This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

If it was any other drug company, I would believe the least side effects comment from Biogen. A neuro who tested Tysabri years ago told me that Biogen's data wasn't exactly trusted by the medical field and we all know what they told us about the safety of that drug before the recall.

Biogen has one of the slickest and effective marketing and sales departments going. Just watch how they promote BG12!!

Harry

Tysabri was never tested on SPMS patients. They have either started a trial on that recently or it's in the works now. Some non trial comments on SPMS patients stated it doesn't do anything for SPMS. There was one small study done at the St. Michael's MS Clinic in Toronto for patients experiencing an exacerbation. It showed no effect on those patients as well.

Tysabri's market share of world wide MS patients has never come close to early expectations. Biogen is hopeful they can show it helps SPMS. That will mean a lot of extra revenue for them if it does.

Harry

Do you have a place to do your stem cell? If you have a plan I would not be afraid to stop. Usually this rebound effect will be worse if Tysabri worked well for you, search out your posting boards and user boards.. this is my understanding. Also it happens in about 4-months range.If it was done in 3 months I don't think it would be a problem.
Also stem cell is pretty good so I don't think you could go wrong with it.. even in a rebound situation.

The raw material has to be cheap, especially if leather furniture manfacturers in China use the stuff as a fungicide.



To get some idea of what the side effect profile of dimethylfumarate might be, you can look at the side effects experienced by people who have used it for treating psoriasis.
bg-12-dimethyl-fumarate-f52/topic20845.html

NHE

Unfortunately, the cost of approved MS medications isn't based on the manufacturing cost of the drug. It is determined on what the market will pay and in the case of MS drugs we all know the ludicrous profits that are obtained by the pharmaceutical companies.

While the raw material for BG12 has been around for a long time, Biogen will likely have some kind of utility patent for it which means they will own the sole rights to use it for MS treatments. And believe me, they will charge handsomely for it.

Harry

I think it is expected to be the same as the others. ( why should competition help any) HA HA. I thought this was the good old USA.
Was that before a global market?

When it comes to MS drugs, competition has not helped control the cost of the medications at all. When Tysabri came out with its huge cost, the makers of the CRABs all raised their prices significantly because they knew their drug would still be below Tysabri's cost but the extra revenue generation would be very nice! Their costs certainly didn't go up but hey, squeeze as much as you can from the patients and insurance companies.

Harry

In 2010, fumaderm was a $51 million market just in Germany.

http://idc.api.edgar-online.com/efx_dll ... ID=7696977



Avonex, with a much broader market brought in $2.5 billion. I suspect if they price BG-12 similar to other MS drugs that it's likely to see similar revenue unless the side effects are terrible.

NHE

A preview of things to come!

Avonex, a drug which has a minimal effect on MS, brings in $ 2.5 billion. A recent study shows it, along with the other DMDs, has no different effect on MS disease progression over patients who took nothing. Yet look at the revenue generation! No wonder I say that Biogen's marketing/sales department is one of the best out there.

Harry