Sanofi SA has won U.S. approval for its multiple sclerosis pill Aubagio - one of the two treatments for the chronic disease that could return the French drugmaker to growth after several blockbuster drugs lost patent protection.
The drug has been shown to be less effective than some rivals but has milder side effects and analysts say it could find favour among newly diagnosed patients. Around 35 percent to 40 percent of multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers prefer to take no medication rather than face unwanted side effects.
"In a clinical trial, the relapse rate for patients using Aubagio was about 30 percent lower than the rate for those taking a placebo," Russell Katz, director of the Division of Neurology Products at the Food and Drug Administration, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Aubagio is expected to launch on the U.S. market in a few weeks, a spokeswoman for Sanofi unit Genzyme said.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/2933
