Elan reveals favourable drug trials for key MS drug

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2005

LONDON (AFP) — Irish pharmaceuticals giant Elan said that the latest tests on patients receiving its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri resulted in no new cases of a rare and frequently fatal infection.

Tysabri, made by the Irish drugs firm and US partner Biogen, was withdrawn in February after confirmed cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a very rare and usually fatal disease.

"Three confirmed cases of PML were previously reported, two of which were fatal," Elan said.

Findings from their latest safety tests showed "no new confirmed cases" of the infection.

The two companies submitted Tysabri to the US Food and Drug Administration at the end of last month, while the European Medicines Agency was also reviewing their application,...