News

Fast Forward Think Tank Explores Personalized Medicine and the Translation of High-Tech Lab Discoveries to Improving Treatment of MS

Nov 09, 2009
How do we take the explosion of information coming from high-tech MS studies and ultimately develop simple lab tests that would enable a doctor to quickly diagnose MS and to predict which therapy would work best? Progress and roadblocks to this dream of “personalized medicine” for people with MS were themes of a Think Tank held by Fast Forward hosted by the David H. Murdock Research Institute at the North Caroline Research Campus in Kannapolis.

Update on Tysabri and PML: Company Releases Details of Cases and Risks

Oct 29, 2009
According to information released yesterday by Biogen Idec, there have been 24 confirmed cases of PML among people who have used Tysabri after it became available for prescription in July 2006. Some details about the 24 cases are provided.

Panel Recommends that FDA Approve Fampridine-SR (proposed name Amaya) for Symptomatic Treatment of MS (UPDATED)

Oct 14, 2009
A U.S. FDA advisory committee today recommended that the agency approve marketing of Fampridine-SR (Acorda Therapeutics) for its ability to improve walking speed in people with any type of MS. While the FDA is not required to follow the recommendations of its advisory committees, it usually does.

Fast Forward Announces Collaborative Alliance with the Accelerated Cure Project, a National Nonprofit Organization, to Support ACP’s Tissue Repository Program

Sep 30, 2009
Nonprofits agree to work together to expand research infrastructure and encourage greater collaboration and data sharing in the MS research community.

Sponsor applies to FDA for approval of oral Cladribine for relapsing MS – approval would mean first oral disease-modifying therapy for MS (UPDATED)

Sep 30, 2009
EMD Serono has announced that it has applied to the FDA seeking approval to market cladribine as the first oral disease-modifying therapy for relapsing forms of MS. (UPDATED)