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Good news! Norwegian govt funds Rituximab trial - possibly partial, amount not yet announced

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
Google Translate often translates numbers and currencies incorrectly - best to look at context and/or isolate the bit that's unclear and translate each word/group of words separately.

Thanku, Purple. I checked the original text, and have amended my previous post.
 

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
Here are some relevant web links (some already posted in this thread), in case helpful...

MEandYou statement (English text is halfway down the page):
http://mariasmetode.no/2013/06/forskningsradet-norwegian-research-council-today/

MEandYou Facebook homepage:
https://www.facebook.com/MEYOU.no

All the funding projects announced by the Norwegian Research Council:
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=no&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=no&ie=UTF-8&u=http://www.forskningsradet.no/prognett-kliniskforskning/Nyheter/Disse_far_midler_fra_Klinisk_forskning/1253987111966/p1228296189450?WT.mc_id=facebook


And some info about Rituximab from the ME Association, in case helpful...

ME Association's Rituximab webpage, recently updated:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=8459

Charles Shepherd's comments re possible funding of a Rituximab trial in the UK:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink....&comment_id=3291504&offset=0&total_comments=7
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I think Rituximab is a potential cure. With funding we have a chance to find out. That could change the lives of millions of people around the world. Now I feel like a small child the night before Christmas waiting for Santa to arrive. I hate that waiting, but tomorrow will be a better day.

Even if it turns out only to be a cure for 25% of the severely ill. I do think it would be worth it.
.............

Its amazing to think that in maybe 3 years time this study will be done and published and possibly causing a huge shift then for us in how we will be treated.
 

Firestormm

Senior Member
Messages
5,055
Location
Cornwall England
This is a translation error...

It means 10 million Norwegian Krone (NOK), which is about £1,100,000 and $1,700,000


And another interesting translation...

Hopefully, before long, we'll all be 'feasting' on Rituximab! :)



http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=no&u=http://www.vg.no/helse/artikkel.php?artid=10117089

Also, trial would begin in January 2014 I think and take two years? Have I got that right? Am reading through thread now - when will the amount be confirmed, do you know? And, as it is important to some folk, do you happen to know how they will assess patient suitability e.g. the criteria of choice? Thanks.
 

snowathlete

Senior Member
Messages
5,374
Location
UK
And some info about Rituximab from the ME Association, in case helpful...

ME Association's Rituximab webpage, recently updated:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=8459

Charles Shepherd's comments re possible funding of a Rituximab trial in the UK:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink....&comment_id=3291504&offset=0&total_comments=7

Some real effort on the part of the ME Association to get an independent validation Rituximab trial happening - everyone in the world needs this. one group doing all the trials wont be enough to convince govts. surely then, a really good reason to vote for them to win £2,000 in the contest that is running at the moment?
 

Firestormm

Senior Member
Messages
5,055
Location
Cornwall England
Some real effort on the part of the ME Association to get an independent validation Rituximab trial happening - everyone in the world needs this. one group doing all the trials wont be enough to convince govts. surely then, a really good reason to vote for them to win £2,000 in the contest that is running at the moment?

I suppose that this would be the next step - to get another group to validate existing and future results; so yes some independence will be needed. I sincerely hope for now that the Norwegians get enough cash to do what needs doing from their end. If the results confirm the first study - then it's a game-changing opportunity of potentially mega proportions.

I wonder what the chances are of getting pharma - in the future if this trial is a success and then validated - to reduce the cost of these drugs? I mean the market will open-up big-time possibly. I don't know enough about this part of it.
 
Messages
15,786
I wonder what the chances are of getting pharma - in the future if this trial is a success and then validated - to reduce the cost of these drugs? I mean the market will open-up big-time possibly. I don't know enough about this part of it.
The patent is expiring very soon, so generics will be an option. This is probably the reason that the manufacturer isn't funding any of these studies.
 

Sherlock

Boswellia for lungs and MC stabllizing
Messages
1,287
Location
k8518704 USA
The patent is expiring very soon, so generics will be an option. This is probably the reason that the manufacturer isn't funding any of these studies.
RTX is a biologic drug. and so the rules for it are different. The thinking is that they are extremely difficult to manufacture correctly, so not just any company can be trusted to do it correctly.

But there is, and has been, a version made in India called Reditux. There is a thread where Redo and I were discussing that in the RTX forum (he told me about the India version), but that was a while ago and I don't recall why Reditux survived legal patent challenges. It is not exactly identical, because the process is not identical. I'd written and asked the pricing, it is cheaper.
 

Purple

Bundle of purpliness
Messages
489
RTX is a biologic drug. and so the rules for it are different. The thinking is that they are extremely difficult to manufacture correctly, so not just any company can be trusted to do it correctly.

But there is, and has been, a version made in India called Reditux. There is a thread where Redo and I were discussing that in the RTX forum (he told me about the India version), but that was a while ago and I don't recall why Reditux survived legal patent challenges. It is not exactly identical, because the process is not identical. I'd written and asked the pricing, it is cheaper.

Hello Sherlock, can you please explain what biologic drug is in this context? And what the implications are, as opposed to chemical drugs? (besides difficult manufacturing)
 

Sherlock

Boswellia for lungs and MC stabllizing
Messages
1,287
Location
k8518704 USA
Hello Sherlock, can you please explain what biologic drug is in this context? And what the implications are, as opposed to chemical drugs? (besides a difficult manufacturing)
Hi, Purple. RTX is an antibody. Further it's a chimera, because it's half human and half from a rodent (Chinese Hamster).They actually start out with hamster cancer cells (which are immortal and therefore never stop producing).

As an antibody, it's engineered to latch onto any B-cell, somewhat like a flag which signals other parts of the immune system to kill that cell. Antibodies aren't quite living, but they are a protein made by living cells.

An example of a biologic drug that is not an antibody is Enbrel. You might see commercials for that on tv all the time, it's mainly used so far for rheumatoid arthritis.

Does that answer your question, Purple?
 

Purple

Bundle of purpliness
Messages
489
Sherlock - thank you, yes it does answer my question. So essentially it is called a biologic drug because it is made of materials originating from cells, as opposed to being made from chemicals mixed in test tubes to create other chemicals? (I hope that's not oversimplifying it) Is there therefore no way to create this antibody (protein) chemically, so speak, without the need for the cells as starting materials?
 

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
The Rituximab company may well be working on a very similar new drug, that has the same effects as Rituximab, but can be patented. (I can't remember if I've read any details about this.)
But in any case, I imagine that other pharma companies will likely be testing similar new drugs in clinical trials, to be brought to the market in the not too distant future.
If a similar drug is brought to the market, then the patent-owning company might be interested in getting involved in ME research.
 

Sherlock

Boswellia for lungs and MC stabllizing
Messages
1,287
Location
k8518704 USA
Sherlock - thank you, yes it does answer my question. So essentially it is called a biologic drug because it is made of materials originating from cells, as opposed to being made from chemicals mixed in test tubes to create other chemicals? (I hope that's not oversimplifying it) Is there therefore no way to create this antibody (protein) chemically, so speak, without the need for the cells as starting materials?
That's a pretty good definition, Purple. OTOH, a normal product of cells like interferon can be produced synthetically (called a recombinant). But antibodies are too complex. They are Y-shaped, btw; but some newer ones are just a straight line, so they can get into smaller places that RTX can't.
 

parvofighter

Senior Member
Messages
440
Location
Canada
ONE MINUTE ADVOCACY: THANK MARIA, AND DONATE TO MEandYou!
With thanks to Sasha for getting this started. NOW is a great time to thank Maria - and help speed up the Phase III Rituxan trial in Norway! Maria has explained that donations are still open at MEandYou, and the more we donate, the SOONER the trial will be completed. That translates into faster access to possible therapeutics; speedier conversion of those doctors who still don't "get" ME. It's all GOOD.
Thank you!