MS Research Going on Around the World

Here are 3 great examples of MS research going on around the world. First, research in Italy on a new drug FTY720 which showed a 50% reduction in relapses and attacks those taking the drug over those taking a placebo with 67% of the participants remaining free of relapses after three years. Second, a Dutch study has found that the drug Prozac may slow the progression of MS and third, in England a new compound BGC20-0134 which encourage the immune system to rebalance itself. More details below…

Oral drug, FTY720, reduces disease activity in Multiple Sclerosis

A drug that can be taken orally reduces the number of attacks people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.“All of the current treatments for MS must be injected, so having a pill you can swallow with a glass of water would be a welcome improvement for many people,” said study author Giancarlo Comi, MD, of San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy.The results reported are from an extension of a six-month study with 281 people with relapsing MS, two-thirds of whom took the drug FTY720 (fingolimod) and one-third of whom took a placebo.

After six months, those taking FTY720 had more than 50 percent fewer relapses, or attacks, than those who took the placebo. At that point, all of the participants could enter an ongoing extension of the study where all would receive the drug. A total of 173 people have finished three-years of the study. Continuous use of the drug led to sustained low relapses, with more than 67 percent of the participants remaining free of relapses after three years. In addition, the inflammatory activity associated with MS, as assessed by MRI scans, remained low, with 89 percent of patients free of disease activity and 75 percent of patients free of new or newly enlarged lesions.FTY720 is an immune-modulating drug that binds to a receptor site on immune cells, sequestering them in the lymph nodes. As a result, FTY720 reduces their ability to cause damage associated with the symptoms experienced by people with MS.

Prozac May Slow Progression of Multiple Sclerosis

A new Dutch study has found that people who took the popular antidepressant Prozac had fewer brain lesions characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting that the drug may slow the incurable disease.
Although the study was small, scientists said the results justify further research in those suffering with MS."This proof-of-concept study shows that (the drug) tends to reduce the formation of new enhancing lesions in patients with MS," Jop Mostert, a neurologist at the University Medical Center Groeningen, and colleagues wrote in a report about the study. In the Dutch study, the researchers randomly designated 40 participants with MS to 24 weeks of treatment with either 20 mg daily of Prozac or a placebo.

In total, thirty-eight people completed the study. Detailed brain scans were conducted every four weeks to check for new areas of neurological inflammation, an indicative sign of MS. At eight weeks, the scans revealed that those taking the placebo had a greater number of new areas of inflammation. However, during the final 16 weeks of treatment almost two-thirds the antidepressant group had no new areas of inflammation compared to about a quarter of those in the other group, according to the researchers.

Potential Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis Begins Clinical Trials

A potential treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), developed by University of Greenwich (England) in association with Kings College, London, has begun clinical trials. The life sciences company BTG plc, which has licensed the research, is running the trials on a new compound, known as BGC20-0134.
Dr Laurence Harbige and Dr Mike Leach, from the Drug Discovery Research Group in the University of Greenwich School of Science, developed the new treatment following many years of research. Dr Laurence Harbige explains: "Although the cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown, there is strong evidence that it involves the regulation of the immune system through molecules in our bodies called cytokines.

In MS, the balance of these cytokines is altered, leading to inflammation in the brain which can result in serious disability."Dr Mike Leach adds: "This new treatment should encourage the immune system to rebalance itself, by inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines while promoting the production of helpful anti-inflammatory ones."Louise Makin, BTG's Chief Executive Officer, comments: "The effective treatment of multiple sclerosis remains a significant unmet need. We are pleased to have started clinical development of BGC20-0134, which has the potential to address different forms of the disease and has the advantage of being an oral product."