Ono’s Experimental MS Drug Cuts Brain Lesions, Study Shows - Businessweek
Patients who took the ONO-4641 tablet were found to have as many as 92 percent fewer brain lesions, compared with a group that took a placebo, according to the study released today.
Side effects from the once-a-day oral administration of the drug over a 26 week period appeared to be dose-related and included a slower heartbeat, blood pressure changes and liver enzyme elevation.
The findings from the preliminary study move the drug a step closer to expanding the range of treatments for the debilitating condition that affects more than 2 million people worldwide. If approved, patients will have another treatment taken orally, in addition to Novartis AG (NOVN)’s Gilenya, the world’s first pill for MS.
The treatment will compete with therapies including Teva’s Copaxone, which generated $3.9 billion for the company in 2011, and Biogen’s Avonex, which sold $2.7 billion.
The research is scheduled for presentation at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in New Orleans, April 21 to April 28.
Ono Pharmaceutical, based in Osaka, Japan, funded the research.
Bloomberg News
Ono’s Experimental MS Drug Cuts Brain Lesions, Study Shows
An
experimental drug to treat multiple sclerosis developed by Ono
Pharmaceutical Co. (4528) reduced the number of lesions in the brain, a
study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology showed.
Patients who took the ONO-4641 tablet were found to have as many as 92 percent fewer brain lesions, compared with a group that took a placebo, according to the study released today.
Side effects from the once-a-day oral administration of the drug over a 26 week period appeared to be dose-related and included a slower heartbeat, blood pressure changes and liver enzyme elevation.
The findings from the preliminary study move the drug a step closer to expanding the range of treatments for the debilitating condition that affects more than 2 million people worldwide. If approved, patients will have another treatment taken orally, in addition to Novartis AG (NOVN)’s Gilenya, the world’s first pill for MS.
The treatment will compete with therapies including Teva’s Copaxone, which generated $3.9 billion for the company in 2011, and Biogen’s Avonex, which sold $2.7 billion.
The research is scheduled for presentation at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in New Orleans, April 21 to April 28.
Ono Pharmaceutical, based in Osaka, Japan, funded the research.
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