Source Biopharmadive.com: With positive results from a mid-stage study in hand, Sanofi is pushing an experimental multiple sclerosis drug into an extensive late-stage research program comprised of four studies scheduled to begin in the middle of this year.
More details from the Phase 2b study will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting, according to Sanofi. In the meantime, the French pharma disclosed Thursday that its drug significantly reduced the number of new brain lesions seen in patients with recurring MS while also being well tolerated, with safety findings in-line with previous research.
Sanofi licensed the drug, which inhibits an enzyme known as BTK or Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, from Principia BioPharma in late 2017. While drugmakers have found success targeting BTK for cancer treatment, some have also been looking into its application in MS. Aside from Sanofi, Biogen and Merck KGaA have advanced BTK inhibitors into clinical trials of multiple sclerosis patients. Read on.