New drug development in neurology and psychiatry is approaching a state of crisis due to the failure of numerous compounds in recent years, the cost of bringing new products to market, and pharmaceutical companies abandoning their CNS drug research programs, according to reports from the U.S. and Europe.
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No benefits with omega-3 supplements
October 22, 2011REPORT FROM THE 25TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – The Omega-3 fatty acid Treatment in MS (OFAMS) study reports that omega-3 dietary supplementation has no significant effect on disease activity (Torkildsen et al. ECTRIMS 2011; abstract P919).
Long-term safety of oral MS therapies: two reports
October 22, 2011REPORT FROM THE 25TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – Data from phase II extension studies of fingolimod and teriflunomide indicate that long-term treatment with an oral MS therapy appears safe, with no new safety signals during the observation period.
Teriflunomide in MS: TEMSO extension data
October 22, 2011REPORT FROM THE 25TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ECTRIMS) – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, OCTOBER 19-22, 2011 – The TEMSO phase III trial reported that oral teriflunomide 7 mg or 14 mg significantly reduced the annualized relapse rate compared to placebo (0.37 for either dose vs. 0.57; relative risk reduction 31%) (O’Connor et al. N Engl J Med 2011; 365: 1293-1303).
Confirmed disability progression was 21.7% with the 7-mg dose, 20.2% with the 14-mg dose and 27.3% with placebo, representing a 20.5% and 26.0% reduction respectively versus placebo. Side effects included diarrhea, nausea, hair thinning and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.