Archive: April, 2009

• Hot off the AAN Press: Novantrone Linked to Many More Cases of Leukemia

  April 30, 2009 This morning at the American Academy of Neurology’s conference in Seattle, a report was released reporting that there is a significantly increased risk of [...]

  • Caroline says: This post comes to us from fellow MS blogger Trevis Gleason (http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/trevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms). At this year's AAN in Seattle, findings were presented that noted a significantly increased risk of leukemia from mitoxantrone (Novantrone) in patients with progressive forms of MS (note: since mitoxantrone is not a drug prescribed for patients without progressive forms of MS, I think it makes more sense to say ALL patients with MS who are taking mitoxantrone). Today's report found that in a retrospective study of 2854 MS patients receiving mitoxantrone, 21 developed leukemia and 8 of those 21 died.
     
  
  

  • Hot off the AAN Press: Cladribine Reduces Relapses, Disability, Disease Progression

    April 29, 2009 Merck KGaA on Wednesday presented detailed results from a previously announced Phase III study of investigational oral multiple sclerosis drug cladribine at the American [...]

    • Caroline says: 1326 patients received cladribine or placebo in a 2-year study. According to Merck, the findings demonstrated that annual short-course treatment with cladribine significantly reduced the rate of clinical relapses, disability progression and brain lesions in patients with relapsing-remitting MS, and also led to a significant increase in the proportion of patients who remained relapse-free. And it's an oral...
       
    
    

    • Hot off the AAN Press: Laquinimod, New Data, Novel MOA

      New Data Illustrate Novel Mechanism OF Action of Laquinimod, an Oral Compound for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis -Researchers Demonstrate Immunomodulatory Effects of Laquinimod on Disease Activity [...]

      • Caroline says: Teva/Active Biotech presented data on their oral RRMS drug laquinimod-- and it's novel MOA, which modulates the immune system, suggesting immunomodulating effects within the CNS. A Phase IIb study in 306 patients found that an oral 0.6 mg dose of laquinimod QD significantly reduced MRI disease activity by a median of 60%. So far this is the only oral in the pipeline that I can see with no significant side effects. Good news.
         
      
      

      • Hot off the AAN Press: Fingolimod effective but safety an issue

        UPDATE 3-Novartis MS drug effective but safety an issue ZURICH, April 29 (Reuters) – Novartis AG  said 80-83 percent of those taking its multiple sclerosis drug FTY720 [...]

        • Caroline says: Novartis presented Phase III results showing an annual relapse rate of 52% lower than Biogen's Avonex. That's significant. Safety issues abound with fingolimod though, but as we saw with Tysabri, many patients choose to accept these risks if it means more control of their disease.
           
        
        

        • Hot off the AAN Press: Tysabri May Reverse MS Damage

          UPDATE 1-Elan’s Tysabri may reverse MS damage, shares up April 29 (Reuters) – Elan’s  Tysabri drug may be able to reverse damage caused by multiple sclerosis, the [...]

          • Caroline says: Data presented at this year's AAN showed Tysabri promoted the regeneration of the protein coat that protects nerve fibres and whose damage causes the symptoms of MS. This is good news, Tysabri has done wonders for so many people. It didn't work so well for me and I was on it for just a few months before a new lesion broke through.
             
          
          

          • Site of MS Onset Usually Location of Relapse

            NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The nervous system site where multiple sclerosis first begins is typically also the site where relapses occur, according to a report in [...]

            • Caroline says: Well, this is interesting. And frankly not terribly informative. I don't think this is a mind blowing discovery. It's definitely been true for me throughout the course of my disease, and I would guess a lot of other MS patients as well.
               
            
            

            • MS, fat cells, and YOU!

              Medistem Reports Positive Multiple Sclerosis Data Using Fat Stem Cells Medistem Inc. (PINKSHEETS: MEDS) announced today publication of a peer reviewed paper describing the scientific rationale and [...]

              • Caroline says: Stem cells have certainly been everywhere these days...and if you had any qualms about embryonic stem cell use (which, if you have MS or another chronic illness is just odd) Biotech company Medistem has announced preliminary results of a 3-person trial of adults using their own stem-cell rich adipose tissue called the Stromal Vascular Fraction, which can concurrently immune modulate, while inducing regenerative activities. Wow, so I could be cured of MS and get liposuction in one sitting? Where do I sign up? Obviously, this is VERY preliminary.
                 
              
              

              • Hot off the AAN Press: Study Suggests Copaxone has Protective Effects

                Long-Term Study with COPAXONE® Indicated Protective Effect on Brain Tissue in Multiple Sclerosis Patients – New Data Presented at 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of [...]

                • Caroline says: Data from a 6-year study suggests that Copaxone may have neuroprotective effect in RRMS. It was the largest and longest study of its kind to date.
                   
                
                

                • Biogen Idec announces sixth case of PML linked to use of Tysabri

                  Biogen Idec reported that another patient with multiple sclerosis taking Tysabri (natalizumab) was diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) earlier this month, raising the total number of [...]

                  • Caroline says: Yikes...more evidence for the Tysabri holiday people have been pushing...best of luck to this patient.
                     
                  
                  

                  • Novartis MS drug linked to new side effect

                    LONDON, April 14 — Fresh side-effect problems have emerged with Novartis AG’s experimental oral multiple sclerosis (MS) drug FTY720, with doctors reporting a case of haemorrhaging focal [...]

                    • Caroline says: Well, this indicates that the 11 emerging drugs everyone has been excited about could be down to 10 (5 orals)...Novartis reports that a patient in their Phase III clinical trial developed haemorrhaging focal encephalitis (I had to look this up, but in simple terms, brain swelling followed by a bleed). This case was in addition to 2 patients in previous clinical trials had infections, one of which was fatal. Not good news for FTY-720 (fingolimod).
                       
                    
                    
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