Biopharmaceutical business EMD Serono Inc disclosed on Monday that its US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy, MAVENCLAD tablets, is now being covered by the Express Scripts formulary, which has over 80 million members nationally, including thousands of people living with MS.

In addition, EMD's comprehensive patient support programme, MS LifeLines, provides one-on-one assistance to US patients prescribed an EMD Serono MS therapy, including personalised patient support, assistance with navigating insurance questions and additional resources to assist patients who are uninsured or underinsured.

The US FDA has approved the company's MAVENCLAD (cladribine) for the treatment of adults with relapsing-remitting disease (RRMS) and active secondary progressive disease (SPMS). It is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for RRMS and active SPMS that provides two years of proven efficacy with a maximum of 20 days of oral treatment, during a two-year period.

MAVENCLAD's approved dose is 3.5 mg per kg body weight over two years, administered as one treatment course of 1.75 mg per kg per year, each consisting of two treatment weeks. The cladribine exerts its therapeutic effects in patients with multiple sclerosis and involves cytotoxic effects on B and T lymphocytes through impairment of DNA synthesis, resulting in depletion of lymphocytes, revealed the company.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the central nervous system and is the most common, non-traumatic, disabling neurological disease in young adults. The most common symptoms of MS include blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the limbs and problems with strength and coordination.