Laquinimod for Multiple Sclerosis
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
Laquinimod
Laquinimod is an oral drug treatment. It inhibits disease progression although how it does so is not fully understood yet. At present it is at late stage trials.
After 36 weeks of treatment, it was shown that the level of inflammatory disease activity was significantly reduced. The drug seems to be well tolerated and effective.
Treatment over six months resulted in a 30% decrease in MRI activity. Those with disease activity at the start of the study showed a decrease of more than 40%. The only side-effect reported in some patients is temporary increases in liver enzymes.
Update Jan 2014 It is thought to reduce inflammation by stopping the immune cells that cause damage in MS from entering the central nervous system.
A two year phase III trial, BRAVO, published results in 2011. This study did not find any statistically significant findings, but after further planned analysis of the two groups they found that laquinimod reduced relapse rates by 21% compared to placebo.
The companies that manufacture laquinimod, Teva and Active Biotech, have submitted an application for Europe. If this application is successful a licence may be granted during 2013.
Approved Use
Laquinimod is still not currently approved.
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