( ents he added. Data analysis surrou...)Copaxone Treatment over Two Years after Short Term Induction with,Mitoxantrone Provided Sustained Benefits to Active,Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients,Health

Data analysis surrounding the mode of action of this novel treatment strategy was also presented at the AAN, in which researchers attributed the benefit of the combination of therapies to the combined anti-inflammatory effect of COPAXONE(R) and mitoxantrone.

"These data shed new light on the concept of treating MS by first suppressing the auto-aggressive immune system with an immunosuppressant, and then favorably modifying its activity with an immunomodulator such as COPAXONE(R)," said Amit Bar-Or, M.D., FRCPC, assistant professor, Director of the Experimental Therapeutics at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) and primary investigator of the immunological study.

About the Analyses

The analysis, Reductions in MRI Disease Activity and Relapse Rates Observed after Induction of Short-term Immunosuppression with Mitoxantrone Followed by Long-term Glatiramer Acetate (GA) Are Maintained at 24 Months in Patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS), determined that the increased efficacy and the safety observed at 15 months with COPAXONE(R) after brief mitoxantrone therapy was maintained with continued COPAXONE(R) at 24 months. The original study included RRMS patients (n=40), ages 18-55, who had at least one Gd-enhancing lesion at the time of the screening MRI and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of <= 6.5. Brain MRIs were performed at screening and months six, nine, 12 and 15.

The abstract is accessible online at: http://www.abstracts2view.com/aan2007boston/view.php?nu=AAN07L_P06.096 &terms. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Patients were randomized to receive 3 monthly intravenous (IV) infusions of mitoxantrone (36 mg/m(2) total) followed by a 2-week washout, then COPAXONE(R) 20 mg/d for 12.5 months (n=21) or COPAXONE(R) 20 mg/d alone (n=19) for 15 months.

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