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September 02, 2005Doctors to Test Stroke Drug [Ketas® (ibudilast)] for MS
A medication currently available in Southeast Asia to treat asthma and vascular disorders in the brain is now undergoing clinical testing as a possible therapy for multiple sclerosis. The drug is known as Ketas® (ibudilast) in Japan and Korea. But it uses a code name, MN-166, in its current clinical scrutiny as a possible MS treatment.
A Promising MS Drug? The trials—the latest is a Phase 2 study that just completed patient recruitment—are sponsored by the drug's manufacturer, San Diego-based MediciNova. "MN-166 may present a significant advance in the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS," said Richard Gammans, PhD, the company's Chief Development Officer. "It has a proven record of safety and tolerability, and has the major advantage of oral dosing." The drug works by inhibiting phosphodiesterase IV (PDE4), an enzyme that blocks the activity of a hormone in the body that mediates some cellular functions.1 In the case of MS, inhibiting PDE4 increases levels of this hormone, which results in decreased inflammation. Inflammation is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis. In the central nervous system where damage occurs as a result of the disease, inflammation is a common side effect.2 MediciNova has not stated when it expects the Phase 2 trial to conclude.MS Neighborhood |