First
Oral MS Drug Approved
The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has approved
fingolimod capsules (Gilenya,™
Novartis International AG) for
reducing the frequency of
clinical relapses and delaying
the accumulation of physical
disability in relapsing forms of
MS, making it the first oral
disease-modifying therapy for
the treatment of multiple
sclerosis. According to Novartis,
the drug will be available for
prescription in coming weeks.
Gilenya
(pronounced Jil-EN-ee-ah) will
be available as a first-line
treatment, which means that
there are no recommendations in
the approved labeling for people
to try other MS therapies before
taking Gilenya.
The
decision to take an oral MS
therapy should be made by people
with MS in collaboration with
their MS doctors, taking into
account a variety of factors,
including the effectiveness of
any therapy they are currently
using, and weighing potential
risks and benefits, costs and
lifestyle factors.
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