Traditional MS drug therapies used up through and until the mid 1990’s were all immunosuppressives. Fingolimod or FTY720 multiple sclerosis treatment has been studied since it was first synthesized in 1992. FTY720 MS therapy belongs to the group of drugs known as immunomodulators. That is to say it is like the so-called ABC drugs that started to be used in the mid-nineties. These drugs – Avonex, Betaseron, and Copaxone are also in the category of immunomodulators. While the traditional immunosuppressives would treat the immune system as an entire system, or globally, these ABC drugs fight a specific part of the immune system that has become overactive in relation to MS. But Fingolimod or FTY720 multiple sclerosis, (MS) treatment is newer. In fact, it didn’t gain approval until 2010 in the US and 2011 in Europe, Canada, and Australia. Originally developed as an anti rejection medication for post-transplant patients, it was shortly found that it may stimulate the repair action of the glial cells and precursor cells post injury or damage.
It has shown reduction in the frequency of relapses annually in MS patients so this would seem to slow the progression of the disease.
Best results come when FTY720 MS treatment is used early.
Early use has shown the possibility of completely inhibiting subsequent relapses. In some cases motor skills were even recovered to some extent. Much of this progress has been reported in experiments with mice, but could translate to the same positive results with FTY720 multiple sclerosis use in humans.
There are reasons you may not want to consider FTY720 multiple sclerosis treatment
While slowing the progression of MS or reducing the relapse rate would surely be welcome, there have also been some serious side effects that have stopped patients from continuing treatment, especially at the higher doses. Some of these are rather serious like fatal infections, skin cancer, and brain inflammation. Two trial patients died – one from zoster and one from a brain herpes infection. Some of the other more common side effects of the FTY720 multiple sclerosis treatment are not as serious, like headache and head colds.
One final consideration is that if you are using any of the regimens that include cannabinoids, you should be aware that FTY720 is a cannabinoids receptor antagonist. That is to say that FTY720 multiple sclerosis, treatment would interfere with any of the cannabinoids and effectively reduce any gains you may have made with those drugs.
