Daclizumab impresses in Ph II MS study

Biogen Idec and fellow USA-based PDL BioPharma say that data from an ongoing trial of the co-developed monoclonal antibody, daclizumab, indicate that the drug is effective against some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Specifically, the drug, in combination with interferon beta, reduced the number of enlarged gadolinium-contrast lesions in MS patients, compared with interferon beta alone, at week 24.

The study, known as CHOICE, has enrolled 230 patients with active MS at a range of clinical centers in the USA and Europe. Participants, who were all treated with interferon beta, were randomized to receive either 2mg/kg of daclizumab every two weeks, 1mg/kg on a monthly basis, or placebo. The firms added that subjects would be assessed for a further 48-weeks after the initial treatment period to establish the product's safety and efficacy.