New Drugs
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Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) is a new drug recently approved for the treatment of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
It is worth discussing as this is one of the newer oral medication options for the treatment of this type of MS.
A few years earlier the only options were injectables but this medication now allows a reasonable alternative with twice daily tablet form.
In studies it has been shown to bring down the relapse rate by approximately 50%. This compares well with the other injectables which have been shown in most studies to bring down the relapse rate by 30-40%.
Main side effects noted include GI side effects of flushing, cramping, and nausea but most patients were able to stay on the medications with good tolerability. A drop in the lymphocyte count by 30% was noted and should be monitored by your neurologist. If the absolute lymphocyte count drops below 500 then discontinuation may be required.
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