Andrea Lobo, PhD,  science writer—

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…

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…

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 — a status known as NEDA-3 — after treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), a study found. Data showed that…

As part of last week’s World MS Day, a documentary about the life of Mathew Embry, a multiple sclerosis (MS) patient who’s been living symptom-free for more than 27 years, has premiered on national Canadian television. The critically acclaimed documentary, called “Living Proof,” premiered June 4 on The…

In an effort to improve access to medical care for all people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) has announced new initiatives to address disparities and inequality in MS care. The consortium is incorporating a new statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)…

Monte Rosa Therapeutics has selected MRT-6160, its second candidate for development, for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and several other autoimmune diseases. The therapy is now in early studies that would support an investigational new drug (IND) application, a formal request to U.S. regulatory authorities to start testing a…

Long-term treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) doesn’t change the diversity of T-cells — those needed to mount effective immune responses against foreign pathogens — in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a small study shows. Consistent with its mechanism of B-cell depletion, however, Ocrevus did reduce the molecular…

LAPIX Therapeutics has secured a new U.S. patent covering the use of its experimental oral therapy LPX-TI641 as a means to restore immune tolerance in people with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with the number 11,648,225, the patent…

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…

The recently approved CD20 inhibitor Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy) has received a permanent insurance reimbursement code that will simplify claims submissions and documentation processes for adults in the U.S. with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis who are prescribed it. Issued by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the…

Owen Mumford‘s Aidaptus auto-injector, which lets a wide range of under-the-skin medications to be administered, has won a Red Dot Award in the Product Design 2023 category. Launched in 2021, Aidaptus is a disposable auto-injector whose design fits multiple-sized prefilled glass syringes without changing parts. This could provide…

Pipeline Therapeutics is collaborating with a branch of Janssen Pharmaceuticals to advance PIPE-307, a potential oral treatment of nervous system conditions that is expected to enter a clinical trial in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The compound previously was found to be safe and tolerable in…

A three-month yoga program was significantly better than physical therapy at improving quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a Russian study reports. Significant effects were observed in patients’ physical and social functioning, life activity, and mental health, researchers found. “Regular yoga classes under the guidance of…

Cariloop has teamed up with Walgreens to provide support services at select neurology-specialty pharmacies to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers. Through its caregiver platform, Cariloop offers services such as professional counseling and cloud-based tools to help families manage challenges and plan for caregiving-associated activities.

EBViously announced that it has developed a candidate vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus and plans to bring it into clinical trials starting in 2024. The company is a spinoff of Helmholtz Munich, part of a German government research network. It is led by scientists with expertise in EBV…

Early treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine) or monoclonal antibodies is more likely to control symptoms in people with highly active multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Argentina suggests. Highly active disease usually is considered when frequent relapses occur and there is an increasing burden of brain magnetic resonance imaging…

Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are both associated with significantly faster disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but snuff, a smokeless tobacco product placed behind the upper lip, seems to slow MS progression, a study in Sweden suggests. Findings also linked smoking and secondhand exposure, also…

Fujirebio has launched two fully automated laboratory tests to measure levels of the neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein, a proposed biomarker of nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), in the blood and spinal fluid. NfL is a structural protein found in nerve cells that gets released into…

People who drink black and green tea, coffee, and nonalcoholic beer may be significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Iran has found. In contrast, consuming carbonated beverages, milk, and natural fruit juices seems to increase the chances of developing the neurodegenerative condition, according to…

Note: This story was updated March 29, 2023, to correct that cognitive function was assessed via questions about memory and three other cognition outcomes. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and sleepiness may contribute to self-reported cognitive decline in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.

Adherence to a high-quality diet may help alleviate symptoms of depression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study from Australia suggests. The study examined several dietary regimens that have been developed to help manage MS symptoms generally by avoiding foods that might increase inflammation, a key driver…

Infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 significantly accelerates neurological disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), at least in the first months after infection, a study from Belgium reported. A more severe case of COVID-19, one requiring hospitalization, also significantly associated with a faster worsening of MS…

Aiming to promote equitable access to multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments worldwide, an international MS alliance is asking that three disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) be added to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines. Inclusion on the WHO list is considered an important if “initial” step in assuring that helpful treatments…

MS Australia is funding a study by researchers at Curtin University into how diet might affect multiple sclerosis (MS) onset in children. Led by Eleanor Dunlop, PhD, a dietitian and postdoctoral researcher at the Perth university’s School of Population Health, the study will investigate the influence different types of…

Following a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cognitive problems, including with memory and thinking skills, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a preliminary study suggests. The diet includes a high intake of fish, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and healthy fats (olive oil); and a low intake of meat,…

Long-term use of Zeposia (ozanimod) did not adversely affect the heart of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated for one or two years in Phase 3 clinical trials, with no clinically significant changes in cardiac function reported. Data on people enrolled in the two studies were retrospectively evaluated, as the therapy…

FSD Pharma will soon launch a first-in-human trial testing Lucid-21-302, known as Lucid-MS — its novel chemical treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) — in healthy volunteers. Health Canada has cleared the company to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of the investigational therapy, FSD Pharma announced in a…

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is a safe and effective treatment for patients under 18 with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a small study from Turkey suggests. Over about 2.5 years of the treatment, these pediatric patients experienced no relapses or MRI activity, and their disability level also improved, indicating…

The tiny sacs of cellular content that are released by oligodendrocytes — the myelin-producing cells of the brain and spinal cord — may be good biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new study has found. The research showed that levels of myelin basic…

Quanterix Corporation‘s laboratory test designed to measure blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been validated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), an arm of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that regulates laboratory testing. The company now is planning to launch its laboratory developed test,…