"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA on Friday expanded the use of Novartis AGs relapsing multiple sclerosis MS drug Gilenya to treat children and adolescents.  MS is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body and is among the most common causes of neurological disability in young adults.  Gilenya is the first FDAapproved drug to treat pediatric patients suffering from relapsing MS the U.S. health regulator said.  In a clinical trial  percent of patients receiving Gilenya remained relapsefree after  months of treatment compared to  percent of those who were administered another MS drug.  Gilenya was first approved by the FDA to treat adults with relapsing MS.  Reporting by Mrinalini Krothapalli in Bengaluru Editing by Shounak Dasgupta Our StandardsThe Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. httpthomsonreuters.comenaboutustrustprinciples.html"