November 2, 2005
Tysabri Drug is Effective Against Crohn’s Disease
A multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri, that was pulled from the market for safety reasons has shown some effectiveness against the painful bowel disorder Crohn’s disease, researchers say.
Tysabri did not work very well against Crohn’s in a short-term study but brought some relief to patients who continued receiving the drug for a year.
The makers of Tysabri halted sales of the drug in February, months after it was approved for MS, because of fears it may be linked to a rare brain disease. Three patients getting Tysabri got the disease and two died.
Irish pharmaceutical company Elan Corp. PLC and Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen Idec Inc. recently said a safety review found no new confirmed cases of the brain disease in patients treated with Tysabri. They are seeking government approval to resume selling the drug, also called natalizumab.
An estimated 500,000 Americans are afflicted with Crohn’s disease. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. Symptoms include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea and fever. Drugs to control inflammation and suppress the immune system can bring some relief. Tysabri attaches to the immune cells and prevents them from reaching areas of inflammation.
In Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reported the results of two company-funded international studies of Tysabri for Crohn’s.
In the first test, 905 patients got three infusions of Tysabri or a dummy infusion over eight weeks. The two groups had similar rates of response and remission.
In the second study, 339 patients from the first test who had improved with Tysabri were given either the drug or a dummy infusion every four weeks for a year. Those who got the Tysabri had higher rates of sustained response (61 percent vs. 28 percent) and remission (44 percent vs. 26 percent).
Elan’s Dr. Lars Ekman said the drug has now been tested in 1,500 Crohn’s patients, including those in another yet-unreleased positive trial.
“We remain very confident that Tysabri will be made available over time as a treatment alternative in Crohn’s,” he said.
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Daniel Podolsky of Massachusetts General Hospital said not enough is known yet about Tysabri’s effectiveness against Crohn’s to determine whether the drug is worth the risks.
Dr. Ellen J. Scherl of Weill Medical College of Cornell University, who had patients in the first study, said the research identified some types of patients who may benefit most from Tysabri.
“It would be a loss for us not to have this as an option for patients,” she said.
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Orikinla Osinachi
11/03/2005 at 11:51 am
We thank God.
There will be a cure for Crohn’s disease in herbal therapies in Nigeria.
We have a certain kind of herb that cures abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Ken
11/03/2005 at 12:57 pm
Please tell us more.
I have a brother and cousin who suffer from Crohn’s disease and any bit of hope I can give them his helpful.
erin
11/03/2005 at 1:08 pm
thanks for brigning up this topic ken
Orikinla Osinachi
11/03/2005 at 2:57 pm
Here, contact
Dr. Paul Olisa Ojeih, Medical Director
Iris Medical Foundation.
22, Ijaiye Road, Ogba. Lagos Lagos State. Phone Numbers: [+2341] 4705492, 4923189. Email: dr.ojeih@hyperia.com …
Ken
11/04/2005 at 12:08 pm
thank you Orikinla.
Orikinla Osinachi
11/04/2005 at 1:59 pm
If you have having any problems reaching Dr.Ojeih, let me know.
God bless.
Tammi
11/11/2005 at 12:42 pm
I came across your blog in BlogExplosion, and I’m so happy I did. My brother-in-law suffers terribly from Chron’s Disease. I’ll send him here.
Orikinla Osinachi
11/11/2005 at 1:55 pm
Ken,
If you have contacted Dr. Paul Ojeih, let me know.
God bless.
Jason Lamountain
11/20/2005 at 3:06 pm
hi, im kens cousin with chrons and it is very painfull anything that can help is allways good thanks ken for the good work
Ken Savage
11/20/2005 at 5:47 pm
Thanks Jason. I started to look up things about Chron’s and got me to write about it more and share some info for people who did have it.
Tina
11/01/2007 at 3:53 am
Please I need Dr. Paul olisa Ojeih’s mobil phone number and his email/website address. I can’t get through with the one you supply previously and am not in Lagos I would have gone to the office.
enock
06/09/2009 at 6:10 pm
Paul olisa Ojeih is a charlatan. A dangerous quack. He’s one of those nuts that claims he can cure aids with root juice, and says that all drug companies are phonies and the drugs are useless.
Before risking your life with this dangerous nut case, do some research on the internet, you will find plenty.
search with google, the following words iris ojeih fraud
NAIJA BOY
07/31/2009 at 2:23 am
PEOPLE DONT BE FOOLED OOOO, DR PAUL OLISA OF IRIS MEDICAL FOUNDATION CANT CURE ANYTHING, HE IS A BUSINESS MAN, WHO IS JUST USING PEOPLE’ MONEY TO LIVE, IF I LIE GO TO HIS CLINIC AND ASK THEM TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT WILL COST YOU TO RECEIVE TREATMENT, I SWEAR YOU WILL SPEND UPTO 5000 US DOLLARS AND STILL NOT GET A CURE…. I AM A VICTIM I KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING, IT IS A LEGIT SCAM! MOST VICTIMS JUST DONT WANT TO COME AND SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE OF SHAME !
BEWARE OF IRIS MEDICAL FOUNDATION OOOOOOOOOOOOOO