Italian researchers have just announced the impressive findings of a study using an oral medication to combat attacks of the disease and prolong the time between relapses.  The most effective drugs used today – beta interferon and glatiramer – reduce the rate of relapse by about 30% and must be administered by injection.

The research team, led by Giancarlo Comi, MD, of Milan’s Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, used an oral medication, FTY720 (fingolimod) for six months to determine its effect on the relapse rate of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.  The initial study involved 281 relapsing MS patients, two-thirds of whom took FTY720 awhile the remaining one-third took placebos.

After only six months the FTY720-taking group logged 50% fewer relapses than those taking placebos.  The study ended with the opportunity for all participants to enroll in an extended study in which everyone would receive FTY720.

Of the original 281 study participants, 173 remained in the study for three years, continuously taking FTY720.  The results revealed the following:

• 67% remained free of relapse during the three-year course of the study
• 89% showed only low levels of inflammation as measured by MRI scans
• 75% had not developed new lesions and lesions already present did not grow

Side effects reported most often were limited to cold- and flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and headaches.

An immune-modulating medication, FTY720 works by binding to a receptor site on an immune cell, which sequesters it in the lymph nodes.  By doing so, FTY720 limits the immune cell’s ability to cause damage elsewhere.

Comi presented the findings of this study at the 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago, held April 12 through 19.