The FDA has a program called Fast Track. It is a program that puts new drug reviews on an expedited track for review. Multiple Sclerosis Campath therapy is now on that track. For the manufacturer and patients with MS, Campath being put on this list is welcome news. Under this designation, Multiple Sclerosis Campath treatment marketing applications can be reviewed before the submission of the New Drug Application is complete. So if the drug is finally approved, MS Campath therapy will be available much quicker for actual use than if the drug remained under the normal review process.
MS Campath therapy could be transformative.
Campath is primarily targeting the early diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patient. It is in trial along with Rebif for patients that have not received any prior therapies for their RRMS since being diagnosed. It requires only minimal annual dosing compared with many other drugs. The usual routine is five infusions in the first week of MS Campath treatment, and then three more on consecutive days about a year later. And with the MS Campath therapy in trials, only 13% of the patients suffered relapses over several years, compared to about 38% for those on Rebif.
In another study in Canada, after over four years in trial Multiple Sclerosis Campath therapy kept 70% of the patients free from relapses and free of any clinical disease activity. Furthermore, 90% of the trial participants showed no disease progression over the same period.
Campath depletes the body of both T-cells and B-cells, which are thought to attack otherwise healthy nerve sheaths. Patients are at increased risk of infections, and of course there are other side effects as well, but the benefits at this point appear to outweigh the adverse reactions. Discuss this with your Doctor to see if you may be a good candidate for MS Campath infusions if approval does come.
Autoimmune disease after Alemtuzumab MS treatment
Campath is the brand name for the drug alemtuzumab. One unwelcome side effect of Alemtuzumab MS treatment has been the onset of autoimmune disease. One study has as many as 22.2% of the participants treated with Alemtuzumab went on to develop autoimmune disease. Sex and age of the patients didn’t seem to be a factor in any of these cases, but smoking or a family history of autoimmune disease did seem to have a role. Thyroid autoimmune disease was the most commonly seen, comprising 15.7% of the cases seen. This important result should be shared with anyone considering MS Campath therapy, so they can discuss the possible benefits and compare them to the risks with their physician. It shouldn’t be the deciding factor but nevertheless must be accounted for.
