Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), is new drug developed for treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) reduces the relapse rates. Recently, Samuel F. Hunter, MD, PhD, President of the Advanced Neurosciences Institute in Franklin, Tennessee, presented a paper at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers in Indianapolis, Indiana on outcomes in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis treated with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab).
Rebif (interferon beta-1a) is the standard drug prescribed for MS. REBIF (interferon beta-1a) is a purified 166 amino acid glycoprote in with a molecular weight of approximately 22,500 daltons. It is produced by recombinant DNA technology using genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells into which the human interferon beta gene has been introduced.But Lemtrada demonstrated the reduction in relapse rates over 2 years. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in November 2014 after two large, phase III clinical trials.
Lemtrada was the first drug that was tested head-to-head with interferon beta-1a, which is the standard treatment. In the 2 trials that were done, it was very clear that Lemtrada was much more effective than interferon beta-1a.
Hunter said. "It cleans the immune system up, both the B and T cells. Transiently, it removes a lot of these cells and lets the immune system reconstitute. No one knows how it can make MS better yet, but the immune system is different” He conducted a phase I nonrandomized open label study of 60 patients, using them as their own control. Most patients who switched to Lemtrada had been on the injectible drugs interferon beta-1a or Copaxone. He said most patients stayed stable for up to 2 years after one treatment and then got even better with more treatments.
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