Pill power

New drug prevents relapse or deterioration of MS

Multiple sclerosis, the devastating neurological disease that causes problems with vision, muscle control, balance and memory, may be stopped in its tracks if a new drug delivers the promising results identified by researchers at Queen Mary, University of London. A few tablets of cladribine a day can cut the chances of relapse by 55 per cent. It also reduced the chance of MS worsening by 30 percent. What’s more, there are few side effects. If approved, this drug would be the first for MS that doesn’t require injections. Cladribine works by suppressing the immune system, which in the case of MS is responsible for damaging a person’s central nervous system.

Science Daily