May 21, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler EMD Serono Launches MS-LINK Research Network to Improve Patient Care EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA in the U.S. and Canada, announced the launch of the company’s Multiple Sclerosis Leadership and Innovation Network (MS-LINK), an interdisciplinary research community aimed at improving the care of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The program will combine clinical outcomes…
May 20, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Study Testing Pear-006 Software Application for Treating Depression Symptoms Pear Therapeutics, in collaboration with Novartis,Ā has launched a study evaluating the clinical use of Pear-006, its software-based prescription digital therapeutics (PDT) product for treating depression symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). PDTs belong to a new class of treatment strategies in healthcare intended to treat diseases,…
April 30, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Retrospective Study Analyzes Physical, Mental Differences Between Children with MS and ADS Retrospective comparison between children with multiple sclerosis (MS) and those with related acute demyelinating syndromes (ADS) highlights the implications of fatigue, depression, and quality of life in these patients. Those are the findings from a study, āFatigue, depression, and quality of life in children with multiple sclerosis: a…
April 29, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Relapsing MS Patients Highly Satisfied with Aubagio’s Efficacy and Ease of Use, Global Clinical Study Finds High levels of satisfaction with the efficacy and convenience ofĀ Aubagio (teriflunomide), an oral treatment for relapsingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), were reported by patients across the U.S. and 13 other countries, a post-hoc analysis of data from a real-world Phase 4 study found. The study “Teriflunomide real-world evidence: Global…
April 17, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler First Large-scale Clinical Genomic Research Study Aims to Improve Personalized MS Treatment A collaboration between DNAnexus, the Sutter Health network, and the University Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) aims to improve personalized medicine inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) through the first large-scale clinical genomic research study, the companies announced. The network has the goal of improving screening, diagnosis, and treatment of…
March 26, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler AscellaHealth Highlights Support Program for MS Patients in Recognition of MS Awareness Month In recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, AscellaHealth, aĀ national pharmacy benefit management company, is calling attention to its clinical and educational program designed to assist individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The program plan is intended to offer specialty pharmacy strategies to help manage costly and complex…
March 21, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Schwann Cells Stop Blood-clotting Protein Thrombin from Damaging Nerves, Study Finds Schwann cells surrounding neurons protect the degeneration of nerves by blocking thrombin, a blood-clotting protein that can also damage nerves, according to a newĀ study. These findings may aid in the further understanding of genetic and molecular mechanisms behind conditions such asĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Results of the study,Ā āGlial cells…
March 13, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Phase 2 Trial Will Assess Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Progressive Forms of MS The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ is funding a new Phase 2 clinical trial to test the effectiveness of stem cell therapy on individuals with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), using mesenchymal stem cells from their own bone marrow. The ability of stem cells to both self-renew and create…
February 28, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Axim Improves Delivery of Cannabinoids in Chewing Gums Axim Biotechnologies announced that it has succeeded in microencapsulating cannabinoids (chemical compounds in cannabis) into the companyās patented chewing gums, which are used to treat several disease symptoms, including pain and spasticity associated withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Since the active cannabinoids are degradable in the body, the company needed…
February 26, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Cleveland Clinic Chosen for Phase 2 Trial Testing NurOwn Stem Cell Therapy in Progressive MS Patients BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics announced theĀ Cleveland ClinicĀ is the first clinical site contracted in the United States for the Phase 2 multi-center study evaluating the companyās NurOwn mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). āWe are very excited to announce The Mellen Center for…
February 19, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Participants Sought for Clinical Trial Studying Effects of Lipoic Acid on Progressive MS A clinical trial to test the effects of antioxidant treatment with lipoic acid on progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is recruitingĀ 118 participants at seven sites in North America. The study sites include: Birmingham, Alabama; Burlington, Vermont; Ā Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; Washington, D.C., and;…
February 14, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Continuous Use of Gilenya for Up to 3 Years Can Lead to 50% Drop in Annual Relapse Rates, Real-world Study Says Multiple sclerosis patients who began treatment withĀ Gilenya and stayed with it continuously showed a more than 50 percent reduction in annual relapse rates, a real-world study following these people for up to three years found. Gilenya,Ā marketed by Novartis, is an oral disease-modifying treatment forĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis , approved in 2010. It acts by binding and modulating receptors ā called sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor ā on lymphocytes (adaptive immune cells). By binding to these receptors, Gilenya prevents lymphocytes from leaving the lymph nodes and reaching the brain and spinal cord, and so lower lymphocyte-induced inflammation and damage. Although several clinical trials have reported reduced annualized relapse rates (ARRs) upon treatment with Gilenya, few long-term real-life studies have examined the relapse rate reductions over a long term. A team, led by Novartis researchers and a scientist atĀ Central Texas Neurology Consultants,Ā collected MS patient data from the MarketScan database, a U.S. claims database including medical and pharmacy claims (bills submitted to health insurance providers), between 2009 and 2016. Among 9,312 MS patients in the database with at least one filled Gilenya prescription, 1,599 adults (mean age, 46) met the study's inclusion criteria, including having at least one inpatient or two outpatient claims, and a total of four years of continuous health plan enrollment. Among theseĀ 1,599 patients, all usedĀ Gilenya for one year (cohort 1), 1,158 (72.4%) took Gilenya continuously up to the start of year two (cohort 2), and 937 (58.6%) used the therapy up to the start of year three (cohort 3). Baseline analysis ā measures taken at the study's start ā showed that the most common MS-linked symptoms were disorders of the optic nerve and visual pathways (reported in 22-24%), followed by fatigue/malaise (20-21%). Hypertension (20-21%) and depression (15-16%) were the most common physical and mental comorbidities, respectively. The mean annualized relapse rates (AARs) at baseline in these three groups of patients ā cohorts 1 to 3 ā ranged between 0.48 and 0.51. A consistent reduction in ARRs was seen in all three groups: cohort 1 had a 0.25 ARR at the close of the first year, for a 51% reduction from the baseline rate; cohort 2 a 0.22 ARR at the start of year two, for a Ā 54% lowering in relapse rates from baseline; and cohort 3 had 0.23 ARR at the third year, amounting to a 53% reduction. As expected, when researchers calculated ARRs among patients with continuous Gilenya use over these three years, they found a greater reduction in annual relapse rates. Mean ARRs in continuous-use patients were 0.19 (a 61% reduction) during the first year, 0.18 (a 62% reduction) during the second year, and 0.18 (a 61% reduction) at the start of the third year. āThis retrospective claims database study found that patients with MS who received fingolimod [Gilenya] therapy experienced a durable and sustained reduction in relapse rates over a 3-year period,ā the researchers wrote, with findings representingĀ āa durable reduction in relapse rates by [more than] 50%.ā Reasons that some patients discontinued treatment were not a focus of this study, they added.
February 13, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Almost 1 in 5 People Wrongly Diagnosed with MS at Two Specialized Centers in US, Study Finds Almost one in five patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and referred to one of two MS-specialized centers in the U.S. were found to not have the disease, a study at those two centers reported. Migraine was the most common correct diagnosis eventually given these people. The retrospective study…
January 29, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Funding Supports MS Research on Epigenetics and Fatigue in Australia Australian researchers from the University of NewcastleĀ andĀ the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) have received funding for two projects that will study unexplored areas in multiple sclerosis (MS). The projects, investigating the role of epigenetic differences in MS severity and treatment against MS-derived fatigue, received $211,000 AUD (about $151,300…
January 7, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Biogen Starts Phase 3b Trial to Evaluate Tysabri Extended Interval Dosing in RRMS Patients Biogen announced the start of a global Phase 3b clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of extended interval dosing (EID) with Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Results of the six-week dosing interval will be compared with the approved standard interval dosing…
December 14, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler MS Patients Report Beneficial Effects of Cannabis With Few Side Effects, Survey Shows Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients report that cannabis has beneficial effects on their symptoms with minimal side effects, according to a survey that also showed that varying effects on health may be due to differences in how users consume cannabis. Findings from the survey were reported in the…
December 14, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler Researchers Develop Smartphone-connected Device to Treat MS, Brain Disorders Remotely Researchers at the Ural Federal University (UrFU) in Russia have developed a neuro-electrostimulation system that has the potential to treat different types of brain disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The system allows physicians to treat patients by remotely controlling the delivered electric pulse through a smartphone or tablet. Details…
December 11, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler Glatect Added to Public Drug Plan in British Columbia as Sole RRMS Treatment of Its Type Pendopharmās Glatect (glatiramer acetate) ā a treatment for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) ā has been added to the public drug plan in the Canadian province of British Columbia, and is now the only glatiramer-based treatment for RRMS patients there using the plan. After Copaxone…
November 27, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler Lifestyle Factors Tied to MS-related Depression, Large Study Finds Changeable lifestyle factors influence the risk and severity of depression associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study based on a large group of patients shows. According to the study,Ā alcohol consumption in particular was linked negatively withĀ depression incidence and severity. In addition, a healthy diet and vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation…
November 8, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler Pregnancy Briefly Lowers MS Relapse Rates and Treatment Reliance, Real-world Study Shows Relapse rates in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) decline during pregnancy, as does the use of disease-modifying therapies, before both adjust to pre-pregnancy levels again, a large U.S. study based on real-world data shows. The study, āRelapses and disease-modifying drug treatment in pregnancy and live birth…