Fingolimod safety and efficacy confirmed

Fingolimod is the first approved oral drug in MS. However, given that it is a relatively new drug, there have been some concerns about its safety.

A recent publication by Professor Montalban and other MS experts from around the world reported on seven years of follow-up data on the safety and efficacy of fingolimod from an extension of a clinical trial with 250 people with relapsing remitting MS.

The results from this study showed that receiving fingolimod treatment for more than seven years is associated with a low disease inflammation, with no new safety concerns raised.

In the long-term, inflammatory disease remained low over time, as confirmed by the reduced number of relapses and new lesions shown on MRI.

Disability progression was also low during the extension study and the rate of brain shrinking (atrophy) was lower than what would be expected in untreated people with MS.

Overall, the safety findings were in line with the well-established safety profile of fingolimod seen in the previous trials. Fingolimod was well-tolerated and long-term fingolimod treatment was associated with low MRI and clinical signs of new inflammations.

Read the full article (external website – opens in a new window)