Acorda Therapeutics announced today that it has begun a Phase 2 clinical study of its lead product, , for multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will enroll 30 patients at three of the leading MS clinical centers in the US. 

Fampridine-SR is a nerve conduction-enhancing compound that has been shown to restore some neurological function to people with demyelinating central nervous system disorders, such as MS and spinal cord injury (SCI). The major action of fampridine (also known as 4-AP or 4-aminopyridine) is to block specialized potassium channels on axons. When an axon is demyelinated, through injury or disease as in MS, large numbers of these potassium channels are exposed and leak potassium ions, causing the axon to 'short circuit'. By closing the exposed potassium channels, fampridine permits the axon to transmit impulses again, resulting in increased neurological function.

  This material is provided as general medical information and is not intended as advice for individual patients; please contact your physician for specific recommendations.