It is a good conference.
Some comments about the Tovaxin results. The press is calling the results of the Phase IIb trials disappointing and a failure.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/...ap5448876.html
Quote:
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Opexa Therapeutics Inc. said Friday its lead drug candidate aimed at treating multiple sclerosis failed to meet its main goal in a midstage study, sending shares in a nosedive to an all-time low.
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Quote:
Still, Opexa said the results for Tovaxin showed a "positive trend" in reducing the annual relapse rate for multiple sclerosis patients, compared with placebo. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder that results in physical and neurological damage.
The company partially blamed the results on a higher number of brain lesions seen in Tovaxin patients before they started treatment, as compared with those on placebo, meaning they were more difficult to treat from the start of the study.
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That's just one of the articles, they are all basically the same. I still don't know which group I was in so my comments are purely speculation. Having 2-3 less exacerbations a year is huge for me 1) less steroids; 2) less time away from my job 3) less harm done to my body, etc...
Other favorable factors about Tovaxin is 5 vaccinations a year and virtually NO side effects. There were no adverse reactions.
If you listen to the webcast, if it's still available, the presenters are still positive about the future. They have to be, but there are positives about this trial.
One of the comments that was made was that the majority of the patients in the trial sought out the trial. They were not referred to the trial by their doctors, they heard about it online or from other patients or did their own research and contacted sites that were close to where they lived. The protocol was not an ordinary one in that most patients were accepted with an EDSS score up to 5.5, dx'd up to 10 years, had to have had one relapse in the last year, CIS or RRMS.
I am not trying to justify these results just adding comments from my perspective. Anyone who knows my track record knows that I have not had the usual course of MS (is there such an animal?). I also don't have the heavy lesion load that the majority of the trial patients have. I have a light lesion load but have a lot of exacerbations with no new lesions since dx. Although I have no idea what my MRIs look like since entering the trial in Jan of 2007.
My last vaccine was 9/21/2007. I had one exacerbation end of July 2007, one Dec of 2007, and one April of 2008. The July and April ones were treated with IVSM. The December one was not as it was determined that one was sinus infection induced and would terminate on its own once the sinus infection was cleared up, which it did.
Other than having to change meds for spasticity and increased neuropathic pain, I have been fairly stable. Except for the fatique. Can't seem to get a handle on that. But who can?
Now I am waiting for a positive result in MRTCs blood test so I can continue in the OLETERMS arm of the study which is the open label study. My next blood draw is scheduled for the 24th.
I am open to questions, if I can answer them. Nothing to hide at this point. Other than I don't know which group I was in.