This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Interesting that this talks about a completed phase II trial of an oral treatment. I hope if they do another trial it will be phase III.



Ingested (oral) IFN-alpha represses TNF-alpha mRNA in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

J Interferon Cytokine Res. 2006 Mar;26(3):150-5.
Brod SA, Nguyen M, Hood Z, Shipley GL.
Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Houston, Health Science Center (UTHHSC), Houston, TX 77030, USA. staley.a.brod@uth.tmc.edu

In a phase II trial in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), patients ingesting 10,000 IU, but not 30,000 IU, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) showed fewer gadolinium enhancements at months 5 and 6, along with decreased proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) protein secretion.

Therefore, we examined MxA mRNA induction and TNF-alpha mRNA repression after 100, 300, 1,000, 3,000, and 10,000 IU doses of ingested IFN-alpha in 24 RRMS patients to determine the optimal dose for future clinical trials in MS.

Maximal TNF-alpha repression occurs at 100, 1,000, and 3,000 IU. These data provide new optimal doses for additional clinical studies using ingested IFN-alpha in MS.

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Dignan,

Was this one on your list? I'm not sure what it is - an add-on to an exisitng therapy or a mono-therapy? Not many details provided in the paper.

Ian

Good point Bromley, it isn't on the list. Well, it is now. Alferon, which was/is on the list is also interferon alpha and I was thinking that it was the same thing, but the full name of alferon is "alferon N injection", so obviously not oral.