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Summary
Top-line data from the ALLEGRO study of laquinimod for the treatment of relapsing remitting MS was released today with more details expected later this week. The study randomized 1106 patients to either 0.6 mg laquinimod or placebo and followed them for 2 years. Compared to placebo, laquinimod reduced the annualized relapse rate by 23%, the progression of disability by 36%, and the progression of atrophy by 33%. Gadolinium enhancing lesions and new T2 weighted lesions were reduced.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/1735

I can just see the marketing and sales departments of these MS big pharma companies lining up their heavy artillery in stating that their drugs are better than the competitors'. Ever wonder why the vast majority of improvement numbers all these companies quote all seem to hover just above the 30% level? Hmmm

Harrry

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We've gone through this before Harry and it seems that the "compared to placebo" should mean that the quoted percentages are over and above the 30% or so that you would expect from placebo...right?

Bob,

I wasn't comparing the 30% level to the normal placebo number. I was merely pointing out that pretty much all of the immune system altering drugs that have been approved for MS as well as those that are in the current drug pipeline, all seem to be in the same area. That does seem strange since the mechanism in these drugs is quite different yet they all end up close to one another.

I'll leave the placebo comparing numbers to the experts such as Dr. Behan who has felt for years these drugs have been no better than placebo.

Harry

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But I'm not sure it's fair or accurate to use "Pathogenesis of MS" against treatments which weren't even a consideration at the time. Offhand I'm not familiar with the differences and similarities but with certainty Laquinimod isn't one of the crabs and no I haven't seen similar numbers quoted for the crabs. Tysabri yes.

Bob,

The Pathogenesis of MS by Behan was written after the CRABs were out but he and his colleagues have written several other papers since that time stating similar.

The new oral drugs coming out are showing similar numbers as the rest. That's what prompted my comment....new and different treatments but showing the same old numbers. And with few exceptions, the MS continues to march on and progress. I forget the numbers of MS patients that are on an approved medication and those who have opted not to take anything. The ones who take nothing say that while their disease progression may be slightly higher than those who take the drugs, their quality of life without the nasty side effects of the medications is worth it.

As you know, my wife did not take any of the CRABs. She chose Prokarin which really helped her symptoms. Her MS docs told her not to bother with the CRABs because they didn't do much good. Others decide differently.

Harry