A tool to interrogate a new class of drugs

Reactive electrophilic drugs like Tecfidera, approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis, show a lot of potential but are also mystery. Their effects are notoriously difficult to study, which hampers progress testing and approving them. scientists have now used an innovative chemical method to uncover the biological mechanisms of Tecfidera, providing a powerful tool for exploring other reactive electrophilic drugs. In 2014, the European Medicines Agency approved the drug Tecfidera for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In multiple sclerosis, inflammation damages the protective myelin insulation around nerves, and the nerves themselves. The active ingredient of Tecfidera is dimethyl fumarate, a compound that is thought to modulate the immune system, thus acting as an anti-inflammatory that alleviates the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. But there was a detail of Tecfidera's approval that might have been a little less appreciated: it brought into the market a member of the relatively new - and still largely unexplored - class of drugs known as reactive electrophiles.