Rituxan shows promise for MS

Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said their Rituxan cancer drug proved highly effective against multiple sclerosis in a small mid-stage trial, signaling a potential new way of treating the progressive neurological disease.

The biotechnology companies said the Phase II trial involved 104 patients with the most common “relapsing-remitting” form of multiple sclerosis -- in which patients have varying levels of recovery and periods of remission between flare-ups of the autoimmune disease.