Fast Forward And Myelin Repair Foundation: Two Routes To New MS Drugs

Despite the availability of new oral medicines, larger advances in MS remain elusive, especially for those with advanced MS. Two nonprofit groups, the National MS Society’s Fast Forward venture arm and the Myelin Repair Foundation, are thinking creatively in different ways – but both spending millions of dollars – to make those breakthroughs come sooner.

Researchers and drug developers have made plenty of headway fighting multiple sclerosis since the first interferon drugs became available in the 1990s. The field hit a new milestone recently with oral drugs reaching the market – the first is Gilenya (fingolimod) from Novartis AG, and others are in Phase III. They aren’t front-line therapies yet, but the hope of drugs that don’t require regular injections or visits to the infusion clinic is shaking up the field, and in some ways re-routing attention to more pressing needs, such as more specific immune treatments that could be safer and more efficacious than current immunosuppressants, and new strategies to combat the advanced form of MS that so far has defied attempts to treat it.

But in this age of shrinking venture commitments to new research, penny-pinching Big Pharma research budgets, and uncertain government support,...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Clinical Trials

Atai Gives Up On Recognify’s Schizophrenia Drug After Phase IIb Miss

 
• By 

Set to merge with Beckley Psytech, Atai will focus on psychedelic candidates for treatment-resistant depression while Recognify will analyze Phase IIb data for possible next steps.

Celcuity Preps For Potentially Huge Market After Phase III Gedatolisib Win

 

The biotech announced positive results in the PIK3CA wild-type population in second-line HR+/HER2- breast cancer for its PAM inhibitor.

Roche Unveils Alzheimer’s Phase III Plan And Preclinical Study

 

The trontinemab Phase III study is due to get underway this year, with Roche confident its brainshuttle technology will help it surpass approved rivals.

Bayer’s Elinzanetant Is Latest Drug Hit By FDA Review Delays

 
• By 

Comes Days After PDUFA Pushback For GSK's Blenrep.

More from R&D

Pipeline Watch: Twelve Approvals And Six Phase III Readouts

Pipeline Watch is a weekly snapshot of selected late-stage clinical trial events and approvals announced by pharmaceutical and biotech companies at medical and industry conferences, in financial and company presentations, and in company releases and statements.

Bristol Appoints AstraZeneca’s Massacesi As Next CMO

 

Chief Medical Officer Samit Hirawat will step down to pursue new career opportunities, the company said.

Boehringer Ingelheim Expects Two Key Approvals In Second Half Of 2025

 

The privately held German pharma firm is hoping to bring a new generation of pulmonary fibrosis and cancer drugs to market but their commercial success is not yet a certainty.