Almetuzamab: Promise in Multiple Sclerosis; UK Research
Published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, promising trial data for the new monoclonal antibody Almetuzamab.The conclusions of the study were as follows:
“ In patients with early, relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, alemtuzumab was more effective than interferon beta-1a but was associated with autoimmunity, most seriously manifesting as immune thrombocytopenic purpura. The study was not powered to identify uncommon adverse events.”
NEJM abstract link here
There has been extensive media coverage of the drug on UK media sources including coverage of patients who have received the drug. Cambridge researchers showed a reduction in relapse rate and disability in 334 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis for less than 3 years.
So far this looks promising. My first infusion of Tysobri was incredable. I was going to go skiing again. I was going to hold off on skiing until I had a second infusion of Tysabri. It was pulled off the market 2 days before my second infusion. I believe I could have gone skiing with what one infusion did to me. My MS has gone down hill with the long wait for Tysabri coming back on the market. This December will be my 30th year anniversary on skies. Being off skies for 5 years may make it difficult to go skiing this December. There looks like hope with this drug to get back into a more normal life. I would like to ski again? A walk through the woods would be an accomplishment.
Thanks Craig I think its great to have some input from a patient.. I’d be interested to hear your experiences of the funding of this medication.
Student doctors may well be les aware of the problems facing patients in securing treatments.
Although we’re based in the UK we have an international readership and your own country of origin is likely to be highly relevant to your own experiences.
It will take quite some time before they come up with something for MS which is more effective than LDN and as safe. If they stopped making immunosuppressants for autoimmune diseases and instead focusing on immunostimulants (which very few companies are doing), the results would be much better.