Study finds little difference in Copaxone v Rebif trial
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:56 am
Merck KGaA's Rebif multiple-sclerosis drug is not superior to rival Teva's Copaxone, a study obtained by Reuters on Wednesday showed.
"The number of events (relapses) was insufficient to establish a statistically significant difference between the two products, despite a trend advantage for Rebif," the report said.
The 96-week Phase IV study involving almost 800 patients will be presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Prague.
Merck inherited Rebif through its recent 10.2 billion-euro ($14 billion) acquisition of Swiss biotech company Serono.
Serono had hoped to gain market share from Copaxone in the case of a positive outcome from the head-to-head study.
"The number of events (relapses) was insufficient to establish a statistically significant difference between the two products, despite a trend advantage for Rebif," the report said.
The 96-week Phase IV study involving almost 800 patients will be presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Prague.
Merck inherited Rebif through its recent 10.2 billion-euro ($14 billion) acquisition of Swiss biotech company Serono.
Serono had hoped to gain market share from Copaxone in the case of a positive outcome from the head-to-head study.