In the next few days the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will reportedly decide whether to approve for marketing Laquinimod, the oral multiple sclerosis treatment developed by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA; TASE: TEVA). The issue is being considered by the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
Teva is developing Laquinimod together with Swedish pharmaceutical company Active Biotech. Other oral treatments for multiple sclerosis are already on the market including Biogene's Tecfidera.
Teva's best-selling drug Copaxone is also for the treatment of multiple sclerosis but it is injectable and will be hit by the oral treatments coming onto the market.
Teva is also conducting a clinical trial for Laquinimod in the US after the previous Phase III clinical trial only achieved its targets after statistical amendments. Consequently US Food and Drug Association (FDA) approval is not expected in the coming months.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 17, 2013
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013