This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Within autoimmune disease research, some of the greatest progress is being made in the study of multiple sclerosis, which is two to three times more prevalent among women than men, said Anita Burrell, head of the Distinct Product Unit Multiple Sclerosis at sanofi-aventis. Currently, 38 medicines are in development for multiple sclerosis. Although biopharmaceutical research involves great financial risk and the failure rate is high, Ms. Burrell predicted a number of new treatments with much better outcomes will be on pharmacy shelves within this decade.

“We are on the edge of a whole new wave of therapies,” she said. ““We should see remission in our lifetimes, and with the current speed of innovation, long-standing remission within our children’s lifetimes.”