Posts by: Ana Pena, PhD

Ana Pena, PhD

Ana is a molecular biologist with a passion for discovery and communication. As a science writer she looks for connecting the public, in particular patient and healthcare communities, with clear and quality information about the latest medical advances. Ana holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she specialized in genetics, molecular biology, and infectious diseases

August 16, 2019August 16, 2019

Dark Rimmed Brain Lesions May Be Signal of Aggressive Disease, NIH Study Says

News

Brain lesions appearing as dark rimmed, “smoldering” spots on imaging scans, representing active inflammation, may be a hallmark of more aggressive and disabling forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers ... Read more

August 15, 2019

Specific Fats in Cerebrospinal Fluid of MS Patients May Be Telling Markers of Disease, Study Suggests

News

Testing for the types of fat (lipid) molecules present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a very useful way to diagnose and ... Read more

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019

FDA Approves Bracco’s Varibar Thin Liquid for Use in Imaging Tests for Dysphagia

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bracco Diagnostics’ oral suspension of barium sulfate, called Varibar Thin Liquid, for use as imaging agent to detect swallowing disorders known ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 6, 2019

Research Underway on Space Station Looking at Cellular Triggers of MS and Parkinson’s

News

An ongoing experiment at the International Space Station may help identify triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease by studying how nerve cells and immune cells interact when exposed ... Read more

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019

Vaccines Pose No Risk of Developing MS, Large Population Study in Germany Reports

News

Vaccines are not a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), a large data analysis spanning more than 12,250 MS patients in Germany shows. Fewer vaccinations were given to people ... Read more

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019

Oral Vumerity Easier on Gastrointestinal Tract Than Tecfidera, Phase 3 Trial Finds

News

Fewer and less severe gastrointestinal (GI) side effects were evident in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients taking the investigational oral treatment Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) twice a day compared to those ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019

Ponesimod Fares Well in Phase 3 Trial for Relapsing MS, Janssen Announces

News

Janssen has announced positive, top-line results from its Phase 3 OPTIMUM study, testing the effectiveness and safety of ponesimod tablets, compared to Sanofi‘s Aubagio (teriflunomide), in adults with relapsing forms ... Read more

July 29, 2019July 29, 2019

$1.83M NIH Grant Supports Trial into STEM, Learning and Memory Training for Adults with MS

News

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $1.83 million grant to a Kessler Foundation researcher leading a clinical trial to test if a month-long cognitive training program can improve ... Read more

July 26, 2019August 12, 2019

Neuronal Circuit Likely Behind Chronic Itch in MS and Other Diseases Identified

News

The nerve cell circuit, stretching from the skin to the spinal cord, that is likely responsible for the persistent itching sensation  that can afflict people with multiple sclerosis (MS) ... Read more

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019

Abundant T-helper Cells Evident in MS Patients May Cause Inflammation, Study Reports

News

Scientists identified and “fingerprinted” a group of T-helper cells that are unusually numerous in the blood and central nervous system of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and may ... Read more

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019

Damage to ‘Projection Neurons’ in MS Possible Cause of Brain Atrophy, Study Says

News

Projection neurons, a specific type of nerve cell, are prone to damage in the brain of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and could be at the root of brain ... Read more

July 18, 2019July 18, 2019

Specific Lipids in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Progressive MS Patients Rob Neurons of Energy, Study Finds

News

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) contains elevated levels of specific fatty molecules that disrupt the energy “powerhouses” of nerve cells, and appear to ... Read more

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019

Phase 3 Trial of Ibudilast Planned for SPMS Patients with Inactive Disease, MediciNova Says

News

A Phase 3 trial is planned to confirm the safety and efficacy of oral ibudilast (MN-166) in treating people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) without relapses, or those ... Read more

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019

MS Possibly Linked to Greater Cancer Risk in Large, But Preliminary Norwegian Study

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may have a greater overall risk of developing cancer than the general population, according to the results of a 58-year follow-up study of nearly ... Read more

July 11, 2019July 11, 2019

UK Researchers Pursuing Breath Test to Diagnose MS

News

Scientists at the University of Huddersfield, U.K., are trying to develop a breath test to detect volatile molecules exhaled only by people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Doing so might offer ... Read more

July 9, 2019July 9, 2019

Cannabidiol-based Oral Treatment Seen to Promote Remyelination in Mice, Trial Planned in MS Patients

News

EHP-101, a cannabidiol-based experimental therapy for multiple sclerosis, was able to recover myelin in damaged nerve fibers and lessen neuroinflammation in a mouse model of MS, data show. Emerald ... Read more

July 3, 2019July 3, 2019

NervGen to Advance NVG-291 as Potential Remyelination Therapy for MS

News

NervGen wants to advance the development of NVG-291, its lead investigational therapy for spinal cord damage, as a potential remyelination treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. Following ... Read more

July 2, 2019July 2, 2019

Neurologists Prefer Mayzent for SPMS and RRMS, But Mavenclad Could Be ‘Ideal’ First Switch, Report Suggests

News

While neurologists favor Novartis‘ Mayzent (siponimod) for people with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) and transitioning relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), EMD Serono‘s Mavenclad (cladribine) could serve as a first ... Read more

June 26, 2019June 26, 2019

Vegetable-rich Diet, Other Interventions, May Help Lower Fatigue in Progressive MS, Pilot Study Finds

News

One year of a vegetable-rich diet — combined with exercise, neuromuscular stimulation, and stress reduction techniques — is effective in easing fatigue in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). ... Read more

June 25, 2019June 25, 2019

FDA Approves Botox to Treat Upper Limb Spasticity in Children Aged 2 to 17

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA), marketed by Allergan, for the treatment of children ages 2 to 17 with upper limb ... Read more

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Bracco Diagnostics Notes Doctors’ Support in Developing Varibar for Assessing Dysphagia

News

As part of National Dysphagia Awareness Month this June, Bracco Diagnostics is acknowledging speech language pathologists for their support in developing Varibar (barium sulfate) products — imaging agents used to assess swallowing disorders, a ... Read more

June 7, 2019June 7, 2019

Obesity, Altered Fat Levels May Worsen Severity of RRMS, Study Found

News

Obesity, altered lipid (fat) levels, and elevated leptin — an hormone produced by fat cells — may contribute to neuroinflammation, and worse disease severity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple ... Read more

June 6, 2019June 6, 2019

Vitamin D’s Role in MS Likely More Result of Environment Than Genes, Study Suggests

News

A study found no genetic risk factors associated with vitamin D in families with a history of multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting that the link between vitamin D deficiency and MS ... Read more

June 4, 2019June 4, 2019

AxoSim Licenses Mini-Brain Technology, Which May Speed Therapy Discovery for Neurological Diseases

News

AxoSim has acquired exclusive rights to lab-grown brain miniatures, coined “Mini-Brain,” a technology developed at Johns Hopkins University that uses stem cells to create models of the human brain in ... Read more

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019

Cyxone Nears First-in-human Trial for Investigational Preventive MS Treatment T20K

News

Cyxone submitted an application to the Netherlands research ethics committee to start the first clinical trial in humans testing T20K, its investigational preventive treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Approval by ... Read more

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019

MC10, AbbVie Plan Clinical Trials to Explore Using BioStamp nPoint Device for MS Patients

News

MC10 and AbbVie are working together to launch clinical trials exploring the use of BioStamp nPoint, a system of wearable sensors that collects health data from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, to ... Read more

May 23, 2019May 23, 2019

Stress-induced Changes in Gut Bacteria May Increase Risk of Autoimmune Disorders, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Stress-induced changes in gut bacteria, or gut microbiota, may play a significant part in the possible link between exposure to stress and the risk of autoimmune disorders such as ... Read more

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019

Fibrinogen-containing Vesicles in Blood May Play Key Role in MS Relapses, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Vesicles in the blood that contain a protein called fibrinogen important for blood clotting were found to be “sufficient and required” for the occurrence of spontaneous disease relapses in ... Read more

May 17, 2019June 21, 2019

Out-of-Pocket Costs of MS Treatments in US Soared from 2004-16, Study Finds

News

Out-of-pocket costs for medications treating neurological diseases have skyrocketed over the last 12 years in the U.S., with multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, especially, paying 20 times more in 2016 than ... Read more

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019

#AANAM – RRMS Patients Switching to Lemtrada Report Greater Satisfaction with Treatment and Improvements in Quality of Life

News

Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who switched to infusions with Sanofi Genzyme’s Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) report increased satisfaction with treatment and improvements in health-related quality of life, according to ... Read more

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019

#AANAM – Oral Ozanimod Better than Avonex in Lessening Brain Volume Loss in Relapsing MS, Trial Shows

News

Oral treatment with ozanimod (RPC1063), an investigational immunomodulator under development by Celgene, is better at preventing brain volume loss, compared with Avonex (interferon-beta-1a), in adults with relapsing forms of ... Read more

May 8, 2019May 10, 2019

#AANAM — Quanterix Leads Research on Neurofilament Light Chain as Potential MS Biomarker

News

Quanterix is leading the research presented at this year’s American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, validating the use of neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a potential biomarker for ... Read more

April 24, 2019May 15, 2019

Thyroid Hormone Mimetic Holds Promise as Remyelination Therapy for MS, Mouse Study Shows

News

Researchers have developed a compound based on the thyroid hormone T3 that is able to repair damaged myelin in the brain of mice, a discovery that holds promise for ... Read more

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

Main Ingredient in Potential MS Therapy EHP-101 Not a Controlled Substance, DEA Rules

News

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has determined that the cannabidiol-based active ingredient of EHP-101, an investigational oral treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) under development by Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP), should not ... Read more

April 23, 2019April 30, 2019

Study Will Explore Benefits of Tai Chi, Meditation on MS Patients’ Physical Balance

News

A pilot study has been launched to assess the immediate and enduring benefits of tai chi and mindfulness meditation on the physical balance and mental wellness of people with multiple ... Read more

April 10, 2019April 18, 2019

MS Misdiagnosis Too Common, Puts Patients in Unnecessary Peril from Therapies, Study Reveals

News

Nearly 18% of new multiple sclerosis (MS) patients referred to two speciality clinics in Los Angeles, California, had been misdiagnosed with the disease, according to a recent study. Most ... Read more

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019

Menstruation Onset, Pregnancies and Breastfeeding Habits Don’t Influence MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

A woman’s age at her first menstruation, or becoming pregnant and breastfeeding does not substantially influence the long-term risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) or the risk of increased disability, ... Read more

January 2, 2019January 3, 2019

Acrolein Eyed as Potential Biomarker of MS, Preliminary Study Finds

News

A product called acrolein, which is naturally excreted by the body and possible to measure in urine and blood, may be a potential biomarker to help diagnose and evaluate ... Read more

December 19, 2018January 2, 2019

Ampyra Significantly Improves Walking Ability As Reported by MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Treatment with Ampyra (dalfampridine) for 24 weeks leads to sustained and clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability as reported by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with gait difficulties, according to ... Read more

December 13, 2018December 19, 2018

Patients with Stable Disease Who Switch to Another Interferon Therapy at Greater Risk of Flares, Study Reports

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who have been relapse-free while using an interferon-beta (IFN-β) therapy but switch to another IFN-β are significantly more like to start experiencing flares than patients who remain on ... Read more