Genzyme today announced a two-year interim results from a Phase 2 trial comparing Campath® (alemtuzumab) with Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The results derive from a pre-specified analysis conducted after two years of treatment for 334 patients in the planned three-year trial. This review was conducted in conjunction with an independent data and safety monitoring board.
As previously announced, dosing of alemtuzumab in this study was suspended in September 2005 after three patients developed immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a treatable condition in which patients experience a low platelet count as a result of an immune response directed against the platelets. At that time, most patients had received two cycles of therapy with alemtuzumab. Treatment with Rebif in the control arm has continued without interruption. The trial remains on clinical hold in the United States, and Genzyme is working closely with clinical investigators and regulatory agencies to complete the study and ensure that the risk of ITP is well understood and managed. The company discourages physicians and patients from using alemtuzumab for MS outside of a clinical trial setting in which procedures are in place for managing ITP risk.
The rest of the story is here: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060914/neth013.html?.v=71
What happenend from the scientific point of view? What is interferon beta1? What is Campath? What are platelets? Time to find out!
First of all Campath is used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. It is a monoclonal humanized antibody (it's name is alemtuzumab---you can always quickly what drugs are antibodies quick; the mab at the end of the word means "monoclonal antibody")that recognizes CD52 on immune system tumor cells. OK, what is CD52? CD52 is a tumor antigen. When Campath binds to CD52, the body recognizes it as disease and proceeds to kill cells with Campath bound. It does this by antibody dependent cytotoxicity and complement.
Interferon is a proinflammaotry cytokine released by cells to trigger the immune response. This helps the body determine which cells to kill that are diseased. It is a strong immuno-therepy drug used for many diseases including viral infections.
If you have any more specific questions I didn't get into here, leave me a comment and i'll try to explain it in another post.
Genzyme GeNZ closed NASDAQ trading today up 2.7% at 68.35
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