Novartis committed to new therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) community
Recent advances in science are enabling new treatments with greater efficacy and more convenient delivery. Novartis is investing significant resources to deliver these treatments to patients with multiple sclerosis.
MS is a chronic autoimmune neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), associated with progressive loss of physical and cognitive function. Regardless of their degree of disability, patients experience a dramatic decline in the quality of their lives. MS can cause the loss of:
- muscle control and strength
- vision
- balance
- sensation (numbness)
- mental function
Over time, damage to the patient accumulates, leading to permanent nerve deterioration and loss of neurological function.
LINK: Learn about MS symptoms on the MS Society website
Multiple sclerosis remains an area of significant unmet medical need
The majority of people are diagnosed between ages 20 and 40.
Around 85% of MS patients have relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). In this form of the disease, patients’ symptoms flare up repeatedly and are followed by periods of remission. Current treatments for MS aim to manage acute attacks and modify the disease by reducing relapses and delaying progression. Many of these standard treatments require regular injections or infusions, but have been shown to have only a 30 to 35% effect on relapses versus placebo in two-year studies. The use of some therapies is also limited by safety constraints, and they are only used when other drugs have failed. This presents a clear unmet need in existing MS treatment.
"Novartis has been a leader in neuroscience for more than 50 years, and we are committed to providing new approaches to MS care and helping improve patient outcomes and quality of life," says Joe Jimenez, CEO of Novartis Pharma AG.
- In the US today, approximately 400,000 people have MS
- Worldwide, MS affects almost 2.5 million people
- Women are two to three times more likely to get MS
- About 50% of people with MS need a wheelchair within 20 years of developing MS
- There is no current cure for MS
Focused on delivering more effective and convenient medicines for MS patients, Novartis is exploring new ways of targeting the disease. The company has a number of products in development for MS, including one in late stage development.
By dedicating the necessary resources to bring new MS therapies to market, Novartis is committed to improving outcomes for patients with MS. These investments are paving the way for future launches from the company’s pipeline of innovative medicines for the MS community.
About Novartis
On March 7th, 1996 Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy, the two Swiss-based chemical/life sciences giants, became Novartis.
Research
Novartis is one of the industry`s biggest investors in research.
MedAdNews
Novartis has been named the "Most Admired Pharmaceutical Company"