Fingolimod ( Gilenia) By Novartis

Novartis has come up with oral therapy of MS. This is Gilenia ( Fingolimod; FTY 720). I had reported earlier in my blog about these Chinese fungus extract. This drug is in priority review status with FDA ( USA). Novartis through its clinical trial studies claims that once daily dose of 0.5 mg of Gilenia reduces the frequency or relapses, disability progression and lesions in the brain in RR-MS cases.

If the drug has the efficacy as claimed by the company than its a boon for the MS patients world over. It is to be seen whether FDA approves the drug for marketing....

Reference

http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2010/1386852.shtml

MS not autoimmune but vascular disease

Dr. Paolo Zamboni (Professor of Medicine, Univ. of Ferrara, Italy) has made a breakthrough by changing the basic understanding of MS. MS is considered as an autoimmune disorder that leads to damage of myelin in the CNS. However, according to Dr. Zamboni's research MS is a vascular disease (blood vessel are the source of problem). The heavy iron deposits were damaging the blood vessels draining the brain. This situation he calls " Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCVI)".This in turn is the reason for inflammation and cell death in the CNS. He therefore, hypothesized that by clearing the clogged vessels could stop progression of MS. He performed a surgery on his wife (a MS patient) similar to angioplasty where an inflated balloon is used to clear the blood vessels. His wife, who had the surgery 3 years ago, has not had an attack since.

If this is true then no doubt it will become very simple to treat MS and may even prevent MS!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/researchers-labour-of-love-leads-to-ms-breakthrough/article1372414/
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091120/W5_liberation_091121/20091121?s_name=W5