Horizon scanning:Natalizumab (Tysabri) filed for approval in EU and US for first-line use in multiple sclerosis

Source: Reuters Health News Area: News Natalizumab (Tysabri) has been filed for approval in the EU and US for the first-line treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis in patients who have tested negative for antibodies to the JC virus.   Use of this drug has been restricted due to its association with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is caused by the JC virus. There is now a test for the virus to predict if patients are at risk of developing PML, which Biogen and Elan hope will open the possibility that natalizumab could be used more widely and at an earlier stage of treatment.
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news