EFN

Great news for multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers, the FDA has approved a new drug that helps improve walking speed. This is the first oral medication approved for MS. The manufacturers hope to have the pill available by March of 2010.

Clinical tests of the drug Ampyra revealed that those who were given the medicine had significantly faster walking speeds than those who received a placebo. The drug cannot slow the progress of the disease. Ampyra works to repair the damaged nerve signals that are often affected during an MS attack.

Several studies have been done to test the effectiveness of the drug and all resulted in positive results, prompting the FDA’s approval. In one test 35 percent of MS sufferers experienced faster walking speeds and in another 43 percent showed improvement.

The medicine is recommended to be taken twice a day at 10mg dosages. Acorda Therapeutics Inc. will be selling the pill in the US and Biogen will be handling distribution to the rest of the world.

MS is a neurological disease where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys nerve signals. About 2.5 million people around the world are currently living with MS and its symptoms, which generally include difficulty walking.