HOT off the ECTRIMS Press: Genzyme’s Campath (alemtuzumab) Treatment Helps MS Patients at 5 Years

Genzyme Corp.’s Campath cut the risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis patients by 69 percent compared with Merck KGaA’s Rebif after five years, according to a study. [...]

• Caroline says: Alemtuzumab probably won't be a blockbuster drug, according to this article. Safety is an issue, but once-yearly dosing via infusion sounds good. Better than a pill every day?
   

• Related Links:
• http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-14/genzyme-s-campath-helps-multiple-sclero…

• Update on alemtuzumab (Campath) in RRMS

  Alemtuzumab (Campath) is an experimental new drug treatment for people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Other names: Campath In development for: Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) [...]

  • Caroline says: As MS News Today reported in June 2010, alemtuzumab (Campath) received fast track status from the FDA for an RRMS indication. Alemtuzumab is currently approved for certain types of leukemia. I am posting two links relevant to this topic: the first gives more general business/stock/market information. The second link gives side effects/dosing/clinical study information. Happy reading!
     
  • Related Links:
  • http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world-news/multiple-sclerosis-drugwild-cardgenz…
  • http://www.mstrust.org.uk/research/drugsindevelopment/alemtuzumab.jsp…
  
  

  • Hot off the ECTRIMS Press…Alemtuzumab Shows Lasting Benefits in RRMS

    (RTTNews) -  Friday, biotechnology company Genzyme Corp. said that four-year follow-up data from its completed Phase 2 multiple sclerosis trial continued to show durable reductions in relapse rate [...]

    • Caroline says: The possibility of alemtuzumab (Campath) being FDA approved for MS should excite some of you b-cell MS'ers. Genzyme says that four-year follow-up data from its completed Phase 2 MStrial show durable reductions in relapse rate and sustained accumulation of disability three years after the majority of patients received their last course of the investigational compound alemtuzumab.
       
    
    

    • Riddler: Who Will Benefit Most From A New MS Therapy?

      In a recent phase II clinical trial, the drug alemtuzumab (Campath-1H) was found to be a highly effective treatment for individuals with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. However, [...]

      • Caroline says: Campath (alemtuzumab) has been in the MS drug pipeline for a long time, but it's a serious drug with serious side effects for your immune system. According to a recent phase II clinical trial, alemtuzumab was found to be a highly effective treatment for people with early RRMS. Unfortunately, 30% of those in the study who received alemtuzumab went on to develop another autoimmune disease (mostly of the thyroid nature). This 30% were subsequently determined to have higher levels of soluble factor IL-21 (IL-21 is essential for fighting infections) in their blood prior to alemtuzumab treatment (these levels are also genetically predetermined). The authors conclude that levels of IL-21 can be measured in the blood of MS patients prior to treatment, and thus might help to weed some of these people out so the autoimmunity side effect won't be an issue. Bottom line: alemtuzumab for RRMS is still in the Pipeline.