WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Yet some other orally taken medication shows some assurance in preventing relapse and disability because people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, a unaccustomed report suggests.

In the new study, laquinimod reduced the anniversary relapse rate by 23 percent, and incompetence progression by 36 percent.

"We build that laquinimod, as compared with placebo, reduced the reckon of relapse and slowed the passage of disability in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis," the European researchers, led through Dr. Giancarlo Comi of the Institute of Experimental Neurology in Milan, wrote.

The study, which was funded by the drug's manufacturer, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, was published in the March 15 outcome of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a ail that damages the outside of fortify fibers in the central nervous universe, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The brain, vertebral column and optic nerves make up the central of the nerves system. Symptoms of the disease can include fatigue, numbness in the limbs, surplus and coordination problems, bladder or bowel dysfunction, supernatural appearance problems, pain and even paralysis, according to the the community.

Most patients -- about 85 percent -- regard a form of MS that's called relapsing-remitting, the society has reported. That means that folks have periods where the disease is real active, and at other times the ail remits. During these periods of absolution, there may be complete or limited recovery of function, and the infirmity doesn't progress during remission, according to the the world.

All of the more than 1,100 folks included in the current study had relapsing-remitting MS; the volunteers came from 139 sites in 24 countries. They were randomly assigned to tolerate a laquinimod pill or an fabian placebo once daily for 24 months.

The anniversary relapse rate for those on the lively drug was 0.30 compared to 0.39 concerning those on a placebo, a diminution in relapse of 23 percent notwithstanding those on the medication. During the study, 63 percent of those put ~ the drug remained relapse-free compared to 52 percent of those without interrupti~ placebo.

Just over 11 percent of those attractive laquinimod had confirmed disability progression compared to 15.7 percent of those adhering placebo, the researchers found.

The unsalable article was generally well-tolerated. The ~ly significant side effects appeared to exist urinary tract infections and a brief abnormality in liver function tests.

This isn't the foremost pill developed for MS. The leading was Gilenya, which was approved in 2010 in quest of the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. This remedy is currently under increased scrutiny in the United States and Europe because there have been 11 unexpected deaths in family taking the drug. Several other spoken medications are in development. One is called teriflunomide, and it's in addition for the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS; its manufacturer recently filed for approval in the United States and Europe. Before Gilenya was approved, MS medications had to have ~ing given by injection.

"This is meaningful inasmuch as it's a more convenient habitual method of taking medication. I don't reason it will differ significantly in vigor from other agents. The safety premises looks good now, but many shabby-frequency side effects only become plain [after a drug has been approved] in express-marketing trials," said Dr. Malcolm Gottesman, most eminent of the division of neurology, co-boss of neuroscience and director of the Winthrop Comprehensive MS Care Center at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y.

"Right since, it looks good. It looks like it works and is flowing to take," Gottesman said, adding that it's not going to be a groundbreaking change in treatment.

Timothy Coetzee, corypheus research officer for the MS society, said laquinimod works differently than the other pills and looks being of the cl~s who if it might have some protective effects that other drugs don't move, though more research is needed into that potential aspect.

He said it's not bright if laquinimod's modest effect without ceasing relapse rates is "clinically meaningful," that means, does it make a dissimilitude to someone living with MS? He reported that if the manufacturer files during the term of U.S. Food and drug Administration approval, "regulators are looking towards a clinically meaningful impact."

But, Coetzee added, "This study illustrates that there are oral agents becoming available ~ the sake of people with MS. And, it brings faith that we will have a nearest generation of agents, and that we be possible to hopefully stop the progression of MS."

More knowledge of facts

Learn more about multiple sclerosis from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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