BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate): a review of mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety

AbstractBackground:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease, affecting more than 2.5 million people worldwide with more 400,000 cases in the United States alone. There has been considerable improvement in the treatment of MS, with the introduction of disease-modifying drugs; however, new oral therapies may provide additional benefit by providing an alternative treatment modality and the potential for improved adherence by avoiding the injection-associated side effects and anxiety encountered with some first-line agents. BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) is an oral agent approved in the United States for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS.Scope:We review published literature about what is known about the mechanism of action of BG-12, and key efficacy and safety findings from three clinical studies in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).Findings:Data from preclinical studies have demonstrated that BG-12 may promote anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activities that are mediated, at le...