PML / Tysabri questions

[bromley]

Dear all,

PML is apparently a rare disease - 'The disorder, which is caused by a common human polyomavirus, JC virus, is characterized by demyelination or destruction of the myelin sheath that covers nerve cells. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering — which acts as an insulator — on nerve fibers in the brain. Symptoms of PML include mental deterioration, vision loss, speech disturbances, ataxia (inability to coordinate movements), paralysis, and, ultimately, coma reflecting the multifocal distribution of brain lesions'.

This disease sounds like a very close (but even worse) relative of ms. What amazes me is that they (the scientists) know the virus that causes PML but of course have no idea what causes the much more common MS. Any ideas why this is so? Has the JC virus been elimated from the list of possible ms causes?

Have the Tysabri trials for RA and Crohns disease also been halted?

I see that Antisense have halted its trial as its drug had a similar target to Tysabri. But what about all the other oral treatments currently in trials - Laquimod, Novartis drug, GSK drug. These were all supposed to be entering (or in) Phase 3 trials this year?

What's left in the drugs pipeline for the next few years (apart from combinations of the CRABS)?

Will the Tysabri outcome affect the take-up on future trials? Perhaps a survey would be useful to find out. I got the impression that the drugs companies were already having difficulty recruiting.

Sorry for all the questions but I was away fro a week and everytime I log on there seems to be more bad news relating to future treatments.

Pessimism (?) seems to be one of my worst symptoms - I wish I shared your belief Aarron that some good news must be around the corner soon.

All the best to you all

Bromley