Robin's Multiple Sclerosis Info (and other fun stuff)

A compilation of MS articles mixed in with a few fun things found along the way.

Sunday, December 31, 2006

MBP8298 HOLDS PROMISE FOR PROGRESSIVE MS

MBP8298 HOLDS PROMISE FOR PROGRESSIVE MS

Following the sixth meeting of the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board,(which provides objective, independent safety monitoring of clinical trials)BioMS has received a recommendation to continue its pivotal phase II/IIIclinical trial for MBP8298 for the treatment of secondary progressive MS. This was the sixth of several regularly scheduled reviews by the Data SafetyMonitoring Board. The pivotal phase II/III study is now ongoing at trial sitesacross Canada and Europe. Results of the Phase II and long-term follow-up treatment of progressive MSpatients with MBP8298, which were published in the European Journal ofNeurology, show that MBP8298 safely delayed disease progression for five yearsin progressive MS patients with HLA-DR2 or HLA-DR4 immune response genes. Treatment and follow-up in patients in this DR2 and DR4 responder group - whocomprise up to 75% of MS patients - had a median time to disease progression of78 months as compared to 18 months for patients who received placebo."Our data suggest that we can safely delay progression of MS in an identifiedresponder group of patients for extended periods of time," said Ingrid Catz,co-inventor of the drug and co-author of the Phase II study. "Recognizing thehigh variability of the disease in MS patients, the clinical and mechanisticevidence gathered to date supports the rationale of targeting patients with theHLA-DR2 or HLA-DR4 immune response gene. The identification of this respondergroup will improve efficiency toward the achievement of objectives in futureclinical trials with MBP8298, while the potential for clinical responses inpatients with other HLA haplotypes is further explored."MBP8298 is a synthetic Myelin Basic Protein peptide (MBP) comprised of 17 aminoacids. Administered as an intravenous injection, five minutes or less induration, every six months, the drug is expected to induce immunologicaltolerance specific to the injected antigen."MBP8298 appears to have a mechanism of action somewhat like glatiramer acetate(Copaxone)," explains MSF Medical Advisor Ben Thrower, M.D. "Copaxone wasdesigned to look like myelin basic protein and works by shifting the immunesystem to a less inflammatory state. MBP8298 appears to work in a similarfashion."While these results are positive, they must be confirmed in the ongoing PhaseIII trial. To learn more, visit http://www.biomsmedical.com.

Multiple Sclerosis Is the Most Common Cause of Neurological Disability in Young Adults in the UK

Copyright:
Business Wire
Source:
Business Wire
Wordcount:
556DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2006--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c47292) has announced the addition of Espicom Business Intelligence's CNS Drug Discoveries: Multiple Sclerosis Chapter to their offering. The incidence of multiple sclerosis varies throughout the world, although there is a significantly higher incidence of the disease found in the Northern Hemisphere. Find out more in this chapter of CNS Drug Discoveries. It is estimated that over 350,000 Americans (approximately 1 in 1,000 aged over 30 years) live with multiple sclerosis (MS) and approximately 3 million live with it worldwide. However, the prevalence may be higher because of the uncertainty in diagnosing the condition. Women are twice as susceptible as men and it is more common in people in northern latitudes over the age of 18 years. In addition, siblings of an individual with multiple sclerosis have a higher chance of developing the disease. The incidence of multiple sclerosis varies throughout the world, although there is a significantly higher incidence of the disease found in the northern hemisphere. Multiple sclerosis is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults in the UK. It is variable in presentation and progression. Although there is no cure, there are many symptomatic treatments available. However, many patients do not respond to currently available products (30%) and the more chronic forms (secondary-progressive MS) are poorly treated with existing therapies. Global multiple sclerosis market The MS market is estimated to be worth US$4.9 billion in 2006 with a growth rate of 8.9% year-on-year. It is the fifth largest segment of the CNS market and has attracted considerable R&D investment from big pharma, biotechnology companies and specialty pharma. The market is currently driven by the use of six disease-modifying agents: Avonex (Biogen Idec), Betaseron/Betaferon (Schering AG), Copaxone (Teva), Novatrone (Schering AG), Rebif (Serono/Pfizer) and Tysabri (Biogen Idec/Elan).

Sales growth will be driven by current drugs gaining broader indications, MS medicine being prescribed earlier in treatment in clinically-defined multiple sclerosis patients and the longer-term use of combination therapies as more classes of drug become available. Key questions answered in this chapter include: -What are the 5 leading products in the US, Europe and Japan? -What will the shape of the market be in 2012? -How will Biogen Idec defend its market leading position from Serono, Schering AG and Teva? -What role will combination therapies play? -What opportunities are there in the treatment of primary-progressive multiple sclerosis? -What are the prospects for drugs in development such as Campath, Mylinax, and laquinimod?

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

VITAMIN D AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

VITAMIN D AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSISTuesday Dec 19, 2006
CHICAGO (AP) -- It's some of the best evidence yet that vitamin-D can help prevent multiple sclerosis. Researchers who studied seven million people have found that an abundance of vitamin-D seems to help prevent the nerve-damaging disease.
They found that white members of the U.S. military with the highest blood levels of vitamin-D were 62% less likely to develop MS than people with low levels. No such connection was found in blacks or Hispanics - possibly because there were so few in the group studied. Also, the body makes vitamin-D from sunlight, and the skin of blacks and other dark-skinned ethnic groups doesn't absorb sunlight as easily as pale skin.
The research, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, echoes smaller studies that looked at why MS has historically been more common in people who live farther from the Equator, in areas where there is less-intense year-round sunlight.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-12-19-06 1710EST

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Holidays Come Early for Maryland Woman with Multiple Sclerosis - Franchisewire.com

Friday, December 15, 2006

Chocolate bars laced with cannabis were for MS sufferers, court told | News | This is London

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

MS drug unlikely to gain OK for Crohn's (TYSABRI)

Sunday, December 10, 2006

FLYERS TO HONOR CHERRY HILL BOY WITH MS

FLYERS TO HONOR CHERRY HILL BOY WITH MS

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

An Unlikely Gift

Monday, December 04, 2006

Entertainer overcomes disease to inspire others (Laura Dodd)