Novartis announces presentation of data at AAN showing Gilenya® slowed the rate of brain volume loss in MS patients - Seite 2

About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain, optic nerve and spinal cord[14]. The evolution of MS results in an increasing loss of both physical (e.g. difficulty with walking) and cognitive (e.g. problems with mental tasks or memory) function[15]. This has a substantial negative impact on the approximately 2.3 million people worldwide affected by MS[16], a disease that begins in early adulthood, most often between the ages of 20 and 40[17].

The loss of physical and cognitive function is driven by two main types of damage that both contribute to widespread loss of neurons (nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that transmit impulses): discrete inflammatory lesions, focal damage, in the brain that can clinically manifest as relapses; and ongoing, more diffuse damage that starts early in the disease and causes the progressive loss of brain tissue, including neurons, and over time is associated with both physical and cognitive problems[18]-[20].

About Gilenya
Gilenya is the only oral disease modifying therapy (DMT) that works on four key measures of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity - relapses, MRI lesions, brain volume loss and disability progression[21]-[26].

Gilenya reduces both the distinct inflammatory lesions in the brain (focal damage) that can clinically manifest as relapses, and the ongoing, underlying damage in the brain (diffuse damage) that starts early in the disease[18]-[20],[27]-[29]. Diffuse damage often goes unnoticed, causes the loss of neurons and over time is associated with both physical and cognitive problems[18]-[20]. Gilenya's reduction of both focal and diffuse damage is due to its impact on the inflammatory process (peripheral action) and its ability to enter the CNS and impact from within the CNS (central action)[17]-[29]. It is by addressing both focal and diffuse damage that the course of MS can be effectively impacted, helping to preserve a patient's physical (e.g. difficulty with walking) and cognitive (e.g. problems with mental tasks or memory) function.

To date, more than 91,500 patients worldwide have been treated with Gilenya in both clinical trial and post-marketing setting[29]. 

About Novartis in Multiple Sclerosis
Novartis is committed to the research and development of new treatment options to offer the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, to meet patients' needs at every stage of disease with innovative and targeted drugs.