MS drug improves walking ability 35%

The USA's Acorda Therapeutics has published Phase III trial data showing  that those multiple sclerosis patients taking Fampridine-SR  (4-aminopyridine) had a consistent improvement in walking speed compared  to those receiving placebo (35% versus 8%; p<0.0001), in The Lancet.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 301 individuals aged  between 18 and 70 years with a definite diagnosis of MS and some degree  of walking disability. Subjects were randomized to 14 weeks of treatment  with Fampridine (n=229) or placebo (n=72) at a 3:1 ratio.

A significantly-greater proportion of patients taking Fampridine were  classified as Timed Walk Responders, defined as subjects with an  increase in walking speed in at least three of the four on-drug clinical  visits compared to the best walking speed during five off-drug visits,  as measured by the Timed 25-Foot Walk. The average increase in walking  speed over the 14-week treatment period compared to baseline was 25.2%  for the drug group vs 4.7% for the placebo group.