Sanofi-aventis publishes positive trial data for MS drug

Sanofi-aventis has published new clinical data which supports the efficacy of teriflunomide, its investigational therapy for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).

According to results from the phase III Temso trial, patients who used the once-daily oral drug experienced significantly reduced annual relapse rates over two years than those in the placebo control group.

This corroborates the positive findings of earlier clinical studies, with both the 7mg and 14mg doses of the treatment proving to be similarly well-tolerated.

It means that the treatment was able to meet the primary efficacy endpoint of the Temso trial, with Sanofi-aventis planning to detail the full findings of the study at the annual meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis next month.

Earlier this week, the company was granted a class I recommendation from the European Society of Cardiology for its atrial fibrillation Multaq, endorsing the efficacy of the drug as a first-line treatment.