This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Anybody have a theory re: when the drug will get out of trials, roughly?

Thanks to all.

MargotH,

The Phase III trials are planned to start this summer (there will be two Phase III trials - one for those who have not had any treatment and one for those who have not seen good results whilst on the CRAB drugs). Dr Coles who is overseeing the trials considers that, if the Phase III trial results are good, that the earliest Campath will be available is 2011. If you wished to get this treatment earlier, might be worth finding out whether you can get on the Phase III trial.


Ian

I have herd of people getting the treatment outside of a formal trial...

COB is right - some other neuros in the UK were using Campath outside of the trial. Now that the FDA have allowed the dosing to continue, it might be possible to receive treatment without joining a trial. Campath is widely available as it is used for some forms of cancer. It will be important for neuros outside the trial to undertand the risks and how these can be managed.

Ian

One question that has been in my mind lately that I have failed to do my own research on is:

Campath has a known profile to induce other treatable Auto-Immune diseases. Are these conditions, when induced by Campath, transient? or will the few that develop the conditions, have to be treated for them for the rest of their lives?

COB,

A combination.

Some patients got Graves Disease (thyroid condition) - some got better on their own, others have to take one tablet a day (apparently not a problem).

ITP resulted in the death of one person on the trial. This is treatable with steroids. The other five (of 200+ patients on the trial) who got ITP were treated and are fine. The monitoring requires a blood test once a month as ITP can be picked up is fairly straightforward to treat.

Ian

thats handy to know.