Copaxone/Zocor (glatiramer acetate/simvastatin) / Sanofi - LARVOL DELTA

An update on combination therapies for multiple sclerosis: where are we now? (PubMed, Expert Rev Neurother) - "Combination of two platform therapies (Interferon-beta or glatiramer acetate) was without additional effect. Clinical trials with add-on, often applying repurposed drugs (e.g. simvastatin, atorvastatin, minocycline, estriol, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, albuterol, vitamin D), have been negative, apart from monthly methylprednisolone that, however, had low tolerability...The results of combination of anti-inflammatory therapies have in general been disappointing. In the future, combination of new effective neuroprotective/remyelinating drugs and highly effective anti-inflammatory treatments may benefit people with MS."

Combination therapy • Journal • Review • CNS Disorders • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Immunology • Infectious Disease • Inflammatory Arthritis • Multiple Sclerosis • Oncology • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Rheumatology

[VIRTUAL] Modafinil as adjunct therapy for fatigue related depression (ASHP 2020) - "The patient is currently taking copaxone 20mg daily, escitalopram 20mg, gabapentin 300mg at bedtime, lisinopril 20mg daily, metoprolol 25mg daily, and simvastatin 20mg daily. Modafinil appears to have a greater effect on psychomotor retardation, ultimately benefiting fatigue and tiredness related to depression, and seems to be an augmenter of SSRIs. Modafinil seems to be an effective augmenting agent in patients with depression as it significantly decreased their HAM-D scores, however, evidence suggest that it may be beneficial as a short-term pharmacotherapy for fatigue related to depression rather than long-term."

Cardiovascular • CNS Disorders • Depression • Dyslipidemia • Excessive Daytime Sleepiness • Fatigue • Hypertension • Metabolic Disorders • Mood Disorders • Multiple Sclerosis • Narcolepsy • Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Psychiatry • Respiratory Diseases • Sleep Apnea • Sleep Disorder • Ventricular Tachycardia

Which Statin Will Lower Your Cholesterol? - "Lipitor (atorvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), and other statins can dramatically lower levels of artery-clogging cholesterol in the blood...Statins generally don't cause many side effects, but potentially the most common problem is muscle pain, stiffness, or weakness, which affects about 1% of study subjects but many more patients in the real world, because study subjects are carefully screened, says Eliot Brinton, MD...But the biggest risk with statins is not taking them. Only about half of all patients prescribed a statin end up reaching their cholesterol goals, mainly because far too many people leave far too many pills untouched."

Media quote

Genome-wide common and rare variant analysis provides novel insights into clozapine-associated neutropenia. (PubMed) - Mol Psychiatry - "We additionally provide independent replication of a previously identified variant in HLA-DQB1 (OR=15.6, P=0.015, positive predictive value=35.1%). These results implicate biological pathways through which clozapine may act to cause this serious adverse effect.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 12 July 2016; doi:10.1038/mp.2016.97."

Journal • Biosimilar • CNS Disorders • Schizophrenia

Predictive cytokine biomarkers of clinical response to glatiramer acetate therapy in multiple sclerosis. (PubMed) - J Neuroimmunol - "A high IL-18 level at baseline and a reduction of TNF-alpha over time are associated with a response to GA. Although the study identified predictive biomarkers of clinical response to GA, the results will need to be validated in other data sets."

Biomarker • Journal • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

A benefit-risk assessment model for statins using multicriteria decision analysis based on a discrete choice experiment in Korean patients. (PubMed) - Ther Clin Risk Manag - "A quantitative statin BRA model confirmed that the preference ranking of statins changed post approval because of the identification of additional benefits or risks."

Journal • Acute Coronary Syndrome • Biosimilar