First Oral Medications for MS Show Promise

It’s a well-known fact that multiple sclerosis that occurs due to the fact that the immune system attacks the fatty substance known as myelin that protects the nerves has no cure.

However, recent developments in three studies that were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that two new drugs that can be taken orally (rather than injectable medications) namely fingolimod and cladribine, work to alter the immune system response.

Interestingly, these pills have reduced the relapse rate of people with the relapse-remitting type of multiple sclerosis, although there are still concerns with the side effects of medication (such as increased infections and even cancer) that is used to suppress the immune system.

Two of these new studies focused on the effects of fingolimod where participants were randomly selected to take a daily dose of 0.5 mg, 1.25 mg or a placebo. The second study, which had about 1153 participants, received a daily dose of 0.5 mg or 1.25 mg of fingolimod or a weekly dose of 30 micrograms of interferon beta-1a (Avonex) for the duration of a year. The third study which studied the effects of cladribine, where the patients received a dose of either 3.5 mg or 5.25 mg per kilogram of body weight or a placebo.

Results for all three studies indicated that the annual relapse rates were less than 1%, while also finding slower disease activity and progression. These studies also indicated that patients were responding well to both the drugs, and this bodes well for the 400,000 Americans (and their loved ones) who have to deal with the reality of multiple sclerosis from day to day.