News National Multiple Sclerosis Society Commits $10.5M to Fund 42 Research Efforts National Multiple Sclerosis Society Commits $10.5M to Fund 42 Research Efforts by Patricia Silva, PhD | October 17, 2016 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ announced thatĀ is investing more than $10.5 million to support an anticipatedĀ 42 new research projects intoĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), part of its commitmentĀ to scientificĀ efforts aimed atĀ stopping MS, restoring lost function to patients, and, ultimately, ending the disease forever. The dedicated fundingĀ is part of aĀ projected society investment of $50 million inĀ 2016 alone, supporting more than 380 studies worldwide. The newly awarded projects include five studies investigating aspects related to the repair of the nerve-insulating cover (myelin)Ā thatĀ is damagedĀ in MS. Others include a study, being carried out at OhioĀ State University,Ā to explore whether increased levels of physical activity can help reverse cognitive problems;Ā a study at Mt. Sinai, in New York,Ā testing a dietary approach to treat the disease; and two policy studies looking at factors driving the escalating costs of medications to treat MS. The National MS Society Ā continues to advanceĀ promising new therapies by collaborating with researchers to provideĀ the financial support needed to move work towardĀ commercial development. Among these partnerships is a project underwayĀ atĀ University College London (UCL) to develop treatments to protect the nervous system from MS-related injury. With society support through itsĀ Fast Forward program, UCL researchers have conducted the toxicity studies necessary to bring a new spasticity-relieving molecule, called VSN16R, into clinicalĀ testing; the molecule is now being evaluatedĀ in a proof-of-concept Phase 2 trial (NCT02542787)Ā to determineĀ if it can improve MS-related spasticity. āThese new research investments are intended to answer questions that will accelerate breakthroughs that change the world for people with MS,ā Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president for research with the National MS Society, said in a societyĀ news release. Every year, hundreds of research proposals are evaluated andĀ thoseĀ thatĀ appear toĀ offer the most promise selected. In this process, more than 130 renowned researchers Ā worldwide volunteer their time to assess proposals for the MS Society, assuring that funding isĀ dedicated to cutting-edge and potentially life-changing studies. Among the research targeted areĀ studies intoĀ potential therapies, measurements ofĀ disease activity, a better understanding ofĀ how the immune system acts toĀ trigger the disease, and intoĀ healthcare issues to drive advocacy efforts for policies that promoteĀ quality care for people living with MS. Studies related to restoring what has been lost in MS focus on repairing nerves and their protective myelin coating. Restoring lost physical abilities also means investing into research intoĀ lifestyle and wellness strategies. Research into ending MS forever includes effortsĀ to identify an MS-related gene, and those aimed at better understanding the environmental factors that influence whether a person gets MS, as well as identifying possible infectious triggers for the disease. Currently, MS therapiesĀ approved by the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) are knownĀ to positively impact the underlying disease course.Ā āHowever, none of these can stop progression or reverse the damage to restore function. National MS Society-funded research paved the way for existing therapies ā none of which existed just several decades ago ā and continues to be a driving force of MS research,ā the MS Society reported in its release. Print This Page About the Author Patricia Silva, PhD PatrĆcia holds a PhD in medical microbiology and infectious diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal. Her work in academia was mainly focused on molecular biology and the genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites. PatrĆcia earned several travel awards to present her work at international scientific meetings. She is a published author of several peer-reviewed science articles. Tags funding, myelin, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, nervous system
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