Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc. (fka RCPIQ)

[Buddhahead]

Biogen, AbbVie drug slows MS episodes, safety issues recur in Reuters News, Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Jun 16, 2014

Excerpts:
"(Reuters) - A drug approved to prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys significantly reduced relapses of multiple sclerosis in a late stage-trial sponsored by Biogen Idec and AbbVie Inc, but serious infections and potential liver toxicity continued to cloud the drug's future."

"Patients taking daclizumab, which is meant to tame the immune system by blocking a protein called the CD25 receptor, had 45 percent fewer annual relapses than those receiving Avonex. Moreover, patients taking daclizumab had 54 percent fewer new or enlarging brain and spinal lesions at week 96 of the study, compared to those taking Avonex, thereby meeting a secondary goal of the study.

The overall incidence of side effects was similar in both patient groups. But there was a two-fold higher incidence of serious infections among those taking daclizumab, at 4 percent, as well as a two-fold higher incidence of elevated liver enzymes - a potential marker for liver toxicity."

Article at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/16/us-biogen-abbvie-ms-idUSKBN0ER1KR20140616?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews