Posts by: Forest Ray PhD

Forest Ray PhD

Forest Ray received his PhD in systems biology from Columbia University, where he developed tools to match drug side effects to other diseases. He has since worked as a journalist and science writer, covering topics from rare diseases to the intersection between environmental science and social justice. He currently lives in Long Beach, California.

January 19, 2021January 20, 2021

Brain Changes in Relapsing MS Found to Follow Pattern

News

Changes in the amount of grey matter in specific regions of the brain appear to occur early in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), while structural changes in white matter happen ... Read more

January 18, 2021January 18, 2021

Compound That Mimics Thyroid Hormone Prevents MS Nerve Damage in Mice

News

A thyroid hormone-mimicking compound not only prevented nerve cell damage but promoted the cells’ survival in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). This discovery advances previous research showing ... Read more

January 14, 2021January 15, 2021

Public-private Partnership Will Assess Therapy Potential, Effects of CBD

News

Open Book Extracts (OBX) and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have partnered to investigate how cannabinoids like CBD affect brain cells, particularly in regard to neuroinflammation, according ... Read more

December 8, 2020December 17, 2020

MS Patient-derived Stem Cells May Be Viable Source for Myelin Repair, Mouse Study Shows

News

Scientists have demonstrated that stem cells derived from the skin cells of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) can grow into normal myelin-producing nerve cells, called oligodendrocytes, in a mouse ... Read more

December 7, 2020December 7, 2020

MS-Specific Cognitive Rehabilitation Tool Shows Promise in Pilot Study

News

A multiple sclerosis (MS)-specific computerized cognitive rehabilitation (CR) program led to significant improvements in mental skills among MS patients participating in a recent pilot study. These findings suggest that ... Read more

November 12, 2020November 12, 2020

Non-invasive Imaging Technique Reveals Ibudilast’s Neuroprotective Effect

News

A non-invasive retina imaging technique known as optical coherence tomography (OCT) provided evidence of the neuroprotective effect of ibudilast (MN-166) — an oral medication designed to reduce the body’s inflammatory ... Read more

October 23, 2020October 26, 2020

VX-765 Therapy, Given Through Nose, Limits MS Progression in Early Study

News

The anti-inflammatory medication VX-765, which is delivered through the nose (intranasal), was found to limit disease progression in a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis (MS) by blocking a protein ... Read more

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

European Patent Given to IMP761, Antibody Aiming to Treat MS

News

The European Patent Office granted a patent for IMP761, Immutep‘s experimental antibody to be used in treating inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). IMP761 targets a receptor ... Read more

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

Mayzent Approved for Active Secondary Progressive MS in Scotland

News

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved Mayzent (siponimod) for the treatment of active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in Scotland. Mayzent, developed by Novartis, is a tablet taken ... Read more

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020

Aubagio’s Long-term Benefits Not Influenced by Prior Treatments, Review Finds

News

Prior treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) does not affect the long-term benefits of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The ... Read more

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020

Children With MS Do Well at School Despite Challenges, Danish Study Finds

News

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) perform as well at school as healthy peers, but are more challenged in their mental health and make greater use of healthcare services, according ... Read more

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

$373K Grant to Support Discovery of Remyelinating Compounds for MS

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has awarded a two-year, $373,000 Fast Forward grant to researchers at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine to identify compounds best able to replace ... Read more

August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

MS Patients Using Cooling Vests Show Significant Exercise Gains in Small Study

News

Wearing a cooling vest significantly improved the time and distance walked under conditions that can provoke heat sensitivity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small study. ... Read more

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020

Paramagnetic Rim Lesions Showing Promise as Diagnostic Marker of MS

News

Inflammatory lesions within the brain, called paramagnetic rim lesions, visible on imaging scans may improve the accuracy of a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, especially when used in combination with other ... Read more

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020

Better Efforts Needed to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections in MS Patients

News

Urinary tract infections are a common cause of hospitalization among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially older patients with progressive disease, and more attention should be given to their bladder, catheter, ... Read more

August 14, 2020August 18, 2020

35% of Newly Diagnosed Patients Given DMT in Follow-up Years, US Study Finds

News

Almost two-thirds of people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States, identified through a national database, were not prescribed disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) over an average of ... Read more

August 12, 2020August 13, 2020

Aubagio Shows Long-term Safety, Efficacy in Relapsing MS Extension Study

News

Aubagio (teriflunomide), taken as a 14 mg tablet once a day, shows long-term safety and efficacy in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results of the ... Read more

August 6, 2020August 6, 2020

Donepezil Seen to Aid Cognition, Life Quality for MS Patients in Small Trial

News

Donepezil — an approved treatment for Alzheimer’s disease — eased cognitive impairment, depression, and improved other quality-of-life measures in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with mild to moderate disability, according to results of a single-site ... Read more

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020

Healthcare Access for Immigrants With MS in Ontario ‘Reassuring,’ Study Finds

News

Immigrants with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Ontario use public health services as much as long-term residents, but are more likely to be hospitalized during the year in which they ... Read more

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Should Be Assessed in MS Cases

News

Clinical evaluation of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients should include the assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) alongside neurological ones, according to a recent study. The study, “Lower urinary tract ... Read more

July 24, 2020August 5, 2020

Video Game Therapy Shows Potential for Cognitive Gains in Small Study

News

An interactive video game was more effective than a word game at improving processing speeds in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with cognitive difficulties, and gains measured were longer lasting, ... Read more

July 20, 2020July 27, 2020

Bafiertam, for Adults With Relapsing MS, Available in US in September

News

Banner Life Sciences announced that Bafiertam (monomethyl fumarate) will become available to adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States beginning in September. The U.S. Food ... Read more

July 17, 2020July 17, 2020

National MS Society Invests $16M in Disease Research, Physician Training

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced investments of more than $16 million to support 50 new multi-year research projects and training fellowships addressing multiple sclerosis (MS). This latest series of ... Read more

July 15, 2020July 15, 2020

Vital Neurological Care Missing During Pandemic, UK Survey Finds

Covid-19, News

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting vital care and support for those with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent report from the Neurological Alliance in the ... Read more

July 13, 2020July 13, 2020

Progentec Signs Agreements to Develop, Commercialize MS Technologies

News

Progentec has established new licensing agreements with Stanford University and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation to commercialize and sell laboratory technologies related to multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. The ... Read more

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Study of Temelimab in MS Progression Without Relapse Enrolls 1st Patient

News

GeNeuro announced that a first multiple sclerosis (MS) patient has enrolled in its Phase 2 trial assessing the safety and effectiveness of temelimab in people whose disease is progressing in the absence of relapses. ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

1st Progressive MS Patient Enrolls in Phase 1b Study of Cell Therapy ATA188

News

Atara Biotherapeutics has enrolled a first patient in a clinical trial testing ATA188, its off-the-shelf T-cell immunotherapy for people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The Phase 1b trial (NCT03283826) ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

CMSC Meeting Focuses on Challenges, Solutions to Quality of Life Issues

News

Nearly 3,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) healthcare providers and researchers  convened recently to share their findings regarding the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. However, unlike past ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 23, 2020

Immune B-cell Subsets Correlate with MS Progression, Study Finds

News

Australian scientists have discovered subsets of immune cells that differ between people who have multiple sclerosis (MS) and those who don’t. Because the prevalence of these cells correlates with ... Read more

April 1, 2020April 1, 2020

Blood Levels of Nerve Cell Protein Likely Marker of Brain Injury to Come

News

A nerve cell protein found in the blood shows potential as a biomarker of neuroinflammation and future neurodegeneration in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The ... Read more

March 12, 2020March 12, 2020

THC:CBD Oral Spray Sativex Provides Consistent Relief for Treatment-resistant MS Spasticity

News

Sativex (nabiximols), a THC:CBD oral spray, consistently relieves the pain and severity of treatment-resistant spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a recent study. An analysis of the Sativex as ... Read more

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

Researchers Study Cognitive Decline in Older MS Patients for Alzheimer’s Link

News

As multiple sclerosis (MS) patients live longer, researchers have observed similarities between changes in their brains and in the brains of Alzheimer‘s patients, a study found. Understanding whether these ... Read more

February 27, 2020February 27, 2020

Cellular Metabolism Could Be New Therapeutic Target in MS, Study Suggests

News

Immune system cells can either trigger or suppress inflammation by controlling mitochondrial respiration — the process that occurs in mitochondria, the cells’ powerhouses, and results in the production of ... Read more

February 19, 2020February 19, 2020

University Spin-Off Pheno Therapeutics to Search for Compounds to Re-Grow Myelin Lost in MS

News

Pheno Therapeutics, a spin-off from the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, will search for new molecules capable of inducing the body to repair or replace the myelin sheath that is ... Read more

January 30, 2020January 30, 2020

Multiple Factors Influence the Prevalence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in MS Patients, Study Indicates

News

Age, gender, disease subtype, degree of disability, and more factors affect lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, the epidemiology of LUTS must be better ... Read more