Avonex Pre-Filled Syringes and My Wretched Side Effects

Sometimes interferons, including AVONEX, make people feel sad. If you are taking AVONEX, and feel unusually sad, you should tell a family member or friend right away [...]

• Caroline says: For the second week in a row, I have been up all night with crazy side effects from my Avonex injection. I have had flu and the shakes and sweats that have kept me up all night. This is very peculiar to me because I have been on Avonex since 1998 with little or no side effects. I don't get it. Does anyone else have this problem? Even when Avonex switched to the pre-filled syringes that wreaked absolute side effect havoc for many patients, I didn't really have a problem. But now, it's just making me so ill.
   

• Elan and Biogen are in a Fight

  Elan starts legal action in drug row with Biogen By Andrew Jack Published: August 6 2009 22:34 | Last updated: August 6 2009 22:34 Elan has launched [...]

  • Caroline says: It's all about the Benjamins in this breach-of-contract nonsense between Elan and Biogen over Tysabri...sheesh.
     
  
  

  • 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.
       
    
    

    • 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.
         
      
      

      • Biogen Receives FDA Fast Track Status for PEGylated Interferon Beta-1a

        July 8, 2009 Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted PEGylated interferon beta-1a (BIIB017) Fast Track designation for relapsing [...]

        • Caroline says: I posted an article about this last week-- it's basically a new formulation of Avonex (less frequent injections) and it has been fast-tracked for FDA approval as of this morning.
           
        
        

        • First 10-Year Follow-Up Shows That AVONEX® Leads To Long-Term Benefits In Early MS Pts

          July 4, 2009 Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced data results from the CHAMPIONS (Controlled High-Risk AVONEX® (interferon beta-1a) Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Prevention Study In Ongoing Neurologic Surveillance) [...]

          • Caroline says: Avonex, Betaseron, and Copaxone have all been approved to treat a first episode of possible MS (Rebif is currently recruiting for their Ph III trial and not far behind in FDA approval). These findings are very significant for those with a first episode because they determine that there was a 40% reduction in conversion to clinically definite MS in pts treated immediately after a first episode. I think that all 10-year follow up studies involving interferons being administered after a first episode will yield similar results. This is very good news for those with a first episode or "possible MS".
             
          
          

          • Hot off the AAN Press: Tysabri Promotes Remyelination

            July 4, 2009 Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation (NYSE: ELN) announced results of a study demonstrating that Tysabri® (natalizumab) promoted regeneration and stabilization of damage [...]

            • Caroline says: I don't understand why this is just coming out now when the rest of the AAN stuff came out months ago. Several new cases of PML have been diagnosed in the last couple of weeks and Biogen has had some bad press so this timing is interesting...I'm just saying.
               
            
            

            • Biogen Reports 13th Case of PML

              By KEITH J. WINSTEIN Biogen Idec Inc.’s disclosure of a debilitating brain infection in a patient taking its Tysabri multiple-sclerosis medicine sparked a selloff in shares of [...]

              • Caroline says: We seemed to have skipped cases 11 and 12 because I haven't seen reports on these anywhere...Biogen STILL says a "drug holiday" is unjustified after 2 years of Tysabri and 13 cases of PML?? GIVE ME A BREAK! Give me a break! I also am appalled that I read about these cases first and only from financial journals reporting about how much their stockholders have lost because of each new PML case...WTF? This information is NOT on Biogen's website, nor is it even on their Tysabri webpage.
                 
              
              

              • 10th PML Case Confirmed by Biogen

                Biogen Idec Inc. has reported a new case of a potentially lethal brain inflammation in a patient using its drug Tysabri, the tenth such case since the [...]

                • Caroline says: This is the 3rd case in the last couple of weeks, all are in people who have received around 30 infusions (Biogen says PML shows up on average after 24 months)...I think there is going to be a Tysabri-holiday mandated after 24 months because this seems like an awful lot of PML.
                   
                
                

                • Tysabri Side Effects Linked to 9th PML Infection Case

                  A new case of a rare, often lethal, brain infection has been linked to the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, making it the ninth case of progressive multifocal [...]

                  • Caroline says: Yikes...This is the second Tysabri-induced PML infection I've read about in a week. This article is quick to point out that this particular patient lives outside of the US (so perhaps there are less stringent monitoring requirements when it is prescribed?) and developed PML after his 34th infusion.
                     
                  
                  
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