Questions raised about drug being studied for MS
CTV.ca Thu, 01 Nov 2007 6:30 AM PDT
A group of American scientists has warned other researchers that an acne drug being tested as a possible treatment for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases - including in Canada for multiple sclerosis - may actually cause harm.

Minocin Causes ALS to Worsen 25% Faster (Interview with Dr. Michael Swash, MD) - Insidermedicine
On the basis of these preliminary results, researchers from Columbia University and elsewhere, tested minocin as a treatment with ALS in more than 400 patients and compared their progress to patients on placebo.
Compared to the placebo-treated patients, those taking minocin deteriorated at a 25% faster rate according to the ALS functional rating scale. As a result, the researchers are reassessing the trials with minocin in other neurological diseases, such as Huntington’s disease, stroke, dementia, and multiple sclerosis.
http://www.insidermedicine.ca/archives/Minocin_Causes_ALS_to_Worsen_25_Faster_(Interview_with_Dr_Michael_Swash_MD)_1783.aspx

---

Block on recruitment to continue
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
... were now being denied care and treatment as HSE cutbacks reduced hours in care packages and delayed the administration of Tysabri, a new MS drug. ...
See all stories on this topic

Minocin Causes ALS to Worsen 25% Faster (Interview with Dr ...
Insider Medicine - Kingston,Ontario,Canada
Treatment with Rilutek (riluzole) should be considered for those with ALS. This medicine has been shown to reduce progression of the disease and may delay ...
See all stories on this topic

UPDATE 2-Bayer takes charges, higher Betaferon dose fails
Reuters - USA
Betaseron was Bayer's top selling drug last year with sales of 991 million euros, up 14 percent. Bayer Schering Pharma, a Bayer unit, said it expected sales ...
See all stories on this topic

BEYOND Study Fails to Show Superiority of Betaferon
FDA news (subscription) - Falls Church,VA,USA
German drugmaker Bayer-Schering Pharma's Phase III trial of Betaferon did not show statistically significant superiority of the 500-mcg Betaferon dose ...
See all stories on this topic

Bayer drops plans for 500 mcg Betaferon approval, writes off ...
CNNMoney.com - USA
The study, which tested both doses of Betaferon against each other and also against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's (NASDAQ:TEVA) Copaxone, ...
See all stories on this topic

Betaferon(R) 250 mcg de optimale dosis voor de behandeling van MS
Medical facts - Utrecht,Overijssel,Netherlands
Beyond studie laat geen superioriteit zien van Betaferon(R) 500 mcg ten opzichte van Betaferon 250(R) mcg en Copaxone(R). Bayer Schering Pharma kondigt ...
See all stories on this topic

Bayer's Betaferon Doesn't Work Better at Higher Dose (Update1)
Bloomberg - USA
Bayer gained Betaferon, also sold as Betaseron, in its 17 billion-euro purchase of German rival Schering AG. ``The standard Betaferon 250-mcg dose is the ...
See all stories on this topic

Bayer drops drug plan
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
The company said that Bayer Schering Pharma AG, a unit set up after its acquisition of Schering AG in 2006, found in tests that a 500-microgram dose of ...
See all stories on this topic