Teva to Present Pipeline Data on MS Treatments at Ongoing AAN Annual Meeting

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., announced that new data on four of its products, including an approved and a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis, will be presented at the 68^th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), running through April 21 in Vancouver, Canada.

The data, to be given in multiple posters and three platform presentations, will cover the products:

• Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection), a synthetic protein that simulates myelin basic protein, a component of the myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This drug seems to block myelin-damaging T-cells, although the mechanism is not completely understood. Copaxone is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS).
• Laquinimod, an experimental immunomodulator being developed for relapsing and progressive forms of MS.
• SD-809 (deutetrabenazine), a small molecule inhibitor of vesicular monoamine 2 transporter, or VMAT2, that is designed to regulate the levels of a specific neurotransmitter in the brain called dopamine. It is being developed for chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, and for tics associated with Tourette syndrome.
• TEV-48125, an investigational anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibody, being developed for the prevention of chronic and high-frequency migraines (migraine with headaches on at least 15 days per month).

According to a press release, specific Teva-sponsored data to be presented include:

Copaxone:

• Davis, N. Ashtamker, J. Steinerman, V. Knappertz [S51.006] “Time course of glatiramer acetate efficacy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients in the Glatiramer Acetate Low-frequency Administration (GALA) study.” (Session 51, April 21, 2016, 4:45 to 5:00 p.m.)
• J. Zagmutt, Y. Wu, A. Grinspan, S. Kolodny, S. Gandhi [P6.177] “Is Severity Of Adverse Events Affected By The Dose And Frequency Of Glatiramer Acetate Treatment Of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis?” (Poster Session 6, April 21, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

Laquinimod:

• L. Volmer, G. Comi, L. Kappos, X. Montalban, G. Cutter, J. Steinerman, N. Sasson, T. Gorfine, V. Knappertz [P3.051] “Clinical Efficacy of Laquinimod 0.6 mg Once Daily in the Treatment of Worsening Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (Baseline EDSS >3)” (Poster Session 3, April 18, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
• Comi, T.L. Vollmer, L. Kappos, X. Montalban, N. Sasson, T. Gorfine, V. Knappertz [P3.069] “Laquinimod Disability Progression Effects Are Maintained with Increasingly Rigorous Confirmation Time Intervals” (Poster Session 3, April 18, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
• Comi, T.L. Volmer, F.D. Lublin, Y. Dadon, T. Gorfine, M.D. Davis, P.S. Sørensen, V. Knappertz [P3.087] “Long-Term Follow-Up of Laquinimod 0.6 mg in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis” (Poster Session 3, April 18, 2016. 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)

“Teva’s focus on innovation and our commitment to developing high-quality treatment options to meaningfully impact the patients’ lives is exemplified in the data we will present at the Academy meeting this year,” Michael Hayden, MD, PhD, president of Global R&D and chief scientific officer at Teva, said in the release. “We are excited to bring these data forward.”

For more information about the AAN Annual Meeting, which opened on April 15, please visit this link.