Oral MS Drug Soon?

Positive results were noted for a phase II study of oral teriflunomide for relapsing MS.

Dr. Paul O'Connor (University of Toronto) and a team of specialists conducted a study of 179 people with relapsing/remitting or relapsing/progressive MS. An oral medication, teriflunomide, was administered once daily for 36 weeks, testing the drug's ability to prevent new lesions in the brain as well as stop an increase in disability in the patients. Some received a placebo, some received 7 mg of the drug, and other participants received 14 mg daily.

Apparently a significant decrease in active lesions was noted with people on the drug compared to the placebo group. The group on the higher amount of teriflunomide showed the least increase in disability after the nine month trial. Side effects were generally tolerable and included headaches and upper respiratory tract infections.

This trial was a phase II effort toward getting the drug approved for large-scale use. Phase III trials, the last effort in the process, are underway in France, giving lots of people hope for an effective oral drug that could be on the market in three to five years. Keep your fingers crossed!

Information obtained at Teriflunomide Study/The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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