"Rebooting" MS Drug Succeeds In Trials

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;Clinical Trials / Drug Trials Article Date: 02 Nov 2012 - 3:00 PDT

Current ratings for: "Rebooting" MS Drug Succeeds In Trials

5 (2 votes)

4.67 (3 votes)

Alastair Compston, a professor from the University of Cambridge was principal investigator on both trials and also chaired the Steering Committee that supervised them and an earlier trial. He said in a statement from the University:

"Our research shows the transformative effect that alemtuzumab can have for people with MS."

The findings mark the conclusion of a unique development program for an MS drug that started in Cambridge in 1991. The statement from the University says:

"Never before has an MS drug been tested in clinical outcomes against such a high hurdle, an active first-line drug, in both one phase II trial and two phase III trials; and no drug for MS has been shown to be more effective, in both reducing the risk of disability and reducing the rate of brain atrophy, when compared to another active treatment."

MS is an autoimmune disease where the patient's immune system destroys nerve fibers and their protective insulation, the myelin sheath. The resulting damage stops nerves communicating with each other, leading eventually to loss of the nerve fiber, and progressive physical and cognitive disability.

The disease affects millions of people worldwide, including almost 100,000 in the UK, and 400,000 in the US.

Here is the original post:
"Rebooting" MS Drug Succeeds In Trials