Novartis reports positive data from Gilenya MS trial

Novartis has reported positive clinical data from a new study of Gilenya, its newly-approved treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Results from the two-year Freedoms phase III clinical trial show that the treatment is able to lessen the risk of disability progression among patients with relapsing-remitting MS, irrespective of their prior treatment history.

Over the course of the trial, the drug demonstrated an improved rate of disability progression reduction compared to placebo, as well as helping to cut rates of relapse.

Dr Virginia Devonshire, director of the University of British Columbia MS Clinic, said: "This data provides deeper insights into the effect of Gilenya in significantly reducing MS disability progression across the broad range of patient subpopulations that this analysis evaluated."

Gilenya is licensed from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation and is the first in a new class of drugs called sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulators.

Last month, it became the first oral MS drug approved for sale in the EU.