Two New Multiple Sclerosis Pills Show Promise in Late-Stage Studies

No less than three late-stage studies show that two experimental pills for multiple sclerosis -- fingolimod and cladribine -- are effective. If the drugs, developed by Novartis (NVS) and Merck Serono respectively, are approved by the FDA, they will be the first oral treatments available for the disease. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, irreversible illness that attacks the central nervous system and is characterized by symptoms ranging from numbness to blindness and paralysis.