Novartis announces completion of FTY720 phase III trial

Novartis has announced that a phase III trial into its oral multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment FT720 has yielded successful results.

The drug displayed the capability to reduce the relapse rate of patients suffering from the condition by 54 to 60 per cent when compared to a placebo.

It also reduced disability progression by 30 per cent to 32 per cent.

Meeting its primary and secondary endpoints for 1.25 mg and 0.5 mg doses, the study found there to be no significant differences between the efficacy demonstrated by both measurements.

Trevor Mundel, managing director and global head of development at Novartis, commented: “We are proud to have reached this critical milestone in the development of FTY720, a novel oral therapy that has the potential to transform the treatment of this ultimately disabling disease.”

Earlier this month, the results of a clinical trial into Novartis’ once-daily bronchodilator designed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease sufferers found that the treatment significantly improves lung function.