GW Pharmaceuticals plc, of Porton Down, UK, received commercial approval for lead cannabinoid product Sativex in Italy for moderate to severe spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medications

Dalfampridine is the active ingredient in Ampyra extended-release tablets, currently approved for improving the walking ability in patients with multiple sclerosis

Antisense Therapeutics Ltd., of Victoria, Australia, said it inked a deal for contract research organization Pharmaron in China to conduct a chronic, six-month toxicology study to support a future Phase IIb trial of ATL1102, a drug targeting VLA-4, in multiple sclerosis patients

GW Pharmaceuticals plc, of Porton Down, UK, received commercial approval for lead cannabinoid product Sativex in Italy for moderate to severe spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medications

Antisense Therapeutics Ltd., of Victoria, Australia, said it inked a deal for contract research organization Pharmaron in China to conduct a chronic, six-month toxicology study to support a future Phase IIb trial of ATL1102, a drug targeting VLA-4, in multiple sclerosis patients

Merck KGgA, of Darmstadt, Germany, reported that a collaboration agreement between its subsidiary, EMD Serono Inc., and Pfizer Inc., of New York, inked in July 2002 for the co-promotion of multiple sclerosis drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) extends until Dec. 31, 2015, according to an appellate court ruling

Merck KGgA, of Darmstadt, Germany, reported that a collaboration agreement between its subsidiary, EMD Serono Inc., and Pfizer Inc., of New York, inked in July 2002 for the co-promotion of multiple sclerosis drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) extends until Dec. 31, 2015, according to an appellate court ruling

Omeros Corp., of Seattle, reported preclinical data showing that its GPR17-targeting compounds significantly improved function from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in a mouse model for studying the clinical and pareporhological features of multiple sclerosis

Canbex Therapeutics Ltd., of London, said it completed £2.1 million (US$3.2 million) fundraising round that will enable the firm to complete the early development of its lead compound for treating spasticity in multiple sclerosis

Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., a unit of Sanofi SA, said Argentina's National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology has approved once-daily, oral Aubagio (teriflunomide) 14 mg as a new treatment indicated for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis

plc's interest in Tysabri (natalizumab) and has gained full strategic, commercial and decision-making rights to the multiple sclerosis drug

GeNeuro SA, of Geneva, said it completed a Phase IIa study of GNbAC1, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting a human endogenous retrovirus, in multiple sclerosis

Elan and Biogen agreed last month for Biogen to buy all rights to the multiple sclerosis drug from Elan in a $3.25 billion deal that includes contingent payments

Elan and Biogen agreed last month for Biogen to buy all rights to the multiple sclerosis drug from Elan in a $3.25 billion deal that includes contingent payments. (See BioWorld Today, Feb. 13, 2013

Alkermes also recorded royalty revenues from several products, including $18.4 million for multiple sclerosis drug Ampyra/Fampyra (dalfampridine), $47.6 million from from long-acting atypical antipsychotic drugs Risperdal Consta (risperidone) and Invega Sustenna (paliperidone palmitate) and $5.3 million for diabetes drug Bydureon (exenatide once weekly

The agreement between Domain and Prexton (a spin-off company of Merck Serono, formed around its research and development portfolio in the field of Parkinson's disease) follows a strategic decision from Merck Serono to focus its research efforts on certain diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and immune-mediated diseases

The FDA accepted an application from Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., a unit of Sanofi SA, for review of its supplemental biologics license application for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) for relapsing multiple sclerosis...Genzyme also reported early launch results for Aubagio (teriflunomide) indicating that 80 percent of multiple sclerosis specialists in the U.S

The agreement between Domain and Prexton (a spin-off company of Merck Serono, formed around its research and development portfolio in the field of Parkinson's disease) follows a strategic decision from Merck Serono to focus its research efforts on certain diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and immune-mediated diseases

plc, of Dublin, Ireland, submitted applications to the FDA and European Medicines Agency requesting an expanded indication for first-line use of Tysabri (natalizumab) in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis that have tested negative for antibodies to the JC virus...Class B receptors are players in a range of disorders, including various types of cancer, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity, learning and memory impairments, neuropsychiatric disorders and metabolic disorders