Not heard of this before, just came across it… just looking into it now. Thoughts anyone?
(Personally i dont trust myself with tablets… far too forgetful!)
Hi, just googled bg12. It`s a trial for reducing RRMS attacks. Sounds like it has a decent result. Side effects include diarrohea, flushing and stomach pain. You need to take tablets 2/3 times a day.
Have you been offered it?
luv Pollx
Pop BG12 in the search at http://multiple-sclerosis-research.blogspot.co.uk/ and you will find stacks of reliable information. It doesn’t seem to include death as a side effect, which is quite a good start for a treatment.
Lol…
No not been offered it, and yeah Id def agree that the non inclusion of ‘death’ is a fantastic start. Side effects domnt sound too hot tho… but to be fair they never are though are they… generally a pick of the lesser evils!
I am interested in this also.
I would like to know if it will be a drug taken with the dmd’s or instead of them?
Will it be another drug for highly active ms or for everyone with rrms?
The trial stage has finished i think so if it gets a licence it could be available in the next 12 months. There are other new oral therapies on the horizon as well.
I know it has been a treatment used for psoriasis. The info i have managed to get does not answer my questions so i would also be interested in any replies you get.
Best wishes
Teresa.x
Hi By the look of it the drug would be In place of- made by the company who makes tysabri. In a phase 3 trial, will be a while before license. Mike
Hi all,
BG-12 is a fumerate ester that has been used for many years to treat psoriasis as Teresa says. It has been submitted for licence as an oral treatment (2 or 3 times a day) for RRMS. As it has been around for a long time the safety profile is good with side effects more irritating than life threatening. It is very exciting. It works in a different way to typical DMDs (i.e. is not immunosuppressive) and is believed to be neuroprotective. It has been more effective than injectible DMDs at reducing relapses (c. 50% vs c. 30%). It has also had positive results in reducing new lesions, GD+ lesions etc and preventing disability progression. It works via a molecule called NrF2 which, in laymans terms, has anti-oxidant properties that protects against damage. Although it has primarily been trialled for RRMS its mode of action has lead to a belief it may be effective for progressive MS also. I believe it is likely to be licensed towards the end of the year but it still has to get past NICE before anyone can get it without coughing up large sums…
Other oral drugs in the piplline are cladribine, laquinimod and terifluomide but none were as affective at reducing the ARR or disability protection as BG 12.
Best,
James
Thanks for this info - and to James for the ‘science bit’. Good to hear there might be something for the SPMS’ers - as so far there is nothing.
F.
Thanks for that James.
Cladribine is not however in the pipeline any more as they have pulled the plug on it as they couldn’t get a licence in this country. I think it may be available elsewhere though as i have read about it here on the forum.
Thanks for the info.
best wishes
Teresa. x
Hi,
I will be going on BG12 later this year as soon as it is available uder a Patient Famialiarisation Programme here in Australia. I was one of the very few people world wide that was on Cladribine as it was initially approved here but about a month after the approved cohort of 150 people started it Merck pulled it world wide after the FDA and the EU refused to approve it. Bl**dy furious as I was half way through the 2 year treatment programme and it was the ony drug that hadn’t given me any side effects. However…
But BG12 looks very promising and has an extremely promising efficacy rate so far in the trials at reducing the number of relpses and at slowing progression. The side effects are pretty minimal and like Whammel, I find the fact that death is not listed is a refreshing change
Loads of info here and all reliable
I’ll let you know how I find it when I start it as I will probably be one of the early birds on this one…
Belinda
Hi Belinda
I would be interested in how you get on. I was interested in cladribine and was gutted when it was dropped.
I am not interested in fingolimod.(excuse my spelling!)
I am on rebif but would welcome an oral drug. I am hoping i meet the criteria for BG12 but as yet i don’t know what that will be or when it will be!
Belinda - have you been on avonex/rebif/copaxone before cladribine?
Thanks for the info
Teresa.x
Hi Theresa,
I was pretty gutted too when they stopped the Cladribine too. It was the first drug that actually worked for me. Since I had the dose a year ago I have not had a relpase this last 12 months which is the longest I have been relpase free. I should have been having my second dose now so I’m pretty devaststed I can’t have it 
I was on Copaxone originally but was allergic to it. I was getting welts the size of dinner plates and about 4cms high and blazing red hot. Each welt was lasting over a week so you can imagine what I was like. Then I ws put on Betaferon and after two doses I had an anaphylacgtic reaction with hives and swollen throat so then I was tried on a half dose of Avonex and within an hour I had come out in hives and my throat was swelling up so that was a no go. We didn’t even bother with Rebif given it is also an Interferon.
I went back on Copaxone out of desperation and this time I had an anaphylactic reaction to that too. So then I was on nothing at all as I don’t meet the MRI criteria for Tysabri. So you can imagine my excitement when Cladribine came out 
I can’t take Fingolimod because of the possible side effect of bradychardia and I have a history of bradychardia anyway so that is just too risky. Can’t wait for BG12… I don’t know what the criteria will be for most people but I know in my case I will be given it as soon as it is available because I can’t take other drugs. I know there is talk around the traps that it should be made a first line drug because of its effecacy and the fact that most people tolerate it so well but we’ll have to wait and see.
Cheers,
Belinda
Thanks Belinda. I have sent you a pm.
Teresa. x