Effectiveness and Safety of SMART BoNT-A therapy with Dysport® in patients with post-stroke chronic upper limb spasticity in real-life setting (SMART-NIS)

03/01/2024
23/06/2026
EU PAS number:
EUPAS107722
Study
Finalised
Study type

Study topic

Human medicinal product

Study type

Non-interventional study

Scope of the study

Effectiveness study (incl. comparative)
Evaluation of patient-reported outcomes
Safety study (incl. comparative)

Data collection methods

Primary data collection
Non-interventional study

Non-interventional study design

Cohort
Study drug and medical condition

Medicinal product name

DYSPORT

Medicinal product name, other

SMART AbobotulinumtoxinA (AboBoNT-A; Dysport®)

Study drug International non-proprietary name (INN) or common name

BOTULINUM TOXIN TYPE A

Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code

(M03AX01) botulinum toxin
botulinum toxin

Additional medical condition(s)

Post-stroke chronic upper limb spasticity
Population studied

Age groups

  • Adults (18 to < 46 years)
  • Adults (46 to < 65 years)
  • Adults (65 to < 75 years)
  • Adults (75 to < 85 years)
  • Adults (85 years and over)

Estimated number of subjects

116
Study design details

Study design

Multicentre, non-interventional prospective study

Main study objective

To assess the effectiveness of AboBoNT-A SMART injections as Disability Assessment Scale (DAS) score on the Principal Target of Treatment (PTT) for the upper limb.

Setting

Conducted at 22 sites (mostly office-based, SMART-injections-trained neurologist) in Germany

Outcomes

- Change from baseline of Disability Assessment Scale (DAS) score in Principle Target of Treatment (PTT) for the upper limb.
- Change from baseline of Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) Primary Target Muscle Group (PTMG).
- Change from baseline of pain assessed with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
- Change from baseline of Spasticity Related Quality of Life Tool (SQoL-6D).
- Incidence of Adverse Events (AEs).
- Incidence of Special Situations (SS).

Data analysis plan

All effectiveness analysis will be based on the Full Analysis Set population. Safety analysis will be performed on the safety population.

Summary results

A total of 118 participants were enrolled at 22 sites, and 117 received at least one dose of SMART AboBoNT-A. The full analysis set included 108 participants with available baseline documentation and post-baseline primary endpoint data. The primary endpoint, change in DAS PTT score from baseline to Week 12–16 (Visit 3), showed clinically and statistically significant improvement. Mean DAS decreased from 2.7 at baseline to 1.9 at Visit 3, corresponding to a mean change of –0.8. Nearly 60% of participants were considered responders, i.e. achieving the minimum detectable, clinically meaningful improvement of at least one level, and no subject worsened.

Secondary endpoints supported these results. MAS PTMG decreased by an average of –0.75, and nearly two-thirds of subjects met the responder definition, i.e., achieving the minimum clinically meaningful improvement of at least one grade. Pain VAS improved by –2.05 points, which constitutes, according to the literature, a meaningful reduction in the context of chronic neurological pain. The SQoL-6D total score improved by an average of 16 points, with consistent improvements across all functional domains. Twelve participants experienced 19 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), none of which were considered related to the study treatment. Nine participants experienced serious TEAEs, and five deaths occurred. All deaths were assessed as unrelated to AboBoNT-A and consistent with the advanced age and comorbidity burden typical of a chronic post-stroke population. No AEs of special interest, such as hypersensitivity reactions or potential remote spread of toxin, were reported, and no participants discontinued treatment due to adverse events.

Conclusion: These results indicate that SMART-guided BoNT-A treatment provides benefit across functional, symptomatic, and quality-of-life dimensions relevant to patients with post-stroke spasticity. Overall, SMART-guided AboBoNT-A therapy was well tolerated with no safety concerns