( Preclinical Studies Suggest FTY720 Mec...)Data to be presented at AAN Meeting -Study results of drug,candidate for MS,Health

Preclinical Studies Suggest FTY720 Mechanisms in Multiple Sclerosis May Include Direct Activity in the Brain

· Preclinical studies suggest FTY720 stimulates cells that may help reduce neurodegeneration and enhance repair of the CNS affected by multiple sclerosis

· Separately, analyses from the six-month multiple sclerosis Phase II clinical study found that the proportion of patients with clinical depression was significantly lower in the FTY720 groups compared to placebo

· FTY720 is a novel oral drug currently in a worldwide Phase III clinical development program as a once-daily disease modifying therapy for relapsing MS

EAST HANOVER, NJ, May 3, 2007 - New preclinical data, presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting in Boston, reflect the expanding understanding of FTY720's (fingolimod) mechanism of action in multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting direct beneficial effects in the brain. The data suggest that FTY720 may have the potential to reduce neurodegeneration and enhance repair of the central nervous system (CNS) by modulating S1P receptors expressed on brain cells. Separately, new clinical data presented from the six-month Phase II study found that the proportion of patients with clinical depression was significantly lower in the FTY720 groups compared to placebo.

These new preclinical data add to a growing body of evidence that FTY720 has multiple, specific mechanisms of action. The ongoing Phase III clinical development program includes comprehensive monitoring to further understand the clinical and safety implications of these mechanisms of action.

MS is a progressive and debilitating disorder of the CNS that frequently affects young people, women twice as often as men. It is caused by the destruction of myelin, which helps neurons carry electrical signals in the brain. MS is the most common inflammatory and neurodege
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