Additional data from CARE-MS II trial of Lemtrada (Genzyme) in Multiple Sclerosis treatment

Genzyme report additional data from the Phase lll CARE-MS ll trial. Accumulation of disability was significantly slowed in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who were treated with Lemtrade (alemtuzumab) versus Rebif (high dose subcutaneous interferon beta-1a), as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), a standard assessment of physical disability progression. In addition, significant improvement in disability scores was observed in some patients treated with alemtuzumab from baseline and compared to patients treated with Rebif, suggesting a reversal of disability in these patients. In the trial, patients with pre-existing disability treated with alemtuzumab were more than twice as likely to experience a sustained reduction in disability than patients given Rebif. Genzyme is developing alemtuzumab in MS in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare.