Cephalon's Myotrophin Clears Major Hurdle

Cephalon has achieved a breakthrough in the treatment of motor neuron disease with the announcement of what have been described as the most encouraging data ever for a pharmacological treatment of the disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The company's Myotrophin (recombinant insulin-like growth factor-1) slowed the progressive deterioration of muscle function in ALS patients by about 25%, and becomes the first drug to demonstrate this effect in a controlled clinical trial. Earlier this year, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer presented data which showed that its glutamate (NMDA) antagonist Rilutek (riluzole) provided a modest survival extension in these patients, but no effect on muscle function was reported (Marketletter April 10).

ALS afflicts an estimated 30,000 people in the USA, and in 1991 was designated an Orphan Drug. Cephalon will have seven years' exclusivity from the launch date of the drug (providing its sales do not go beyond a certain level).