New drug shows positive results for MS patients

A new drug has been found to slow the progression of disability in people who are living with multiple sclerosis.

Alemtuzumab has also been found to reduce the rate of relapse for people living with the condition over a five-year period, according to the MS Society.

The findings come from a three-year clinical trial that observed the effects of the drug on 334 patients with multiple sclerosis.

A report on the results claimed that 90 per cent of people who took the drug were free of accumulated disability, a 15 per cent improvement on the performance of existing treatment beta-interferon 1a.

Alemtuzumab has now entered phase three clinical trials, the last stage of the process required to obtain a medical licence for UK distribution.

The MS Society recently warned that benefits for people with multiple sclerosis could be cut over the next five years, as part of the government's new plans to reduce public spending. 

Read about Barchester expertise in offering multiple sclerosis support.