But even if the drug is approved, it isn't clear that the drug will sell. Once it was widely seen as potentially a huge seller, but the enthusiasm has tempered. If the drug is granted only limited approval, it will be tough sell in marketplace, said Molowa. Currently, there are 200 people enrolled in the myotrophin compassionate-use program, which provides the drug for free. There have been close to no drop-outs, said Rubin.
Enrollment is low because of the limited availability of the drug.
The companies continue to administer the drug in an ''open-label'' fashion to those who were in the clinical trials. Of the 450 in the trials, about 70 remain on the drug today, said Rubin. Investors sold Cephalon stock on the news. These results were further improved by coinjecting an adenoviral vector coding for ciliary neurotrophic factor. Therefore, adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of neurotrophic factors offers new prospects for the treatment of motor neuron diseases.