Question

A new oral medication to treat patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis(多發(fā)性硬化) has shown considerable promise in two clinical trials, researchers announced on Wednesday.

The medication is on track to become just the third oral drug available to M.S. patients, and potentially the safest and most effective, experts said. The second oral drug, called Aubagio, was approved just last week.

The new trials, published online in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the drug BG-12, developed by Biogen Idec, reduced relapsing M.S rates(舊病復(fù)發(fā)率)in patients by about 50 percent. The drug also obviously reduced the frequency of new brain damage , and slowed the progression of disease compared with a placebo(安慰劑).

In the two clinical trials, called Define and Confirm, patients were divided into two groups at random, taking 240 milligrams of BG-12 either twice or three times a day. Patients in a third group took a placebo. The combined results showed that the drug reduced the relapse rate by about 50 percent.

Taking BG-12 twice a day reduced the number of newly enlarging brain damages by 71 percent to 99 percent. The Define trial found a statistically significant 38 percent reduction in the progression to disability. The most frequent side effects were a temporary flushing(臉紅)and warm feeling and other symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, cramping and vomiting. Though both types of side effects were common, they tended to reduce after the first few weeks of use and were tolerated by most patients.

However, Interferons, the drugs most commonly used in relapsing M.S., reduce relapses by about 30 percent, and have not been shown to slow the progression of the disease and disability. The newly approved Aubagio also reduces relapses by about 30 percent, and it has the advantage of being an oral drug.

BG-12 is an anti-inflammatory that works by protecting nerves against injury. “The safety track record is well known and appears to be very strong,” said Dr. Robert Fox, lead author of one of the new studies and medical director of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.

“It’s a bright day for M.S. patients, but there is a gray cloud in that we still don’t have anything for those with progressive M.S.,” he added.

63. Which of the following is NOT the function of BG-12? 

A. It can slow the progression to disability significantly.

B. It can reduce relapses rates in patients with relapsing M.S.

C. It can decrease the number of brain damages caused by M.S.

D. It can make patients excited and ensure patients have a warm feeling.

64. What can you infer from the underlined sentence in the last paragraph? 

A. BG-12 can relieve the pain from the patients suffering from M.S.

B. There is hope but still a long way to find a cure for progressive M.S.

C. Scientists can not invent medication for patients with progressive M.S.

D. Patients in the early stages of M.S will still suffer a lot in the future.

65. Which can be the best title for the text?

A. Advantages of BG-12               B. Good news for the patients

C. Comparisons between three drugs           D. A new oral medication for the early M.S.

Answer 1

 DBD