FTY720 cuts MS damage in animal study

Preclinical data suggests that Novartis' developmental multiple sclerosis drug, FTY720 (fingolimod) reduces the neurodegradation characteristic of the disease, while enhancing the repair of damage caused to the central nervous system. The results, which are derived from rodent models of autoimmune encephalomyelitis, were presented at this year's meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research of Multiple sclerosis in Prague in the Czech Republic.

Novartis said that FTY720, which is already being examined in Phase III trials, is intended to treat relapsing-remitting forms of MS, which affects nearly 85% of sufferers. In the reported animal models, administration of the drug directly into the CNS significantly reduced disease severity without affecting the number of circulating lymphocytes, indicating that it has a direct rather than immunomodulatory impact.

Other studies presented at the meeting suggest that FTY720, via its interaction with the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor expressed on brain cells, increases the number, growth and survival of oligodendrocytes in cell culture. The firm speculated that this effect may help combat the demylination caused by MS, as oligodendrocytes are a key myelin producer.