 21, 2023.