December 22, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD In pilot trial, Ocrevus failed to reduce MS inflammation in meninges Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) did not significantly reduce the number or volume of inflammatory lesions in the meninges in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent pilot study. While inflammation in the meninges, the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, is thought to be driven…
December 18, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Ibudilast plus interferon-beta to get European patent for progressive MS MediciNova announced the approval of a European patent covering the use of ibudilast (MN-166) in combination with interferon-beta medications to treat progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ā primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) ā in patients previously using an interferon-beta.
December 13, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Clinical trial of Scone device for overactive bladder still enrolling Enrollment is nearly complete in a clinical trial of the SconeĀ neuromodulation device in treating neurogenic, or overactive, bladder due to multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, or spinal cord injury, SpineX, its developer, announced. Currently, 95 adult patients (more than 80% of planned total), ages 18 to…
December 11, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD FDA puts partial hold on Phase 3 clinical trials of fenebrutinib in MS The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial hold on Genentechās ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials testing fenebrutinib for the treatment of relapsing and primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision was based on two cases of patients who experienced elevations in their…
December 11, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Blood levels of MIF protein may predict brain atrophy with PPMS Higher blood levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a molecule involved in inflammation, may predict a faster rate of brain shrinkage, or atrophy, in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). That’s according to a new analysis of data from the SPRINT-MS Phase 2 trial (NCT01982942) that…
December 6, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD EBV-001 vaccine prevents EBV infection in lab-grown human cells EBV-001, a vaccine candidate being developed by EBViously to target the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), triggered the production of potent antibodies against the virus in mice, and blood samples from these animals prevented EBV infection in lab-grown human cells. That’s according to new data presented by the company, which is…
December 4, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD 4 new SPMS patients dosed with nasal foralumab outside of trials Tiziana Life Sciences has dosed four new participants in an expanded access program investigating its foralumab nasal spray in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), the company announced. A total of 10 SPMS patients are now being followed outside of clinical trials in foralumab’s expanded…
December 1, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD FDA clears BrainSpec’s tool to measure metabolites on brain scans The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared BrainSpec Core, a platform that performs non-invasive measurements of brain chemistry, for use in diagnosing some of the most common diseases that affect the brain, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Developed by BrainSpec, the platform uses magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)…
November 28, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Providers weigh treatment logistics in selecting DMTs for MS patients Certain clinical attributes of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), such as safety and the medication’s impact on risk of relapse and disability progression, are considered important by healthcare providers in selecting the appropriate treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new survey study. However, a study experiment also…
November 17, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Supplementation with coconut oil, green tea may help reduce triglycerides Supplementation with coconut oil and the green tea component epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) significantly reduces the levels of fatty molecules called triglycerides in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a pilot study from Spain. This reduction may complement improvements in functional capacity that have been reported previously following…
November 16, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Probiotic eased pain and fatigue in RRMS, trial data show A commercial probiotic supplement containing the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii significantly eased pain and fatigue, and improved mental health and quality of life, in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to data from a clinical trial in Iran. The probiotic, BioDigest, also reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, a form…
November 13, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD FDA names Elecsys NfL blood test for MS a breakthrough device A test called Elecsys NfLĀ ā developed by Roche to measure blood levels of the nerve damage biomarker neurofilament light chain (NfL) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) ā has received breakthrough device designation in the U.S. That status, granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),…
November 9, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD First healthy volunteers dosed in Phase 1 trial of LPX-TI641 A Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating LPX-TI641, Lapix Therapeutics‘ experimental therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases, has dosed its first participants. The first-in-human trial (NCT05853835) of healthy adult volunteers follows the recent clearance of an investigational new drug application by the U.S. Food…
October 19, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD ECTRIMS 2023: Most on Zeposia see slower disability progression More than three-quarters of people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) who received Zeposia (ozanimod) in the RADIANCE clinical trial and its extension study still haven’t experienced confirmed disability progression after eight years of follow-up, new data shows. Among those who progressed, about half of disability progression…
October 4, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Partnership seeks to drive diversity, inclusion in MS clinical trials The Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis and the Arab Board for Clinical Research have partnered with the Association of Diversity in Clinical Trials (AOD) to drive diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, including in those of multiple sclerosis (MS). The intent of the collaboration is to build…
October 3, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Heligenics IDs new interferon beta variants that might help in MS Heligenics has discovered a number of variations in the interferon beta 1 (IFNB1) gene that may markedly improve the effectiveness of medications containing the interferon beta protein ā a protein widely used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The discovery was made using the biotechnology company’s…
September 29, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Tiziana seeks sites to conduct Phase 2a trial of nasal foralumab Tiziana Life Sciences has started to recruit clinical sites for a Phase 2a clinical trial that will investigate its foralumab nasal spray in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The announcement follows a meeting with the principal investigators of the trial at Brigham and Womenās…
September 28, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Tyruko, first Tysabri biosimilar, approved in Europe for RMMS The European Commission has approved Tyruko (natalizumab), the first biosimilar of Tysabri, for the treatment of adults with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The approval makes Tyruko available in the European Union for the same indication as its reference medicine. It also marks the first approval…
September 20, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Patient enrollment is complete in Phase 1 trial of ANK-700 for RRMS Anokion has finished enrolling patients in the second part of its Phase 1 clinical trial investigating ANK-700 for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Safety data so far from the MoveS-it trial (NCT04602390) has shown the treatment is safe and well tolerated and biomarker analyses suggest it can induce…
September 19, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Imcyse completes enrollment in Phase 1 trial testing IMCY-0141 for RRMS Imcyse has completed patient enrollment and initial dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating IMCY-0141, its next-generation immunotherapy, in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The study, the first portion of a Phase 1/2 trial called IMCY-MS-001 (NCT05417269), is an open-label trial evaluating three doses of IMCY-0141…
September 15, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Benefits of long-term Tysabri seen in RRMS patients in Japan: Study Tysabri (natalizumab) significantly reduced the development of brain lesions on MRI scans in Japanese people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a new study. The therapy also eased or stabilized disability levels in most patients after five years of treatment, and significantly reduced the annual rate of…
September 1, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Platform for MS care was finalist for Innovation by Design Awards Octave Bioscience was selected as a finalist in this yearās Innovation by Design Awards in recognition of the platform it created to improve the care of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Organized by the media brand Fast Company, the awards are touted as some of the most sought-after…
August 31, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Experimental MS therapy NB-4746 to be tested in healthy volunteers Nura Bio has launched a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating NB-4746, its investigational treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and several other neurological conditions, in healthy volunteers. The trial’s participants will be randomly assigned to receive single and multiple doses of NB-4746 or a placebo. The goal is to…
August 10, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Neuro Night event to raise funds for neurological care, research Neuro Night, a philanthropic event set for October in Scottsdale, Arizona, is raising funds for the Barrow Neurological Institute and its mission of supporting the lifesaving care, medical education, and research for neurological diseases. The star-studded night of music, dancing, and fundraising, hosted by the Barrow Neurological Foundation,…
August 7, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Mavenclad lowers relapse rates, helps RRMS patients reach NEDA-3 Treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine), an approved short-course oral therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly reduced patients’ relapse rates and the development of new lesions while keeping disability stable over two years, according to a real-world study in Kuwait. Among patients who completed the two courses…
August 1, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Web-based wellness program improves life quality, lowers fatigue A web-based wellness intervention program that educated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on dietary plans, stress management, sleep, and exercise recommendations significantly improved their fatigue and quality of life, according to data from a clinical study. The study, āEvaluation of a web-based program for the adoption of wellness behaviors…
July 17, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD MS raises person’s risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s, study suggests People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at a greater risk than the general public of developing any type of dementia, with that of Alzheimer’s disease being more than twice as high and vascular dementia nearly four times as high, a study from Korea suggested. This risk also was higher…
July 7, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD CPT code issued for MRI brain scan software by Icometrix Icometrix‘s quantification software for brain MRI scans has received a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) III code, a temporary code for emerging technologies that should facilitate reimbursement. CPT codes, issued by the American Medical Association, are designed to identify procedures and services in healthcare plans. They are used in the…
July 5, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Neurologist Xavier Montalban wins 2023 Charcot Award for research The director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (CEMCAT) has been recognized with the 2023 Charcot Award, a prestigious prize that honors researchers for their lifetime work toward understanding multiple sclerosis (MS). Xavier Montalban, MD, PhD, has contributed to several areas of MS research and clinical care…
June 19, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Potential blood biomarker of Gilenya response found in MS patients A microRNA called miR-548a-3p, a small molecule important for regulation of gene activity, may help to identify people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who will reach no evidence of disease activity ā a status known as NEDA-3 ā after treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), a study found. Data showed that…