Doubt it as this is only for enhanced walking. Further studies need to be done to see if there are any other symptoms it will alleviate. This does not slow the progression of the disease, just coats the myelin to enhance walking and if you have any kidney problems at all or seizures this drug will enhance them as well. Double edged sword for us MSers but at least they are trying!

Its symptom treatment to help people with all forms of MS that have difficulty walking. If the person is RRMS they would take their normal MS medicine, like copaxone with the ampyra to improve walking.....

Ampyra has had many name changes as it went through the process of approval.
Generically its name dalfampridine. At one time it was Amaya. Before that it was Fampridine SR and now it has been approved as Ampyra.

Articles on the FDA approval can be found in this thread....

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Multiple-Sclerosis-MS/forum/In-The-News/8924343-fampridinesrammaya-approved-fda

And an older thread when it was called Amaya and it was anticipated it would be approved soon.

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Multiple_Sclerosis_MS/forum/8208713-amaya-walking-speed

No it won't replace copaxone. Its symptom treatment. The name changes it has gone through over the last year has been very confusing!

It works on the nerve sodium channel of transmitting nerve signals. In that older thread when it was called amaya, you can see links describing how it works, and what side affects it may cause....

It improves walking speed by increasing transmission of signals between the nerves, but if someone has all brain lesions it CAN(MAY) cause epileptic seizures too.Too fast of transmission in the brain. :(
For people with trouble walking from spine lesions it has shown much improvement in walking.

link to NMS sight on Ampyra approval...obviously the old link they had to Amaya no longer works it has been replaced by a link to Ampyra.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/news/news-detail/index.aspx?nid=2586

It is a very exciting development because it helps in ALL forms of MS(SP,PP), not just RR.

This drug is very hard to follow with the name changes it was originally used as a bird poison then they start trial in lower doses as 4-ap and and then a lot of other names.
It does show promise but does have some potential side effects in the seizure area. It is how it worked as a bird deterrent.

It is so wild that a drug can start as a bird poison and turn out to have great potential to help so many others with MS I'm glad their are people out their that that can think outside the box for are benefit

* http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/4aminopyridine.html

Opps I was wrong its the potassium channel not the sodium channel. Thanks for correcting that char,,,and adding a few other names to it. It was a tough one to follow for sure.

Can a doctor prescribe this now or does it have to go through other steps first? I take 4-AP now and my doc said Ampyra would even work better. I am very excited. If I miss a dose of my 4-AP, I am a mess and walk much worse so it does work for me. Sure hope I can call her Monday for her to prescribe it. We are another step (no pun intended) closer to better well-being.

In regards to my last post. They are looking at March to start prescribing it.