Merck invests 19m dollars in MS projects

Merck’s Serona division will provide $19 million (13.15 million pounds) in funding to multiple sclerosis (MS) research projects, it has announced.

The investment will support early stage clinical development schemes, academic institutions and individual researchers.

Fast Forward will work in partnership with the pharmaceutical company to support the projects, which aim to identify the most promising drug discovery and accelerate the medication development process to aid the condition.

Bernard Kirschbaum, executive vice-president of the global research and development division of Merck Serono, asserted he was pleased with the alliance as it would provide financial support along with years of experience within the field.

He commented: “Identification of innovative opportunities to change the MS treatment paradigm is a critical aspect of addressing this disease.”

Last month, the European Medicines Agency recommended the marketing authorisation for Raptiva, a treatment for adults with chronic plaque psoriasis who fail to respond to other systemic therapies, should be suspended.

Over the past five months, three virologically confirmed cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients treated with the drug had been reported.