Drugmaker says new pill may work for multiple sclerosis
The Monterey County Herald
Updated: 01/29/2009 01:43:27 AM PST
LONDON (AP) — German drugmaker Merck Serono(德國藥廠默克) is one step closer to releasing the first pill to treat multiple sclerosis, the company said Friday.
In a press statement, Merck said that patients taking cladribine tablets had a nearly 60 percent lower relapse rate than those on placebo pills. The two-year study included 1,326 MS patients who were randomly divided into three groups. Two groups received different doses of cladribine and one group received fake pills. (該新藥已經完成了兩年的人體試驗)
Patients on cladribine had up to a 60 percent reduced chance of having a relapse compared to patients on placebo. The study was paid for by Merck.
"This is promising news," said Dr. Lee Dunster, head of research for the Multiple Sclerosis Society in the United Kingdom. Dunster was not linked to the Merck study. He said cladribine appeared to be twice as effective as current primary treatments for MS.
再過一陣子, 新的口服藥就會上市了, 加油, 要有耐心!!
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