A multiple sclerosis drug has been shown to reduce relapse rates by nearly 50 percent and lower the risk of worsening of disabilities by over 40 percent in a late-stage trial.
Genzyme’s experimental drug, alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), has been tested against a type of interferon called Rebif, which is put out by EMD Serono and Pfizer. Genzyme will file for FDA approval of Lemtrada in 2012.
Researchers analyzed data from a group of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who hadn’t benefited from other therapies. One group was given alemtuzumab for five consecutive days, then went a year without it, and then took the drug again for three days. Another group of patients took interferon via injection three times per week for two years.
Scientists agree that alemtuzumab looks promising because of how long the drug’s effects seem to last. According to Michael Panzara of Genzyme, the effects of the drug are impressive and promising because of how few times they need to be administered to see enduring results.
“Even though our drug is active for a short period of time, the change it creates in the immune environment persists,” said Panzara, as quoted by Xconomy.
Alemtuzumab, an antibody, targets CD52, a protein on cell surfaces. It depletes certain cells which are thought to cause cell damage in people with multiple sclerosis.
