This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Welcome to the world's leading forum on Multiple Sclerosis research, support, and knowledge. For over 10 years, This is MS has provided an unbiased community dedicated to Multiple Sclerosis patients, caregivers, and affected loved ones.
It is currently Sun May 19, 2013 12:21 am


All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 48 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:34 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 2684
Location: Sydney, Australia
I was wondering if anyone has changed between the statins and noticed a difference in their effectiveness?


The ones I know of are:
atorvastatin (Lipitor)
fluvastatin (Lescol)
lovastatin (Mevacor)
pravastatin (Pravachol)
simvastatin (Zocor)
rosuvastatin (Crestor)

I just read an article at http://healthfully.org/mednews/id2.html which basically states that lipitor is better than pravachol for anti-inflamitory effects.

Quote:
He thinks that inflammation in the walls of the coronary arteries is behind many heart events and that Lipitor has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than Pravachol does. For evidence, he notes that in the PROVE-IT patients Lipitor was much more effective than Pravachol at lowering the level of C-reactive protein, which seems to be an indicator of inflammation. "This is not just about cholesterol lowering," he insists.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:56 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:00 pm
Posts: 553
Location: Ottawa, Ont. Canada
I also think that Lipitor is a more potent anti-inflammatory drug but many studies on this topic for MS actually use Zocor. I am bit surprise but I will stick to Lipitor. I think that Pfizer already made enough money with Lipitor,it did not need to investigate for the treatment of MS.... $ talks. :) Carole


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 12:34 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 2684
Location: Sydney, Australia
carolew wrote:
... but many studies on this topic for MS actually use Zocor ....

Its unusual you say that, I always seem to stumble accros lipitor as the statin used in MS test.

I am on Zucor (simvastatin) after reading an original study on this site (http://www.thisisms.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=106), but the article in the link above makes me think i should look into it a little further.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:54 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 1610
Hopefully this will make you feel better, but Lipitor is actually in 3 MS studies right now. Let's hope for some good news on one of these soon.


http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/N ... 72?order=1


http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/N ... 76?order=2


http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/N ... 74?order=3


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:47 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:00 pm
Posts: 421
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Just curious as to why there might be so many MS trials on statins which are readily available prescription and over-the-counter drugs......yet it is often said that there are no trials on other similar categorized drugs eg. LDN, abx etc as trials are expensive for no significant return to drug companies??


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:10 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 1610
The statins under trial are still under patent protection, so as usual, it's all about $$$. Zocor is coming off patent very soon, I think maybe this year or next, but Lipitor I think has at least a few more years of patent protection. Ching$ Ching$ Ching$


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:39 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 153
I'd like to respectfully disagree with dignan, but hope that someone will contradict me.

I’ve been concerned about the difference in interest/research in Statins vs ABX. I’ve heard before that its all about money. I don’t think that’s possible. I think there is a genuine momentum building around Statins because of their efficacy...and a drifting off of ABX research because of its lack of measurable outcomes.

My understanding is that in the US once a drug has received FDA approval, that agency provides strict guidelines for language of drug's labelling/product info/marketing. That language will specify illness/condition for which drug has been shown to be safe/effective.

The company manufacturing the drug cannot promote for other purpose without FDA approval. And pursuing any FDA review/approval is extremely expensive.

I'm guessing it simply isn’t cost effective for Pfizer or other vested interests to pursue trials of/approval of statins as an on-label treatment for MS. Even if every one of the 400K MS'ers in US immediately decided to take statins, that would be a tiny spike in sales. There are already more than 25million users in country, growing rapidly. And so, I’m guessing the growing research is indeed being driven by results, rather than simply profit.....although, okay, all you have to do is confirm that Pfizer or other is underwriting the statin trials and I’ll delete this post.

Also, can anyone tell me, are the results on statins only showing lesion reduction, or more meaningful measurement, like atrophy or EDSS scale? Also, can anyone point to whether statins are assumed to have effect through their anti inflammatory characteristic or through cholesterol lowering characteristic (because if its the latter, I’m on this god forsaken diet that should be as good as a Statin)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:57 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 1610
Good points. It looks like the trials are being done by national institutes and by the makers of the experimental MS drugs with which they are being tried in combination. Can't put too much on the trials to date as they were preliminary and small-scale. I hope we will see results of some of the larger trials soon though.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:00 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 2684
Location: Sydney, Australia
dignan wrote:
The statins under trial are still under patent protection, so as usual, it's all about $$$. Zocor is coming off patent very soon, I think maybe this year or next...


hmmmm... I thought if it was still under patent, you wouldnt get different brand names for it. But I have had at least 3 different "brands" of simvastatin (possibly 4 to 5). I guess they could license it, but I thouht they would just keep the brand singular. But i guess when there are other statins to chose from, it already eats into your market.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:33 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 2684
Location: Sydney, Australia
dignan wrote:
Hopefully this will make you feel better, but Lipitor is actually in 3 MS studies right now

Feel better? I'm on Simvastatin!!!! this is what i was talking about.

Thanks! That settles it, i am speaking to my doc about switching. Hopefully I wont sound too pushy/ungrateful. I have about 90 days left on my current script of zucor.

One of the reasons I didnt go for lipitor originally is that my father was on it for cholesterol, and his liver wasnt to happy. I thought maybe that genetics might provide me the same fate.

Has anyone read anything about switching? I am guessing that I wont be able to go from my 80mg simvastatin to the highest dose of lipitor overnight; ie i will need to titrate up on the lipitor. Any hard facts on this?

This does make me think. has there been anything on combination (low doses of each) of two statins and inflamatory effects?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:33 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 1610
Regarding simvastatin, I believe it loses patent protection in the US this year, in June. But I don't know if the same date applies around the world.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:20 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:00 pm
Posts: 421
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Dignan,

Those Lipitor MS studies sound good. Do we know what dosage of Lipitor is being trialled and what is BHT-3009 in the third study?

Regards,
Phil.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: I've just started
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:28 pm 
Offline
Family Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:00 pm
Posts: 81
20 Mg Lipitor last week and got a result straight away. My right knee and right foot immediately felt much stronger and almost pain free. Still got drop foot on my left to a certain extent. Should I up the dose? I'd also like to know what to keep an eye out for Liver-wise. If anyone can help I'd be grateful.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:54 am 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 1610
BHT-3009 is from Bay Hill Therapeutics and is injected intramuscularly every other week I think. Here's a little blurb from their website about it: Plasmid encoding the MS-specific autoantigen myelin basic protein. Phase I/II clinical studies are underway in MS patients.

I can't see any reference to the lipitor dose being used in the study.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I've just started
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 4:22 pm 
Offline
Family Elder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:00 pm
Posts: 2684
Location: Sydney, Australia
BalsaBoy wrote:
I'd also like to know what to keep an eye out for Liver-wise.

I dont think there is anything you can look out for yourself untill its gotten tooooooo far. Your doctor can do a blood test to check on your liver.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 48 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Related topics
 Topics   Author   Replies   Views   Last post 
There are no new unread posts for this topic. statins

[ Go to pageGo to page: 1, 2 ]

carolew

16

7762

Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:14 am

LifeontheIce View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Statins

Artifishual

10

3593

Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:22 pm

cheerleader View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Paper on statins

bromley

0

2395

Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:08 am

bromley View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. More on benefits of statins

bromley

2

2794

Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:49 pm

CureOrBust View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Time of day to take statins

CureOrBust

0

2577

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:22 am

CureOrBust View the latest post

 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: