Novartis says MS therapy FTY720 reduces relapses

ZURICH, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) said on Wednesday its FTY720 oral drug to treat multiple sclerosis reduced both relapses and disability progression.

Initial results from the two-year Phase III study show that oral FTY720 was significantly superior to placebo in reducing both relapses and disability progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, one of the main causes of neurological disability in young adults, Novartis said.

Comprehensive analyses of the data were ongoing, and detailed results are planned to be presented at a leading scientific congress in 2010, Novartis said.

(Reporting by Sven Egenter)