Until as recently as 2010, most of the treatment options for treating symptoms of late stage MS involved injecting one or many drugs. New Multiple Sclerosis pill options are now available and three late stage studies are showing that Fingolimod and Cladribine are effective. If the FDA gives its approval, it could mark a turning point in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. Pill popping is much more convenient and tolerable for patients, and could mean they are more likely to stay on their treatment plans. These two drugs are targeting the relapsing-remitting MS that is defined as relapsing episodes, usually progressively worse, followed by a period where the symptoms either completely or partially disappear.
A Multiple Sclerosis pill would be a real profit maker for the manufacturer.
Since no cure has yet been found for Multiple Sclerosis, pill treatment to manage the symptoms and prevent relapses would be much preferred by patients to the bothersome injections and infusions in the hospital or at home. Both Fingolimod and Cladribine, manufactured by Novartis and Merck respectively, reduce the relapse risk and slow down the progression of Multiple Sclerosis. Pill treatment with Fingolimod even outperformed interferon therapy in a twelve month study. But since both of these new MS pills act by suppressing the immune system, higher infection rates were reported in the trials. Herpes, Shingles, and even cancer were among those reported. Novartis has applied to both U.S. and European authorities for approval of its Multiple Sclerosis pill Fingolimod. If approval is granted, sales could easily surpass $1 billion dollars yearly. It’s not sure if either of the new MS pills will be approved or where, but patients around the world are sure to welcome the chance to get away from the cumbersome and inconvenient injections.
The promise of a Multiple Sclerosis pill versus the trade off
Studies funded by the pill manufacturers show some results worth considering. In one two year study, involving 1300 patients, half were given cladribine and half were given placebo. While those on the real drug only suffered relapses at half the rate, 20 to 30 percent of them developed white blood cell count reductions (the infection fighting cells) significant enough to cause concern, compared to only two percent of those on placebo. In another study involving 1000 patients taking either Fingolimod or placebo, respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis were twice as common in the Fingolimod group as in the placebo group. So as always, there are tradeoffs in every advance seen in the never ending battle against this hideous disease.
