Medication question
 

Hi everyone

As I grapple with the different possibilities to replace Tysabri, a nursing friend of mine (who has MS and is also JCV+) mentioned Lemtrada (Alemtuzumab). Does anyone here have experience to share with this drug?

I would be grateful for any info.

From the Boston Globe, November 15, 2014:
Hope the link still works.
Quote
In reversal, FDA approves Genzyme’s bid to sell MS drug in US

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/11/14/fda-about-face-approves-genzyme-bid-sell-multiple-sclerosis-drug-lemtrada-united-states/As2bOUBROkvn0dL9fRi7JP/story.html

And the first patient..
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/201...le_sclero.html

And a Discussion forum..
http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/95...m?v=1417526644

I have only read one article on Lemtrada and it didn't sound too promising. There may be more reviews on it from people that it helped but I have not found those. The article I read is from 2013 so things may have changed.

Here is the article that I read:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-1...taff-says.html

Sure sounded good when I first heard about it - but that is probably just big pharma spin. Now I have read that one of the bad side effects can be immune thrombocytopenia - I already have this, and currently run on about half-to- one-third the lowest range of normal (70-80k as opposed to 150-400k platelets).

Will still discuss with my doc and see what he says.

Thanks for your input :)

My neuro wanted me to go on it right off the bat (first medication) since I have a seemingly rapidly progressing course of MS. I am in Canada, and it's been around for about a year I believe. They're seeing excellent results.

If we had insurance, I'd be on it right now. But it's not covered by our gov't (yet) and certainly isn't as a first line drug. I'm on Beta now and will go on to it if our health care decides to cover it (they think it will in a year or so) and if Beta doesn't seem to be helping much, I'll go on it.