Genentech Says Cancer Drug May Treat MS

Biotechnology companies Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said their cancer drug Rituxan showed hints of effectiveness against multiple sclerosis in a small mid-stage trial.

The study involved 104 adults with the most common form of multiple sclerosis. It showed a statistically significant reduction among those given Rituxan in the total number of brain lesions, South San Francisco-based Genentech said.

Rituxan is one of the biggest-selling treatments for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.