Pharmacotherapy for multiple sclerosis: progress and prospects.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease with a major inflammatory component, and constitutes the most common progressive and disabling neurological condition in young adults. Currently available therapies predominantly include biological agents (beta-interferon and a mAb to a cell adhesion molecule [integrin] on lymphocytes that is involved in the adhesion of lymphocytes to the blood-brain barrier) that attenuate the neuroinflammatory response; however, the ability of these agents to modify the disease course of MS is only modest at best. Because of the inadequacy of current treatment options, there is a need for the development of more effective disease-modifying therapies (eg, sodium channel blockers), along with new drugs to treat specific symptoms of MS, such as fatigue.
Palmer
Alan M
AM
MS Therapeutics Ltd, Beechey House, 87 Church Street, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 7AW, UK. alan.palmer@mstherapeutics.com
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology