Where’s Amevive?
from Doreen and from Nina M.

Doreen wrote:  So what is the scoop about Amevive? Everything I read is dated and states it should be released in early 2003.  Is that still the case and if it is, what do they consider early 2003? Thanks, -Doreen

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Nina M. wrote:  Hi, Ed.  I really like your site and I have to be honest but I have not visited in a while.  The reason is I’ve been on the Amevive clinical trial for the last year and a half and it has worked wonders for me.  I cleared almost completely.

I was off the trial for 5 months and relapsed almost immediately.  My P came back as guttate P.  Now I’m on the last set of 12 injections and for some reason this time around it has not been clearing as much. I was wondering if maybe I have become immune to the drug?  (I really hope not.)

I live in Canada and was wondering when this drug would be available here. I am feeling very low right now and am contemplating making a visit to the Dead Sea if this set of injections don’t work. I keep bugging my derm about letting me know when this drug will be available, but he shrugs it off because of the cost of the drug and says,  “Don’t worry.  We’ll find something else that will work for you.”

I have had psoriasis for over 30 years and have never found anything that worked this well for me.  If this drug comes out in the States first, I hope I will be able to purchase it, too, even if it means going to the States which I would surely be willing to do.

Anyway, I appreciate your keeping us informed about Amevive.  -Nina M.

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Ed’s Response:  I wish I could keep us all better informed, Nina.  At the moment, the most current information available to us on the status of Amevive seems to come from the Biogen web site itself.  Specifically, this page shows their “products in the pipeline,” which shows Amevive right where it’s been for many months now.

http://www.biogen.com/site/content/products/pipeline.asp

What do they consider early 2003?  Well, I don’t know, Doreen.  But if it gets to April and we still don’t have Amevive on the market, I hope the folks at Biogen will update their claims.  However, I don’t suggest they follow the Immunex Enbrel example.  Immunex changed “Spring 2002” to “Summer 2002” and, some of us finally got going during the 2002 Holiday season and the rest of us are gearing up to start Enbrel therapy now (truly early 2003). 

Evidently, getting a handle on timing and the FDA approval process and the vagaries of manufacturing and distribution is akin to forecasting weather: a bit too chaotic for our simple ordered brains to grasp.  -Ed

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