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Dr. Zivadinov's Teva ties

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:19 pm
by Cece
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/ ... 6&fid=1725
Copaxone repairs nerve tissue in multiple sclerosis patients, said Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) today in reporting the results of a 12-month MRI study on the evolution of multiple sclerosis lesions. The study was published in the January issue of "Frontiers in Bioscience".

“These data indicate that treatment with Copaxone resulted in a measureable amount of tissue repair in study patients,” said the lead research Dr. Robert Zivadinov, Director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center at the University at Buffalo. “The observed increases in magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) point to a potential for remyelination. Overall, these findings contribute to the vast body of research that supports the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy."

The researchers found that multiple sclerosis patients treated with Copaxone experienced significantly increased magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) - a nonconventional MRI technique used to investigate abnormalities in brain structures, and increased values indicate potential remyelination (re-generation of the nerve's myelin sheath) and axonal tissue repair in the patients' brains.

Teva added that this was the first study to evaluate multiple sclerosis lesions as potential evidence for remyelination in patients treated with Copaxone.
We were just talking about the possibility of remyelination drugs. Maybe Copaxone is one?
And how does Dr. Zivadinov's involvement with Teva influence his CCSVI work?

Re: Dr. Zivadinov's Teva ties

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:18 pm
by CuriousRobot
This may seem a little off-hand, but, after speaking with people "in the know" about CCSVI research, they told me that Zivadinov's first study was flawed and he, basically, fucked up. Take it for what it is worth.

Re: Dr. Zivadinov's Teva ties

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:39 pm
by Cece
Now I am the curious one.....
That first study definitely came in with lower results than expected. But how might it have been flawed? There was the concern about family members being included in the healthy controls, but although that looks bad, the results were the same among the family members as it was among the truly unrelated healthy controls.

Re: Dr. Zivadinov's Teva ties

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:24 am
by CureOrBust
Cece wrote:And how does Dr. Zivadinov's involvement with Teva influence his CCSVI work?
I would hazard a guess that it puts food on the table in front of his family, while he continues to do research on CCSVI.

Re: Dr. Zivadinov's Teva ties

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 8:01 am
by cheerleader
CureOrBust wrote:
Cece wrote:And how does Dr. Zivadinov's involvement with Teva influence his CCSVI work?
I would hazard a guess that it puts food on the table in front of his family, while he continues to do research on CCSVI.

Yeah...have to agree with Cure on this one. I was pretty dubious about the BNAC research in the beginning, because of all of their pharma relationships. But after a couple of years, I do believe this group wants to understand MS, and they are looking at all the angles. Their research needs funding. The CCSVI research is sponsored by individuals. And there is barely enough $ there to pay for CCSVI testing and treatment. The pharma research keeps the place open and operating. I've been outspoken regarding my concern of the use of a statistician in the compilation of their research--someone I felt had an "agenda"--and was framing the papers to disprove CCSVI--but it wasn't the doctors. BNAC is having to keep many plates spinning. But I do believe they are at the forefront, and a good group.

Now that more and more researchers are looking at MS as a disease of gray matter atrophy, rather than white matter lesions, this will be the new angle for the drugs---brain volume. If copaxone can do that, great! But what the heck is the mechanism? (Is it mannitol's affect on cerebral blood flow?) At least with venoplasty, we can see the cerebral perfusion increasing.
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