COPAXONE SUMMARY
COPAXONE
COPAXONE® is the brand name for glatiramer acetate (formerly known as copolymer-1). Glatiramer acetate, the active ingredient of COPAXONE®, consists of the acetate salts of synthetic polypeptides, containing four naturally occurring amino acids: L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, L-tyrosine, and L-lysine with an average molar fraction of 0.141, 0.427, 0.095, and 0.338, respectively.
COPAXONE® Injection is indicated for reduction of the frequency of relapses in patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
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NEWS HIGHLIGHTSMedia Articles Related to Copaxone (Glatiramer)
Good News On Multiple Sclerosis And Pregnancy
Source: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials News From Medical News Today [2009.11.19]
There is good news for women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. A new study shows that pregnant women with multiple sclerosis are only slightly more likely to have cesarean deliveries and babies with a poor prenatal growth rate than women who do not have MS.
BrainStorm Stem Cell Therapy Technology Possesses Promising Potential For The Future Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis
Source: Multiple Sclerosis News From Medical News Today [2009.11.18]
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (OTCBB:BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, is pleased to announce that the company's therapeutic approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS and Parkinson's disease, was found to have a positive effect in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Mayo Clinic Neurologist Reports: "Thousands Of NMO Patients Are Misdiagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis"
Source: Multiple Sclerosis News From Medical News Today [2009.11.13]
Thousands of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) patients are potentially being misdiagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), according to Mayo Clinic Neurologist Sean Pittock, M.D., largely due to lack of awareness of NMO within the medical community. Dr. Pittock shared this finding with more than 50 of the world's leading doctors and medical researchers - from Harvard to Oxford - who gathered at the 2009 NMO Roundtable Conference, sponsored by the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation.
Teen Obesity Linked to Later Multiple Sclerosis (CME/CE)
Source: MedPage Today Neurology [2009.11.10]
Women who were obese at age 18 faced a doubling in risk for developing multiple sclerosis in later adulthood, researchers said.
Real-Time Observation Sheds New Light On Multiple Sclerosis
Source: Multiple Sclerosis News From Medical News Today [2009.11.06]
In diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cells of the immune system infiltrate the brain tissue, where they cause immense damage. For many years, it was an enigma as to how these cells can escape from the bloodstream. This is no trivial feat, given that specialized blood vessels act as a barrier between the nervous system and the bloodstream. Until now, tissue sections provided the sole evidence that the immune cells really do manage to reach the nerve cells.
Published Studies Related to Copaxone (Glatiramer)
Efficacy of treatment of MS with IFNbeta-1b or glatiramer acetate by monthly brain MRI in the BECOME study. [2009.06.09]
BACKGROUND: There are no published MRI studies comparing interferon beta 1b (IFNbeta-1b) and glatiramer acetate (GA) for treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of IFNbeta-1b and GA for suppression of MS disease activity as evidenced on frequent brain MRI... CONCLUSION: Patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis randomized to interferon beta 1b or glatiramer acetate showed similar MRI and clinical activity.
[Long-term effects of glatiramer acetate in multiple sclerosis] [2008.11]
INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic progressive neurological disorder. For this reason, the clinician needs to have access to treatments that are effective and well-tolerated over decades. However, in the absence of long-term controlled clinical trials, it is difficult to assess the long-term benefit provided by currently available immunomodulatory treatments. The objective of this report is to review the strengths and limitations of available long-term data obtained in different phases of the randomized phase III clinical trial with glatiramer acetate collected over a 10-year period in particular... CONCLUSIONS: The information collected from prospective long-term follow-up of patients treated with glatiramer acetate extending out to 10 years provide clear evidence for the long-term efficacy and adequate safety of this immunomodulatory treatment in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis over a period of at least 10 years.
Comparison of subcutaneous interferon beta-1a with glatiramer acetate in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (the REbif vs Glatiramer Acetate in Relapsing MS Disease [REGARD] study): a multicentre, randomised, parallel, open-label trial. [2008.10]
BACKGROUND: Interferon beta-1a and glatiramer acetate are commonly prescribed for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but no published randomised trials have directly compared these two drugs. Our aim in the REGARD (REbif vs Glatiramer Acetate in Relapsing MS Disease) study was to compare interferon beta-1a with glatiramer acetate in patients with RRMS... INTERPRETATION: There was no significant difference between interferon beta-1a and glatiramer acetate in the primary outcome. The ability to predict clinical superiority on the basis of results from previous studies might be limited by a trial population with low disease activity, which is an important consideration for ongoing and future trials in patients with RRMS.
Glatiramer acetate after mitoxantrone induction improves MRI markers of lesion volume and permanent tissue injury in MS. [2008.10]
BACKGROUND : Glatiramer acetate (GA) therapy following brief, low-dose induction with mitoxantrone was safe and more effective than GA alone in suppressing inflammatory disease activity, as determined by a significant reduction in gadolinium (Gd)- enhancing MRI lesions, in a 15- month, randomized, single-blind study of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients...
Impact of warm compresses on local injection-site reactions with self-administered glatiramer acetate. [2008.08]
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) report a number of adverse events related to immunomodulator injections, including local injection-site reactions (LISRs). Reactions characterized by pain, swelling, redness, or inflammation have been experienced by patients who self-inject glatiramer acetate, interferon beta-1b, or interferon beta-1a...
Clinical Trials Related to Copaxone (Glatiramer)
Effects of Copaxone in the Retinal Function in Diabetic Patients After Panphotocoagulation [Active, not recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Copaxone injections in retinal
function and integrity in diabetic patients who underwent pan-retinal photocoagulation.
Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis With Copaxone and Albuterol [Active, not recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) alone
compared to Copaxone plus albuterol in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Certain white blood
cells of the immune system become abnormally active and mistakenly attack the myelin of nerve
fibers. Myelin is a fatty sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and insulates the nerve like
insulation around an electrical wire. Without proper myelin insulation, messages sent between
the brain and other parts of the body may be confused or fail completely. Damage to myelin
causes the symptoms of MS. The most common form of MS is known as relapsing-remitting (RR),
where partial or total recovery occurs after attacks. Four therapies are currently approved
for the treatment of MS. These therapies, however, are only moderately effective and can
cause undesirable side effects. For this reason, there is a need to find new therapies that
have minimal side effects and may stop the disease from getting worse.
A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Novantrone Therapy Followed by Copaxone Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. [Completed]
It is thought that treating multiple sclerosis with Novantrone for a short period of time
prior to treatment with Copaxone may enhance the onset effect of Copaxone.
CopaxoneŽ Study to Follow Patients From the First Original Study for Safety and Effectiveness. [Active, not recruiting]
A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Novantrone Therapy Followed by Copaxone Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis [Completed]
It is thought that treating Multiple Sclerosis with Novantrone for a short period of time
prior to treatment with Copaxone may enhance the onset effect of Copaxone.
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PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTSBased on a total of 1 ratings/reviews, Copaxone has an overall score of 9. The effectiveness score is 8 and the side effect score is 8. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst.
| | Copaxone review by 49 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |   |
| Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis |
| Dosage & duration: | | 20 mg taken every day for the period of 7 years |
| Other conditions: | | osteoporosis, migraine headache, spastic bladder |
| Other drugs taken: | | Ditropan 15 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | It reduces the frequency of episodes of relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis. |
| Side effects: | | The most common side effects are reactions at the injection site, which I have had, especially at the beginning of treatment. These are redness, a lump or firmness, soreness, or itching at the site of injection. Once I developed a permanent depression at an injection site, which is caused by a localized destruction of fat tissue. Some patients (I never have) develop a short term reaction experienced immediately after injecting this medicine. This reaction includes a feeling of warmth and/or redness known as flushing, chest tightness or pain with heart palpatations, anxiety, and trouble breathing. These symptoms may last a few minutes then go away by themselves without any further problems. Each package of Copaxone contains a complete list of possible side effects, or you may obtain this list from your doctor or pharmacist. |
| Comments: | | Each single use blister pack of Copaxone contains one prefilled syringe containing 20 mg of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) which the patient self administers subcutaneously, in the fatty layer of skin, once a day. It is important to rotate injection sites daily. |
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Page last updated: 2009-11-19
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