What does Teriflunomide do and is it effective?

Teriflunomide (Teriflunomide) is an immunomodulatory drug that inhibits de novo pyrimidine synthesis by blocking dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. Teriflunomide inhibits rapidly dividing cells, including activated T cells, which are thought to be the drivers of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression. Teriflunomide may reduce the risk of infection because it has a more limited effect on the immune system than chemotherapy drugs. Teriflunomide has been studied in five major studies involving more than 2,900 patients with relapsing-remitting MS.

A study involving 179 adults compared the effects of teriflunomide and a placebo (a dummy treatment) on the number of active lesions (areas of developing damage) in the brain detected by brain scans. Teriflunomide was found to be more effective than placebo, After about 9 months (36 weeks), patients taking teriflunomide had about 1 active lesions per scan, compared with about 2.7 for those taking placebo. Two studies involving 2,257 adults compared teriflunomide with placebo in reducing the number of relapses per patient per year. Treatment lasted approximately three years (152 weeks). Teriflunomide was found to be more effective than placebo. Among patients taking teriflunomide, relapse rates were reduced by about 30% more than those taking placebo (the annual relapse rate for teriflunomide was 0.35, compared with 0.53 for placebo). The studies also looked at the effect of teriflunomide on changes in patients' disability levels and showed a 30% reduction in the risk of worsening disability compared with placebo after approximately two and a half years (132 weeks) of treatment.

The fourth study, involving 324 adults, compared the effects of teriflunomide and interferon beta-1a (another treatment for MS) on treatment failure rates by looking at when patients first relapsed or permanently stopped treatment. The study lasted two years. The results of this study are inconclusive. The permanent discontinuation rate for patients taking teriflunomide was 13.5%, compared with 24% for interferon beta-1a. However, the relapse rate was 23.4% with teriflunomide and 15.4% with interferon beta-1a. This study cannot conclude thatteriflunomideand interferonConclusion of any differences in the treatment of multiple sclerosis with beta-1a. Another study involving 166 children (ages 10-17) was inconclusive, but it did show that teriflunomide prolonged the time to recurrence or disease in the brain (about 72 weeks for teriflunomide versus 37 weeks for placebo). Data from adults and the results of this study support the use of teriflunomide in children (10 years and older) with relapsing-remitting MS.

Teriflunomide The original drug has been launched in China and has entered the scope of medical insurance through medical insurance reimbursement standards. It may be limited to multiple sclerosis patients who are ineffective in conventional treatments. However, the reimbursement ratio is different in different regions, and the price after reimbursement is different. The price of 14mg*28 tablets per box is around 10,000 yuan, which is expensive. Cheaper generic drugs are also sold in other overseas countries. The pharmaceutical ingredients of generic drugs are basically the same as those of the original drugs. The price of each box of 14mg*30 tablets produced by an Indian pharmaceutical factory is around RMB 800 (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).