A Nasal Spray for Interferons in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment?

There is potential good news coming for users of Avonex, Betaseron and Rebif. Those interferon treatments need to be injected and, let's just go ahead and say it, nobody likes injections. Nerveda and Aegis Therapeutics announced that they have had successful preclinical results on a nasal spray to deliver the interferons.

The reason you simply can't have an pill for interferon treatment in multiple sclerosis is that this line of treatment relies on delicate protein molecules. Basically, protein molecules like to cling and bond to each other. If they do that too much, the immune system doens't react to them and produce the antibodies needed to reduce relaspe rates. A pill would be too unstable and too "bonded together" for it to be an effective interferon treatment.

A nasal spray would be a big deal. It's an effective (and much less painful) wau to deliver interferon treatment. Expect to see clinical trails starting soon.

Betaseron and Rebif have a combined annual sales of more than 4 billion dollars worldwide. Bringing all those people a new way to effectively take their medicine would be a huge benefit.

Must Read: More on my takes on Rebif, Betaseron and Avonex