What Amaya is not

A disease modifying agent.

Well, no one claims it is; it may improve functioning (and certainly improves symptoms), but it is not a disease modifying drug (DMD).

Why do I bring this up?

At www.neurologique.org, we have had a lot of queries lately, such as "Amaya vs. Copaxone?"

The FDA approved the medications to reduce relapses (there is nothing in the package insert that states "disease modifying drug") and so the concept "disease modifying drugs" was invented by the marketing divisions of pharmaceutical companies to describe what, is probably correct -- that the medications change the course of the disease.

One could argue, however, that simply reducing the relapses may not be enough, that a medication should also prevent disability.

What about improving disability?

Isn't that what Amaya does?

- Dr. Daniel Kantor, MD BSE
Medical Director
Neurologique

info@neurologique.org
www.neurologique.org

To clarify, these are the medications approved for MS:

- Avonex (interferon beta-1a i.m.) .............. Biogen Idec

- Betaseron (interferon beta-1b s.c.) .............Bayer

- Copaxone (glatiramer acetate s.c.) .............Teva Neuroscience

- Extavia (interferon beta-1a s.c.) .............. ...Novartis

- Novantrone (mitoxantrone i.v.) ..................EMD Serono

- Rebif (interferon beta-1a s.c.) .....................EMD Serono

- Tysabri (natalizumab i.v.) ............................Biogen Idec and Elan