Genzyme drug shows improvement in MS patients

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Disease relapse rates and worsening of disability were low among patients taking a drug made by Genzyme for multiple sclerosis, the company said.

Genzyme, a division of French drug maker Sanofi, announced results of an extension study of the drug Lemtrada (alemtuzumab). The study was a follow-up to two other late-stage clinical studies of the drug, finding that relapse rates and sustained accumulation of disability remained low among patients who had previously received the drug.

"These findings are important because they suggest that the benefits of Lemtrada as observed in the phase-3 studies are maintained, even though most patients did not receive further dosing," Multiple Sclerosis Clinic of Central Texas director Edward Fox said, presenting the results at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego.