Archive: July, 2009

• Dirucotide Does Not Meet Primary Endpoint in Phase III Trial In Secondary Progressive MS

  July 27, 2009 – Eli Lilly and Company and BioMS Medical Corp. today announced that dirucotide did not meet the primary endpoint of delaying disease progression, as [...]

  • Caroline says: BioMS and Lilly will now discontinue ongoing clinical trials with dirucotide and SPMS because dirucotide failed to meet its primary endpoint in a Ph 3 study. Bummer.
     
  
  

  • 11th Case of PML Reported With Tysabri

    The 11the patient on Tysabri has developed a potentially deadly brain infection. This is what happened when three people who were on Tysabri and other medications for [...]

    • Caroline says: Biogen reports the 11th case of PML...only a few thus far have been fatal but I think we all know the implications of a PML diagnosis.
       
    
    

    • Ribavirin as Potential Treatment for MS?

      Thursday July 23, 2009, 11:16 am EDT BELGRADE, SERBIA, July 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. (HTDS:PK) http://www.htdsmedical.com reports that researchers in its Slavica BioChem [...]

      • Caroline says: Ribavirin is currently used as an anitviral to treat things like Hep C -- side effects are severe hemolytic anemia.
         
      
      

      • Merck Sumbits Cladribine Application for EU Approval

        July 23, 2009 — 9:05am ET | By John Carroll Racing to beat Novartis to the world’s biggest drug markets with a new oral therapy for multiple sclerosis, [...]

        • Caroline says: Merck has submitted their Cladribine application in the EU today. They will submit their US application later this quarter. They filed just ahead of Novartis (FTY-720). The orals are not too far away from market approval!
           
        
        

        • Predicting Relapses Means Preventing Them

          The ability to predict the spatial frequency of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) would enable physicians to decide when to intervene more aggressively and to plan clinical [...]

          • Caroline says: I had to read this article more than once to figure out what it was saying...it's not written for laypeople. So basically, the authors are saying that gene expression can be used to predict future MS disease activity in autoimmune diseases that are relapsing-remitting in nature.
             
          
          

          • NIH Deepens Investment In Avonex and Copaxone Combination Study

            Article Date: 22 Jul 2009 – 4:00 PDT The first large-scale “CombiRX” clinical trial testing the combined use of FDA-approved interferon beta-1a (Avonex®) and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone®) [...]

            • Caroline says: This is the largest MS trial ever supported by NIH. Cumulative investment is $44 million. Nice work, NIH. In the trial, combination therapy (Avonex and Copaxone) is being compared to the use of either agent alone for 36 months. All participants are receiving at least one active medication and there is not a placebo-only treatment arm.
               
            
            

            • Exercise Your Brain: Online Game Launched for PWMS

              Article Date: 16 Jul 2009 – 3:00 PDT The MS Technology Collaborative has created a new way for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to exercise their [...]

              • Caroline says: I've been waiting for these people to launch their brain games for some time and I think the result is great. Personally, cognitive issues are what haunt me most about MS -- I feel like my physical symptoms are in check most of the time but when it comes to cognition I feel very powerless. I sampled a few of these games and they are similar to cognitive testing exercises for MS, which I hate. However, I think it's important for everyone to keep their brain active, regardless of if they have neurological deficits or not.
                 
              
              

              • Smoking Probably Accelerates MS

                ScienceDaily (July 14, 2009) — Patients with multiple sclerosis who smoke appear to experience a more rapid progression of their disease, according to a new report. Cigarette [...]

                • Caroline says: This is my third post on smoking and MS. Bottom line: if you have MS and you smoke, quit.
                   
                
                

                • As Lilly, Pfizer Lobby Against Obama Healthcare Plan, Their Execs Enjoy Gold-Plated Coverage

                  By Jim Edwards July 10th, 2009 Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and PhRMA all oppose a pubic heathcare plan, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Instead, they’d like [...]

                  • Caroline says: Another gem from bNET Pharma: Just as I am writing in my last post that I don't hate Big Pharma...well, reading things like this makes that very hard.
                     
                  
                  

                  • Tired of Patients vs. Profits? Quit Throwing Fuel on the Fire

                    By Trista Morrison | July 9th, 2009 Is anyone else tired of hearing that drug companies care more about profits than patients? Me, too. But even more [...]

                    • Caroline says: This article left me nauseated. Really. Partially because I'm particularly looking forward to b-cell targeting rituximab to be approved for MS, partially because I'm just sick to death of Big Pharma and their constant prioritization of bottom line profits over patients. This is not to say that I am anti-pharma. Of course I'm not, I have been in their chronic disease cash cow pockets for nearly 15 years, and I will continue to do so for many more. Sometimes I just think they suck.
                       
                    
                    
                    « Previous Entries