Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) reports that a five-year study found that patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with Copaxone showed significantly reduced loss of brain volume (atrophy) compared to patients treated with other disease modifying therapies.
The study found that Copaxone had a significantly better effect than both low and high dose interferons, in reducing loss of brain volume. A paper published by Dr. Omar Khan, detailing the study findings, entitled “Effect of disease-modifying therapies on brain volume in relapsingremitting multiple sclerosis: Results of a five-year brain MRI study,” was recently published in the "Journal of the Neurological Sciences."
Teva Neuroscience senior VP and general manager Jon Congleton said, “These data represent the importance of ongoing research in a practical clinical setting to better understand multiple sclerosis and the impact of therapy on the course of the disease. Not only does this study highlight the benefit of Copaxone in reducing brain volume loss, it underscores the value of early treatment in influencing long-term outcomes.”
Teva also noted that brain volume loss in multiple sclerosis patients exceeds the rate of healthy control groups. Brain volume loss, sometimes referred to as atrophy, may be correlated with cognitive and physical deficits. Modern magnetic resonance (MR) techniques can reliably measure loss of brain volume over time, Teva said.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 11, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011