--- In FriendsWithMS@yahoogroups.com, "Veronica Davidson"
<mommyv3@c...> wrote:
Growing Number of Potential Oral Treatments for MS

They say "three makes a trend." And that's exactly what we have-and
then
some.

After two consecutive months of reporting on a different experimental
oral medication for MS-first cladribine, then simvastin (ZocorR)-we
now
learn there are two more oral treatments being studied. With this
sudden
explosion of research into oral alternatives to the ABCRs, it's become
clear that drug makers and academics alike are honing in on the same
goal.

Out with injections, in with pills.

At the beginning of the month, investigators at the University of
Illinois at Chicago announced that they were launching an 18-month
clinical trial to study pioglitazone, an oral type 2 diabetes
medication, in patients with RRMS. (1) Previous research has revealed
that pioglitazone, which helps diabetes patients use insulin more
efficiently, also appears to lower the level of molecules involved in
immune responses and inflammation.

"It's amazing that this drug, at least in animal tests, has shown a
dramatic effect on two different targets of multiple sclerosis, namely
the immune system and the inflammation response," says Douglas
Feinstein, MD, an associate professor at the University of Illinois at
Chicago College of Medicine. The trial, which will enroll 30 patients,
is designed to evaluate safety and tolerability as well as the drug's
effect on MRI-detected brain lesions and symptoms. Pioglitazone, like
simvastin, shares the advantage of being a readily-available
medication
already on the market.

On the developmental front, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the maker
of
CopaxoneR, and Active Biotech, announced on June 14, 2004, their
partnership to develop and market laquinimod, an oral immunomodulator
therapy for MS. (2) Based in Sweden, Active Biotech recently completed
an encouraging six-month Phase II clinical trial of the novel drug in
209 patients with RRMS.

In presenting the results at the American Academy of Neurology Annual
Meeting in April, the Swedish company reported that a 0.3 mg daily
dose
of laquinimod was safe and well-tolerated. In addition, they found
that
the therapy achieved a 30 percent reduction in disease activity as
detected by MRI. Patients with disease activity at the start of the
study manifested an even greater reduction of more than 40 percent.

In the partnership agreement, Teva, headquartered in Israel, receives
exclusive worldwide rights to the drug, while Active Biotech retains
the
Nordic and Baltic countries. To move the clinical development program
forward, Teva will soon conduct Phase III trials, hoping to confirm
the
efficacy results demonstrated in the Phase II studies in a larger
number
of patients.

With at least four oral medications currently under investigation for
MS, the possibility of an effective treatment that does not require
injections has never been stronger. Talk about a turnaround from the
disappointment of the failed oral CopaxoneR trials. Clearly, things
change quickly in the world of MS, so stay tuned as we continue our
coverage of this exciting trend.

1. University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Press
Release,
June 7, 2004.

2. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Press Release, June 14, 2004.




Veronica Davidson
Veronica's Lavish Lathers
http://www.veronicaslavishlathers.com/store/
Owner/ operator
http://www.friendswithms.com
Now with Voice Chat!!
Online support for people suffering with Multiple Sclerosis and their
loved ones.



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