Novantrone® (mitoxantrone)

Parent company: EMD Serono, Inc.

• Given via intravenous infusion, the dose varies according to an individual's weight. It is administered once every three months for a maximum of two-to-three years. The total dose is limited to avoid risking damage to the heart.
  
  
• Novantrone is approved for use in SPMS, PRMS, worsening RRMS, and people who are not responding favorably to standard therapies.
  
  
• This drug appears to delay the time to a first treated relapse, reduce the number of relapses, delay the time to disability progression, and decrease the number of new lesions that can be detected by MRI. It also appears to stabilize disease activity in some individuals with SPMS.
  
  
• Novantrone is an immunosuppressant that has been used for many years to treat cancer. It targets rapidly dividing cells, including those believed to be involved in MS. Side effects may include cardiac disease and leukemia; patients must be closely monitored to minimize these risks. The risk of leukemia and cardiotoxicity have dramatically reduced the use of Novantrone in the United States.