This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi all,
is any one on Cladrabine, i am thinking swap from copaxone to C but need more information.please help

take care
becia

cladribine is a cancer (leukemia) drug, which is sold under brand name "litak" to the leukemia market, and under brand name "movectro" to the MS market.

It's only approved for use in Australia and Russia. It was rejected in Europe and the USA due to it's safety profile (patients on Cladribine developed cancer during the trial, whilst those not on cladribine did not develop cancer).

My neuro has also recommended I take one of the new oral MS drugs...though I have not been relapsing and my health has not been in decline.

It really depends upon your level of decline as to whether you'd even consider cladribine. There are certainly safer treatments available (such as CCSVI treatment).

Becia,

You asked about Cladribine [please note CCSVI is not safe (couple of deaths) and has not gone through proper trials]. So sticking to your query about Cladribine, below is some information on all five MS oral drugs. Information from a Professor of Neurology - see MS Research Blog website.

Hope the info helps.

Ian



I keep getting asked what is the most efficacious oral DMT? The following table is a summary of the headline results of the phase 3 studies for the 5 oral DMTs:


Reduction in Annual Relapse Rate first. Reduction in Disability Progression second.



1. BG12 53% 38%
2. Cladribine 58% 33%
3. Fingolimod 54% 30%
4. Laquinimod 23% 36%
5. Teriflunomide 32% 30%

Please remember that all agents are associated with particular side-effects and other attributes; hence the decision on which one is more appropriate for a particular person will require some careful thought. Individualised Medicine!

..

That is handy info Bromley, thanks. I hadn't twigged that BG12 was that good compared with gilenya.

any figures for minocycline? That's an oral drug which can be used to treat MS

thanks to all of you for the information.

hwebb,
i have done liberation treatment last year in Poland, got stent in left jugular and no improvements at all.


i got 2 options tysabri or cladrabine. i tryed all what is on the market. is so difficult decision because of PML side effect. Cladrabine is new and no many people on it. i need opinion from people on cladrabine.
thank you so much for your replays.

cheers
Becia

Would love to see percentages of the non-orals too. Have always thought we need a sabermeteric analysis of treatments. For you non North Americans - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabermetrics

You forgot to mention another surgical procedure for MS, stem cell transplantation. It currently has a 1/20 mortality rate.

that's interesting about the stem cell treatment. The neuro's here in Australia are plugging it (but only for patients fitting certain criteria). I thought the neuro's claimed it had a 1 in 100 mortality rate.

Believe it depends on the procedure and how much they wipe out your immune system.

..

Bob,

Some people think that I make these numbers up and post them for excitement. That 1/20 number came from an article on SCT I read very recently on the net. Now being that my memory isn't what it used to be, I have to try and go back and find what forum I read about it. I was quite surprised about the very high rate but like I said, I don't make these up.

Harry

Here's a long range study with 5% overall mortality at 100 days, but the percentage grows with time. Honestly, from what I could find, the percentages on mortality are around 2-3% for MS at 100 days...higher for other conditions. Cardiotoxicity isn't great, either, and leads to mortality further down the road. Harry's larger point is well taken.

http://neurologiayneurocirugia.com/atta ... logica.pdf


Fact check: Angioplasty has not killed anyone treated for CCSVI. The two tragic deaths reported were due to after procedural blood thinning... one a stroke tied to coumadin (which is a risk with that drug) and one a clot developed due to a lack of blood thinning and death due to aggressive thinning. The regimen is much better now than when we started...the US doctors are using Artrixa and Pradaxa post procedure and having better results. Also, angioplasty is not well-suited to medical tourism and travel. Best to stay close to home and be part of a trial.

Life is all about mitigating risk. With MS, patients need to decide risk vs. benefit ratio. Not very easy these days....

Becia---I'm very sorry you haven't found relief yet--all best to you and I hope you get more info on Cladrabine.
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

By the way, it's worth noting that it's not the stem cells per se that cause toxicity. The chemo that's used along side the transplantation is the most dangerous part. Thus, a stem cell transplant without chemo has a significantly better safety profile -- though admittedly I don't have any studies on hand.

Cleveland Clinic is doing a study on Mesenchymal transplant sans that messy chemo stuff: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00813969