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.
   

• Marijuana May Slow MS

  In lieu of curing a debilitating disease, the next best thing scientists can do is slow its progression and create better treatments. Armed with a $1.5 million [...]

  • Caroline says: Become a pot head, slow your MS disability...sounds good to me! The idea here is that synthesized cannabinoids might be able to act as "traffic cops", telling the immune system when to turn on and off, so that the body knows when to fight infection and when to stand down (because in the immune systems of MS patients, this isn't always the case). The authors of the study were awarded a 4-year NIH grant to study this. Hot damn.