MS treatment expected to be available here next year

THE MS treatment known as Tysabri, which is expected to generate €1 billion in annual sales for Elan, is expected to be available in Ireland late next year.

Tysabri, developed by Elan and Biogen Idec Inc and formerly called Antegren, produced a 66% reduction in relapse rates among patients in trials - significantly more than existing treatments.

Industry analysts at Morgan Stanley predicted Tysabri would pose a significant competitive threat to existing treatments, after the US Food and Drug Administration approved the medicine early yesterday morning.

ABN AMRO estimated that some 30% of patients, who were not achieving satisfactory results with other medications, could be switched to the new drug. There are 6,000 people being treated for MS in Ireland.

Tysabri has also proved effective when given in combination with older beta-interferon treatments, although analysts noted that combining the drugs could push treatment costs up to well over $30,000 per patient a year, potentially pushing it out of reach for some.

The approval by the FDA was widely expected, and the move clears the way for the launch of a drug that is pivotal to Elan’s future.

Elan is counting on Tysabri to help it recover from a host of problems, including a brush with bankruptcy in 2002.

US-based Biogen, meanwhile, is hoping the drug will take over from its established MS drug Avonex, which has faced competition from Serono’s Rebif.