Introduction
Cladribine (trade name: Mavenclad) has been approved in Germany since December 2017 for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and incurable inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which the body’s immune system damages nerve pathways in the brain and the spinal cord. This condition can cause abnormal sensations, , arm and leg pain, partial paralysis, dizziness and trembling. MS often comes in episodes, with symptom-free intervals between acute phases. This type is called relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). If many attacks occur within a short time, it is referred to as highly active multiple sclerosis.
The disease is usually treated with interferon beta or glatiramer acetate to start off with. Drugs such as fingolimod, glatiramer acetate and interferon beta slow down damage to the nerve cells by affecting the . The drug cladribine decreases the lymphocyte count, which is supposed to reduce the frequency of flare-ups.