Well, the French are at it again—thank goodness!
French pharmaceutical company AB Science, announced in 2015 that it hit its endpoints in a phase lll clinical trial for human subjects who have mastocytosis.
The study focused on the safety and efficacy of masitinib (currently approved for veterinary use in Europe and the United States) for people who’ve been diagnosed with severe systemic mastocytosis, and either have or don’t have the mutated D816V gene of c-Kit.
Symptoms of severe systemic mastocytosis are rough; although, the frequency, duration, and severity can vary. These symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Joint and muscle pain
- Flushing and itching of the skin
- Depression, changes in mood
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Anaphylaxis
In addition to bringing this treatment to market, AB Science is on the fast track to study not one, but 13 additional phase lll human clinical trials to test masitinib’s effectiveness against other diseases such as: Alzheimer’s, progressive types of MS, ALS, and metastatic prostate cancer just to name a few. You can find the complete list and learn more about these trials here.
My heart goes out to anyone who is living with a chronic or rare disease. I’d love to hear from you if you’re considering joining one of these clinical trials. Is it too soon to celebrate? Hopefully you’ve weighed the risks against the potential benefits.
