Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) has been preparing for a long time for changes in the market for its flagship product, Copaxone, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. On Friday, several updates were filed with the European Medicines Agency. (EMA).
The EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use advised marketing Gilenya, made by Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; LSE: NOV; SWX: NOVZ), but rejected Cladridine, made by Merck KGaA (XETRA: MRK), and Fampyra, made by Biogen Idec Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) and Acorda Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR).
Gilenya is delivered orally, while Copaxone is delivered by injection. Gilenya is the first oral treatment approved for multiple sclerosis for marketing in the US. Teva is developing an oral version of Copaxone, Laquinimod, which has shown good results in advanced clinical trials. Teva believes that Laquinimod will reach market in 2012.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 23, 2011
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