Biogen Idec Moves Regenerative Medicine Drug into Human Trials

The first patients were dosed in a first-in-human study of an investigational drug that has the potential to reverse the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) by regenerating nerves. People with MS have an overactive immune system that eats away at the protective coating surrounding nerve fibers known as myelin, leading to disability. The drug, Biogen Idec's anti-LINGO-1 antibody, is designed to block a protein called LINGO-1 that interferes with the body's production of myelin.

Current MS therapies slow the progression of the disease, but none have been approved to repair the damage that the immune system inflicts on myelin. The anti-LINGO-1 antibody, called BIIB033, is the first investigational therapy to enter clinical trials that has been shown to regenerate myelin. This suggests that the anti-LINGO-1 antibody may be able to reverse some of the damage inflicted by MS and thus reverse disability progression, potentially offering an entirely new approach to treating MS.

MS is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system and affects more than 400,000 people nationally. Common symptoms of MS include loss of balance, difficulty walking and memory loss. In this Phase 1 trial, the safety and tolerability of BIIB033 will be evaluated in 64 healthy adult volunteers. If you're interested in talking to the scientist who discovered the anti-LINGO-1 antibody, please call Kate Weiss at 617-914-1201.


Disclaimer
The industry news information and articles are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to represent any trends, partnerships, commitments, or research of the Consortium of MS Centers or any of it's members in any way whatsoever, nor should any party be libel in any way to the reader or to any other person, firm or corporation reading this industry news section. Although the CMSC site includes links providing direct access to other Internet sites, CMSC takes no responsibility for the content or information contained on those other sites, and does not exert any editorial or other control over those other sites. CMSC is providing information and services on the Internet as a benefit and service in furtherance of CMSC's nonprofit and tax-exempt status. CMSC makes no representations about the suitability of this information and these services for any purpose.

Date Created: February 5, 2010