Teva's Copaxone approved in UK

Teva Pharmaceuticals of Israel's multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone(glatiramer acetate) has finally been approved for marketing in the UK, where it becomes the first alternative to interferon beta-based therapy, after a review period of more than three years.

The prospects for the drug in the UK remain unclear, however, given the preliminary decision by the country's National Institute of Clinical Excellence to recommend that both interferon-based MS therapy and Copaxone should not be available under the National Health Service (Marketletter June 26). A final decision on the matter is expected soon.

EU roll-out