Will the last ms researcher turn out the lights

bromley · Family Elder Joined: Sep 11, 2004 Posts: 1847

Another 'momentus' day in the world of ms.

In the last month the following have gone (or been pulled) - Tysabri, Goats Serum, Antisense, GSK. How long before the Novartis oral treatment or the other oral treatments in trial?

So what's left - the CRABS which at 30% effectiveness aren't particulalry stunning (and don't forget the side effects).

An Alzeimers drug was being recommended for ms sufferers experiencing memory loss - but the UK has recently announced that it is withdrawing such drugs for patients with Alzeimers.

I thought the memory loss symptom was possibly the worst to deal with but I'm not so sure. Best to forget about what a dreadful disease this is and how the wonderful research world (researching for 60 years) has done so little to help us (let's be realistic!).

So no new treatments will be on the market for at least another decade (my guess). But keep doing the collecting and sending it to the national societies who can find a hundred or so researchers to work on projects which never really achieve anything at all.

Don't forget the rubbish they keep spinning us 'there's never been a better time to get ms', ' we know more now than ever before about this disease', and 'keep s'myelin'.

I wish you all the best of luck for the future.

PS - just seen the news on Avonex and liver failure. Why don't we do something radical today - bust Biogen. For those on Avonex - swap treatment to something that doesn't do in your liver as well as your brain and spinal cord. The fiasco relating to Tysabri has put back the chances of more effective treatments by years. Shoddy research / trials and overpaid company officials / researchers should pay the price. My heart goes out to the families of those who dies from PML and those who have experienced liver problems on Avonex. Too many have made too much profit from those suffering - lets show Biogen the real meaning of customer choice.

NHE · Volunteer Moderator Joined: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 776

Arron · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject:

it's on the front page Idea

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Disclaimer: Any information you find on this site should not be considered medical advice. All decisions should be made with the consent of your doctor, otherwise you are at your own risk.

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1212

Treatments in or entering Phase 3 in 2005 for RRMS
Teriflunomide
FTY720
Mylinax (oral cladribine)
Laquinimod
ABT-874 (maybe)

Treatments entering Phase 3 in 2005 for SPMS
MBP8298

2 years to conduct the trials...another year to collect, analyze and submit data...another year for regulators to examine...I think it's reasonable to hope that at least one of these will be approved within 5 years, maybe less...5 years from now it's possible there will be 6 new MS treatments, and that doesn't include the possibilities with statins and antibiotics.

Arron · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 1:01 pm Post subject:

nice post, dignan Smile

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Disclaimer: Any information you find on this site should not be considered medical advice. All decisions should be made with the consent of your doctor, otherwise you are at your own risk.

bromley · Family Elder Joined: Sep 11, 2004 Posts: 1847

Thanks Dignan,

I must come across as a grumpy SOB, but it's a year since my first MS event and I do get the feeling that we are build up to be knocked down. I hope like you that some of the drugs you mention do succeed and come to market as soon as proven safe and effective.

All the best

Bromley

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1212

There's been so much bad news in the last couple of weeks. I'm trying to remind myself that there are other things out there coming along and everything doesn't ride on Tysabri and Aimspro.

NHE · Volunteer Moderator Joined: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 776

JFH · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:01 am Post subject:

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1212

Both good points John. The makers of Sativex got a letter indicating it will likely be approved in Canada some time in the not too distant future.

treez · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:38 am Post subject: positive

I must commend / compliment Dignan on the positive outlook of the future, and putting the recent failures behind us. I will add......who knows what "developments" may come to light in the nearer future than drug trials.

All of us here appear to be more educated about MS than the average MS'er on the street. That's what brought us here in the first place....to learn more about it.

Keep in mind there are probably numerous studies going on presently that we don't know about. We only hear about the ones in the "spotlight".

You never know what good news tomorrow may bring Smile

Treez

Anecdote · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:26 pm Post subject:

Treez wrote

Brainteaser · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject: Researching

Just following on upon this researching theme and maybe we could do some of our own research on ourselves, based on the possible causal alternatives for MS. This may have been done already, I don't know.

If MS results from bacteria then obviously Sarah's antibiotic regime is appropriate. But some would say that the culprit is one of various possible viruses. Are there particular treatments for the various viral alternatives, which could be taken in conjuction with antibiotics (for the bacterium hypothesis)? And so on. Given that 'time' is at a premium, can we be taking a broad spectrum of treatments to cover all potential bases in the hope that something hits? Or is this a little naiive and any potential beneficial effects could be diminished?

I noted that one member of this board is doing both the Aimspro and the Antibiotic treatment in conjuction, with the hope that something sticks.

I suppose this approach might be analogous to financial investment whereby they tell you to spread your investments across say shares and property.

So, could we develop a 'portfolio' of treatments to cover the spread of culprit alternatives?

Regards,
Phil.

PS. For Treez, I'm from Melbourne, Aus(Oz)tralia

Rita · Family Member Joined: Nov 28, 2004 Posts: 58

Do you think there is something to do treating MS like a virus disease? With antiviral or any other like that? Have anybody heard about it
Rita

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1212

A company called Immune Response Corporation has a treatment for MS in Phase II trials valled NeuroVax that is supposed to act like a vaccine.