Sanofi's Teriflunomide Significantly Cut Relapses of Multiple Sclerosis

Sanofi-Aventis SA’s experimental oral medicine teriflunomide significantly reduced the relapse rate in multiple sclerosis patients, meeting the goal of a late- stage study.

Patients taking the medicine had fewer relapses than those taking a placebo, the Paris-based company said today in an e- mailed statement. Data from the study will be presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, or Ectrims, conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Oct. 15, Sanofi said.

Novartis AG, based in Basel, Switzerland, has been in a race with Merck KGaA to sell the first pill to delay progression of MS. The neurological disease affects 2.5 million people worldwide, many of whom have trouble sticking with current therapies because they’re difficult to use or have side effects, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a New York-based patient group. Current treatments are injectable drugs led by Biogen Idec Inc.’s Avonex, Merck KGaA’s Rebif and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s Copaxone.

A U.S. regulatory advisory panel in June said Novartis’s Gilenia should be “generally recommended” as an initial treatment for MS. The Food and Drug Administration, which usually follows its panels’ recommendations, though isn’t required to do so, is scheduled to decide whether to approve Gilenia by September.

Merck KGaA, based in Darmstadt, Germany, said July 28 U.S. regulators granted its cladribine MS pill priority review, reducing to six months from 10 the time it will take the FDA to decide on approval.

To contact the reporter on this story: Carey Sargent in Geneva at csargent3@bloomberg.net

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