Ampyra, the first new drug introduced in six years for the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In some patients, the oral medication has been shown to improve walking speed. Clinical trials conducted by manufacturer Acorda Therapeutics found that some patients with different types of multiple sclerosis found the drug helpful.
The active ingredient in Ampyra, researchers said, is a sustained-release formula of 4-aminopyridine, which blocks tiny pores on the surface of nerve fibers. This blocking ability may improve the transmission of nerve signals in nerve fibers whose insulating myelin coating has been damaged by MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supported the first studies of the potassium-blocking drug.
Ampyra should be available in March. Though it has been approved for patients with any type of MS, the FDA’s approval comes with a warning that the drug should not be taken by anyone with a history of seizures or by those with moderate to severe kidney problems.
In some patients, the oral medication has been shown to improve walking speed. Clinical trials conducted by manufacturer Acorda Therapeutics found that some patients with different types of multiple sclerosis found the drug helpful.
The active ingredient in Ampyra, researchers said, is a sustained-release formula of 4-aminopyridine, which blocks tiny pores on the surface of nerve fibers. This blocking ability may improve the transmission of nerve signals in nerve fibers whose insulating myelin coating has been damaged by MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supported the first studies of the potassium-blocking drug.
Ampyra should be available in March. Though it has been approved for patients with any type of MS, the FDA’s approval comes with a warning that the drug should not be taken by anyone with a history of seizures or by those with moderate to severe kidney problems.