MS drug Ampyra approved for U.S. sale

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The drug Ampyra has been approved for sale in the United States to aid walking in patients with multiple sclerosis, federal officials said.

The extended release drug, generically known as dalfampridine, has proven effective in increasing the walking speeds of people with MS, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a release Friday.

"Trouble with walking is one of the most debilitating problems people with MS face," said Dr. Russell Katz, director of the FDA's Division of Neurology Products.

Ampyra, the first drug approved for this use, is manufactured by Elan of Dublin, Ireland,

MS is a chronic disease affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves of about 400,000 people in the United States and 2.5 million people worldwide. The symptoms are unpredictable and vary from mild numbness in the limbs to paralysis, loss of vision, cognitive impairment and depression.

Ampyra's side effects include insomnia, dizziness, headache, nausea, weakness and back pain.