Will the last ms researcher turn out the lights

[bromley]

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]

PS - just seen the news on Avonex and liver failure. Why don't we do something radical today - bust Biogen.

It would be great if you could post a link to this news article.

Thanks, NHE

[Arron]

it's on the front page

[dignan]

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]

nice post, dignan

[bromley]

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]

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]

it's on the front page

Thanks Arron. It seems that lately I could use a few more !

NHE

[JFH]

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.

Don't forget the cannabaloids being trialled in the UK too.

And let's not write-off Tysabri as a dmd for MS. The data they publicised is very impressive and must have convinced FDA to get the fasttrack. It will come back - we might be more cautious in our acceptance of it but it will come back.

[dignan]

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]

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

Treez

[SarahLonglands]

Treez wrote

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.

This is very true. There is very little likelihood of a large scale trial for antibiotics treating MS as having an infective cause, for instance, because the money just isn't there. However, there are other 'developments' apart from drug trials. 'Big oaks from little acorns grow' as the saying goes. Not only some GPs but also the odd neurologist here and there are saying that the antibiotics involved are so relatively harmless that one might as well give it a try. You then need just patience and the realisation that you might somedays even feel a bit worse.

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".

There certainly are!

Sarah

[Brainteaser]

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]

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]

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.