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Multiple sclerosis

Generic glatiramer acetate — a step toward cheaper MS drugs?

A randomized, double-blind, phase III trial of generic glatiramer acetate has shown equivalent efficacy and safety compared with the approved formulation, Copaxone. The impact of approval of generic glatiramer acetate, however, will mainly depend on the pricing of the drug.

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Acknowledgements

The author's department has received research support from the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Danish Medical Research Council, and the European Union Sixth Framework Programme: Life sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health.

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Correspondence to Per Soelberg Sørensen.

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The author has received personal compensation for serving on scientific advisery boards, steering committees or independent data-monitoring boards for Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Novartis, Genzyme, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, GlaxoSmithKline, MedDay Pharmaceuticals and Forward Pharma, and has received speaker honouraria from Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Genzyme and Novartis. His department has received research support from Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Baxter, Sanofi Aventis, Novartis, Bayer, RoFAR, Roche and Genzyme.

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Sørensen, P. Generic glatiramer acetate — a step toward cheaper MS drugs?. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 5–6 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.224

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