February 20, 2024 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Chronic inflammatory lesions linked to more aggressive MS in US study The presence in the brain of chronic inflammatory lesions ā called paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) ā in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with a greater relapse burden and faster disability progression in the long term, according to a new U.S. study. Among more than 150 patients who…
December 29, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Tracking brain changes in early MS can predict odds of progression The rate of brain atrophy, or shrinkage, and changes in brain lesion volume in the first years of treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) may help predict which patients with early multiple sclerosis (MS) will receive a clinically definite diagnosis, a study suggests. The brain radiologic measures may also…
July 6, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Kesimpta reduces relapses, brain lesions for up to 5 years: Study Up to five years of treatment with Kesimpta (ofatumumab) continues to keep the number of relapses and brain lesions low in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), with most patients showing no evidence of disease activity. These are new data from the ongoing ALITHIOS study…
June 1, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD 2nd generation CD40L blocker safely reduces new lesions in Phase 2 trial Frexalimab, an experimental anti-CD40L antibody therapy from Sanofi, significantly reduced the number of new brain lesions with active inflammation in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new Phase 2 clinical trial data. Sanofi believes its second-generation CD40L blocker will effectively control immune activity in…
May 31, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Myelin defects seen before lesions, inflammatory activity in MS: Study A detailed examination of nerve tissue isolated from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients showed changes to the myelin sheath before the appearance of substantial inflammatory activity and lesions, a study reported. In MS patients, normal-appearing brain regions showed a less compact, detached, and disorganized myelin composition that may make…
May 18, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Fenebrutinib significantly reduced brain lesions in relapsing MS: Trial Genentech‘s investigational BTK inhibitor fenebrutinib significantly reduced the number of new brain lesions and showed no new safety concerns in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s according to new data from the company’s Phase 2 FENopta clinical trial (NCT05119569), which is evaluating fenebrutinib’s…
February 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Portable MRI device able to detect brain lesions in MS A portable MRI device may be used to detect brain lesions that are indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS), and serve as a low-cost imaging tool that can be brought to patients for testing, according to a new analysis. While the system is not yet accurate enough to be used…
November 2, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ECTRIMS2022 ā 2 Brain Lesion Types Linked to Greater Disability Recently diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with two forms of chronic active brain lesions ā slowly expanding lesions (SELs) and paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) ā on their MRI scans experience greater disability progression than those with SELs only, a small study suggests. Also, the slowly expanding lesions are…
July 7, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Smoking Linked to Worse Outcomes in RRMS Patients After 10 Years Smoking is associated with lower brain volume, more brain lesions, and greater disability and attention deficits among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) after 10 years,Ā according to a study in Norway. “The findings imply that patients should be advised and offered aid in smoking cessation shortly after diagnosis, to…
July 5, 2022 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Estriol Plus Copaxone May Protect Against Nerve Damage in RRMS Taking the pregnancy hormone estriol in combination with Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) significantly reduced the blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) ā a marker of nerve damage ā in women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), clinical trial data show. These lower NfL levels were significantly associated with a…
June 17, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Vidofludimus Calcium Safely Reduced RRMS Brain Lesions Treatment with the experimental immune-modulating therapy vidofludimus calcium reduced disease activity on MRI scans in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS), data from the Phase 2 EMPhASIS clinical trial shows. Top-line results from EMPhASIS were reported by the therapy’s developer Immunic Therapeutics in 2020. Researchers at…
May 26, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Lesions in 3 Brain Regions Can Help Distinguish MS From Like Disorders People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to have lesions in three regions of the brain ā the anterior temporal horn, periventricular region, and cerebellar hemisphere ā compared with people with other inflammatory brain diseases, a study reports. Looking for lesions in these parts of the brain may…
April 28, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AAN2022 ā Tolebrutinib Reduces Brain Damage Up to 1.5 Years in Trial Long-term treatment with tolebrutinib significantly reduced signs of disease-related brain damage in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a Phase 2 clinical trial and its extension study. Specifically, the investigational oral therapy was found to keep the number of inflamed brain lesions…
April 25, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD In Relapsing MS, NfL Levels Help in Disease Progression Prediction Serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) ā proteins found in nerve cell projections ā can help in the prediction of disease progression among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of data from two large Phase 3 trials. The researchers said that NfL…
March 9, 2022 by BioNews Staff Expert Voices: Exploring the connection between vitamin D and MS In this installment of our āExpert Voicesā series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Kassandra Munger to answer some of your questions about the connection between vitamin D levels and multiple sclerosis (MS). Munger received her bachelor’s in biology from the University of Rochester in 1997, master’s in…
February 28, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2022 ā Iron Rim Lesions Linked to More Severe Disease Iron rim lesions, or specific regions of chronic inflammation seen on MRI scans of the brain, are associated with greater disability and poorer outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study indicates. These findings “could support the use of iron rim lesions as an imaging biomarker for disease severity and…
February 25, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2022 ā Paramagnetic Rim Lesions ‘Highly Specific’ Markers of MS Paramagnetic rim lesions, a specific form of inflammatory damage to the brain, are rarely found in people with disorders other than multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in adults with suspected MS. Its findings suggest that looking at PRLs could be useful for diagnosing the disease. Brain Renner,…
January 19, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Probes Why Some Don’t Experience Placebo Effect Differences in the physical architecture of the brain may explain why some people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but not others, experience a placebo effect, according to a new study. The results suggest that MS itself may make some individuals unable to experience the benefits of a placebo. “Our findings…
December 3, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Aubagio Reduces Lesions in Children in Trial, but Relapse Data Troubled Aubagio (teriflunomide) failed to significantly reduce relapses in children with multiple sclerosis (MS), but two years of treatment decreased the number of brain lesions on MRI scans, according to the final results of the Phase 3 TERIKIDS clinical trial. Importantly, the lack of a signficantly lower relapse rate…
November 16, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Cerebellar Lesions in RRMS Linked to Worsening Manual Dexterity The number of lesions affecting the cerebellum ā a brain region responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and motor skills such as balance, coordination, and posture ā predicts manual dexterity getting worse in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a retrospective analysis. The study, āCerebellar pathology and…
August 3, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Tysabri Safe and Effective Taken Every 6 Weeks, NOVA Trial Finds Tysabri (natalizumab) given every six weeks was as safe and effective over nearly 1.5 years of use as its approved four-week dosing in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to top-line data from the Phase 3b NOVA study. Tysabri is typically administered every four weeks, or about…
November 11, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Additional Group of RRMS Patients Sought to Take Lower Dose of IMU-838 in Phase 2 Trial Immunic Therapeutics is seeking 60 more adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS) to test a lower dose of IMU-838, its leading oral experimental therapy, in its ongoing Phase 2 EMPhASIS trial. The decision was based on previous trial results showing that both doses tested (30 and 45 mg…
October 9, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Simple Sugar Molecule May Be Potential Myelin-repairing Therapy for MS Oral administration of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) ā a natural simple sugar sold as a dietary supplement ā preventsĀ myelin degeneration and loss of motor function in a mouse model of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). Myelin,Ā the protective sheath around nerve fibers that helps to speed transmission of signals between nerve cells, isĀ damaged…
September 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Cardiovascular Risk Factors Linked to Brain Shrinkage In people with multiple sclerosis (MS) under age 50, the presence of cardiovascular risk factors is associated with a greater loss of brain volume, including white and grey matter, a study showed. The brainās white matter mainly consists of nerve fibers and is typically affected by MS, while…
September 3, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #MSVirtual2020 ā Zeposia Still Prevents Relapses in Relapsing MS Patients After 3 Years, Trial Data Show Zeposia (ozanimod) oral capsules continue to safely and effectively prevent relapses and disability progression in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to three-year data from a Phase 3 extension clinical trial. āGaining insight into long-term therapeutic outcomes can enable clinicians to identify the most appropriate…
August 10, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Epstein-Barr and Smoking, Infections, Oral DMT Trial, Exercise and the Brain Smoking and Epstein-Barr Virus Combine to Raise MS Risk, Study Says A number of studies over several years have demonstrated a likely link between the Epstein-Barr virus and MS. Of course, there’s no question about the health risks of smoking. Put the two together, and it looks like double…
May 4, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Pain, Fatigue in MS and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Compared in Study Pain appears to be more intense in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) than those with multiple sclerosis (MS), while fatigue levels are comparable between the two disorders, a study reports. Its researchers also link certain types of central nervous system lesions to pain and fatigue in…
March 24, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Risk of Faster Progression in PPMS Tied to Older Age and Active Disease Older age at onset and evidence of active disease, like clinical relapses or inflammatory brain lesions, significantly increase the likelihood of Ā faster disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), a natural history study suggests. These findings ā which included active disease being seen in 31% of the 178…
March 20, 2020 News by Ana Pena PhD Gilenya Outperforms Avonex in Lessening Brain Lesion Activity, Atrophy in Children with MS, Trial Shows Oral treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) is more effective than Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for controlling brain lesion activity and brain volume loss in children with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosisĀ (POMS), two-year results of the PARADIGMS study show. That means Gilenya provides an effective treatment option for…
February 10, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Methionine, MSCT, Spinal Fluid, and BTK Blocker Studies Dietary Changes May Delay Development and Progression of MS, Study Finds Methionine is an amino acid found in meat, eggs, and dairy. It’s absorbed by T-cells that are part of our immune system. Those cells are also believed to be the immune cells that attack our myelin, creating the…