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news.MediciNova has said that phase II testing of its drug for relapsing multiple sclerosis was successful in increasing the number of patients remaining relapse free.
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The trial showed a significant increase in the proportion of patients who remained relapse-free over the first 12 months of treatment with 60mg per day of the treatment, MN-166, compared to placebo. The time to first relapse was also significantly increased in patients treated with 60 mg of MN-166 per day.
Positive trends were also observed in the annualized relapse rate and number of relapses among patients who completed the full first 12 months of treatment with 60 mg of MN-166 per day compared to those patients completing the first 12 months of treatment on placebo.
A significant reduction in brain volume loss, as measured by cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, was also observed in patients treated with 60 mg per day of MN-166. Loss of brain volume on MRI has been shown to correlate with clinical progression and disability in MS patients. Positive trends were also observed in several other radiological outcome measures, including the volume of gadolinium-enhancing (T1) lesions in patients treated with 60 mg of MN-166 per day.
The independent data safety monitoring board has recommended that the trial continue beyond the first year of treatment without modification.
“The divergence of clinical benefit and radiological findings suggest that MN-166 may be acting by a different mode of action than current treatments,” said Yuichi Iwaki, executive chairman and CEO of MediciNova.