Athena Starts MS Trials In UK

- Athena Neurosciences has been granted approval by the UK Medicines Control Agency to begin a Phase II study of Antegren, an antibody directed against the alpha-4-beta-1 integrin receptor, which may be a potential new treatment for multiple sclerosis. The double-blind study will enroll 80 patients and look at the effect of Antegren on inflammatory MS lesions using magnetic resonance imaging. Athena has shown that blocking the integrin receptor prevents leukocytes migrating into the brain, and can reverse paralysis and reduce myelin destruction in an animal model of MS (experimental allergic encephalomyelitis).