Jan 8 (Reuters) - Biogen Idec Inc said on Thursday a mid-stage study of a new treatment for acute optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve that can lead to complete or partial loss of vision, showed evidence of biological repair of the visual system.
Biogen shares rose 6 percent to $375 in premarket trading from a close of $353.24.
The trial on the drug, called Anti-LINGO-1, demonstrated an improvement in recovery of optic nerve latency, or the time it takes for a signal to travel from the retina to the visual cortex. The company said it showed a 34 percent improvement versus a placebo treatment.
The biotech company said this was the first clinical trial to provide evidence of repair in the central nervous system through the use of remyelination, or regenerating the nerve's insulating myelin sheath. The most common cause of acute optic neuritis is multiple sclerosis.
(Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Bernadette Baum)