Roche MS Pill Cuts Relapses But Safety Questions Persist

Roche Holding AG’s experimental multiple sclerosis pill roughly halved the number of disease relapses in two key late-stage studies, but more patients died while on the medicine, perpetuating safety concerns.

Patients taking fenebrutinib suffered a relapse roughly every 17 years compared to an older treatment, according to data presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Chicago. Seven volunteers died during the study’s reporting period and another one later, Roche said. By comparison, there was one death in the trial’s control arm.