Introduction
Fingolimod (trade name: Gilenya) has been approved in Germany since March 2011 for adults with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) if the standard treatment with interferon beta isn't effective enough or if the disease is progressing unusually quickly and severely. The drug has also been approved since May 2014 for people who have already had another disease-modifying treatment such as glatiramer acetate. A treatment is considered to be "disease-modifying" if it can positively influence the course of the disease. Since November 2018, it has also been approved for children and teenagers from the age of 10.
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, fatigue, 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 immune system.
