Canada Approves Bristol-Myers' Zeposia To Treat Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

(RTTNews) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) zeposia has received approval from Health Canada for the treatment of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis to decrease the frequency of clinical exacerbations, the company said in a statement.

zeposia is an oral medication taken daily that helps protect against attacks on the nerves by stopping some of the body's white cells or 'lymphocytes' reaching the brain and spine where they could cause inflammation and damage to myelin, the nerves protective coating.

The Health Canada approval was based on data from the randomized, active-controlled Phase 3 SUNBEAM and RADIANCE Part B clinical trials. The trials enrolled more than 2,600 patients across 150 sites in more than 20 countries.

Ozanimod, sold under the brand name Zeposia, is an immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis, to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

Ozanimod was approved for medical use in the United States in March 2020, in the European Union in May 2020, and in Australia in July 2020.