Posts by: Ines Martins, PhD

Ines Martins, PhD

Inês holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she specialized in blood vessel biology, blood stem cells, and cancer. Before that, she studied Cell and Molecular Biology at Universidade Nova de Lisboa and worked as a research fellow at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias and Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. Inês currently works as a Managing Science Editor, striving to deliver the latest scientific advances to patient communities in a clear and accurate manner.

June 23, 2020June 23, 2020

US Court Rules in Favor of Mylan, Generic Version of Tecfidera

News

Generic formulations of dimethyl fumarate — currently sold as Tecfidera by Biogen — were given a green light to enter the U.S. market, after a federal court invalidated a patent protecting Tecfidera ... Read more

June 18, 2020June 18, 2020

Obesity Linked to Faster Optic Nerve Atrophy, Study Finds

News

Read more

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020

Biogen, MS Trust Open ‘ACT Myself’ to Help With Emotional Well-being

News

A new digital tool aims to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) deal with the emotional burden of their diagnosis, guiding them to focus on what matters most in ... Read more

June 1, 2020June 1, 2020

Two-hour Ocrevus Infusion Time Approved for MS Patients in Europe

News, Ocrevus

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved a shorter infusion time for Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), an approved treatment for people with relapsing or primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The approval follows ... Read more

May 29, 2020May 29, 2020

Cell Therapy ATA188 Safely Easing Disability in Progressive MS, Trial Reports

News

Atara Biotherapeutics‘ cell-based therapy ATA188 is safe and well-tolerated in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and induces a sustained reduction in disability in a dose-dependent manner, ... Read more

May 27, 2020May 27, 2020

Air Pollution of Urban Life Raises MS Risk, Study from Italy Suggests

News

Exposure to air pollutants, particularly to fine particle pollutants (2.5 micrometers or less in diameter), seems to increase a person’s risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study from northern Italy ... Read more

May 21, 2020May 21, 2020

Learning Physical Task Seen to Trigger Myelin Repair in MS Mouse Model

News

Movements that are an act of “learning” motor tasks after lesions appear in the protective myelin sheath of neurons seem to induce both new and existing oligodendrocytes — the cells ... Read more

May 19, 2020May 20, 2020

MS Patients Have More Aluminum Content in Their Brains Than Those Without Neurodegenerative Conditions, Study Finds

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases have a significantly higher aluminum content in their brains than those with no known neurological impairment and no identifiable neurodegenerative ... Read more

May 18, 2020May 18, 2020

Blocking Monocytes from Nervous System Eases MS Severity, Early Study Finds

News

Targeting the MOSPD2 protein may prevent immune cells known as monocytes from entering the central nervous system (CNS), which may significantly ease brain inflammation and myelin damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), a ... Read more

May 15, 2020May 18, 2020

EBV Infections Evident in All 901 MS Patients in German Study

News

Supporting evidence that infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) could be one of the root causes of multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study found all of its 901 early disease patients carry ... Read more

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020

Ian Duncan Awarded 2020 Dystel Prize for Discoveries in Myelin Repair

News

Neuroscientist Ian D. Duncan has been awarded the 2020 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for work that advanced understanding of how myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve cells, ... Read more

May 7, 2020May 7, 2020

Long-term Gilenya Use Helps Delay Disability in Relapsing MS, 10-year Study Reports

News

Read more

May 7, 2020May 21, 2020

NurOwn May Curb Damaging Neuroinflammation in MS, Study Finds

Covid-19, News

NurOwn, believed to have neuroprotective and repairing effects, may also be able to curb the damaging immune responses that contribute to multiple sclerosis (MS) progression, a recent study found. This newly ... Read more

April 30, 2020May 12, 2020

CMSC 2020 Meeting Will Be Free and Online May 26-29

Covid-19, News

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April 29, 2020April 29, 2020

Obesity Linked to Faster Optic Nerve Atrophy in MS Patients

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are obese experience a faster degeneration in their optic nerve tissue than those of normal weight, a study found. Since optic neuropathy correlates with ... Read more

April 28, 2020April 29, 2020

Rituximab May Prevent MS if Given at Earliest Disease Signs, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Using rituximab to prevent multiple sclerosis (MS) in people at risk or in patients still without motor symptoms, and continuing treatment as the disease develops, may be a promising way ... Read more

April 23, 2020April 28, 2020

Monocytes May Be Better, Safer Targets for MS Therapies, Study Suggests

News

A subset of monocytes (a type of immune cells) that can infiltrate the central nervous system and drive nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a better target ... Read more

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020

VTS-Aspirin Combos to Ease Flush in RRMS Named Orphan Drug by FDA

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to combinations of VTS-Aspirin plus fumarate therapy using Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) or Bafiertam (monomethyl fumarate) for easing flush ... Read more

April 21, 2020April 21, 2020

Potential Antibody Treatment for MS, by Immutep, Moving Toward Clinical Trials

News

With the development of a cell line that produces significant amounts of Immutep‘s treatment candidate, IMP761, the company is preparing to advance its antibody into clinical testing for autoimmune conditions, ... Read more

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020

Genetic Risk for MS Linked to White Matter Changes in Brains of Children

News

A high genetic risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with structural alterations in white matter — brain regions composed mainly of nerve fibers — in childhood, findings from ... Read more

April 10, 2020April 10, 2020

HLA-DRB1 Gene Variants Seen to Influence Risk, Activity of Pediatric-onset MS

News

A variant of the HLA-DRB1 gene — called HLA-DRB1*03 — appears to predispose people to developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in childhood, and to correlate with greater disease activity among those who do, a ... Read more

April 7, 2020April 28, 2020

Atara Pauses Enrollment in Part 2 of Immunotherapy Trial in PPMS and SPMS

Covid-19, News

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Atara Biotherapeutics has temporarily paused patient enrollment in the second and randomized part of its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial investigating ATA188 in people with ... Read more

March 31, 2020April 28, 2020

Bile Acid Supplements May Ease Symptoms of Progressive MS

Covid-19, News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have lower than usual levels of molecules called bile acids circulating in their blood, a  study found. These molecules, produced in the liver to aid fat ... Read more

September 2, 2016September 12, 2016

Inflammation Fighters in Blood Cells Seen to Attack in Entirely New Way

News

To reach tissues infected with foreign agents, neutrophils, the body’s first line of defense, need to travel through vessel walls — and do so by switching on a class of ... Read more

August 29, 2016October 31, 2016

Gilenya-like Therapy Shows Benefit in Secondary Progressive MS Patients in Phase 3 Trial

News

Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who were treated with BAF312 (siponimod), a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) inhibitor, in a Phase 3 clinical trial showed a  significantly reduced risk for disability progression compared to ... Read more

August 23, 2016August 23, 2016

Only 47% of Primary Care Doctors in England ‘Confident’ in Treating MS Patients

News

General practitioners (GPs) in England lack confidence in initially assessing and referring onward people with neurological symptoms, especially those with multiple sclerosis, and believe they could benefit from better training in identifying ... Read more

August 22, 2016August 22, 2016

Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Cell Therapy Promotes Remyelination in Mice

News

A cell therapy product derived from human umbilical cord blood cells may be a promising treatment approach for patients with demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or leukodystrophy, ... Read more

August 19, 2016August 19, 2016

MS Progression Slower in People Who Begin Betaseron Therapy at First Signs of Disease, 11-Year Study Says

News

Relapsing multiple sclerosis patients who begin taking Betaferon/Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) immediately after the first MS-related neurologic symptoms appear may realize slower disease progression than those who delay treatment, according to a study ... Read more

August 11, 2016August 11, 2016

Improving Confidence of RRMS Patients May Enhance Quality of Life, Decrease Depression, Study Finds

News

Increasing a person’s confidence that they can complete tasks and reach goals in specific situations may benefit patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In a new study, researchers used ... Read more

August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

Tysabri’s Success in Impairing the Immune System in RRMS May Be Source of Its Problems

News

Although Tysabri (natalizumab) is a highly effective in treating patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), some may develop progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). According to a new study, this occurs because Tysabri impairs immune ... Read more

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016

Best First-Line Treatment for Aggressive MS May Be Equally Aggressive Immunotherapies

News

Patients with aggressive onset multiple sclerosis, characterized by a rapidly progressing disease course and accumulation of disability, may benefit from early aggressive therapies instead of the escalation approach commonly ... Read more

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016

Cornell Scientists Tag and Track Lipid Signaling in Cells, a Possible Force in MS Development

News

Understanding lipid signaling in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be the key to developing more effective therapies for the disease. New work by researchers at Cornell University could bring us closer to unraveling ... Read more

August 1, 2016May 21, 2018

Genentech Enrolling Relapsing MS Patients in Study of Mechanism of Action for Ocrevus

News, Ocrevus

In addition to a new study sponsored by Genentech to test the experimental MS therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in RMS patients who have had a sub-optimal response to previous disease modifying therapies, the company ... Read more

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016

Increasing Disability in MS Matched by Rising Financial, Personal and Work-related Burdens

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. with higher disability scores also have higher rates of health resource utilization, higher healthcare costs, and lower work productivity and health-related quality of ... Read more

July 22, 2016July 22, 2016

Disease Modifying Drugs Seen to Help Protect MS Patients with Benign Status from Greater Disability

News

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and people diagnosed with the disease at a younger age are more likely to have a benign course of MS, remaining fully functional for decades after ... Read more

July 21, 2016May 21, 2018

Study of Potential Therapy for Relapsing MS That Targets B-Cells Now Recruiting Patients in US

News, Ocrevus

Patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) are being recruited for a clinical trial evaluating an experimental monoclonal antibody called ublituximab, the National MS Society announced in a recent news release. The study, being conducted at ... Read more

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016

Study That May Benefit MS Patients Awarded Grant from National Stem Cell Foundation

News

A research project that aims to explore how astrocytes can be manipulated to stop or prevent neurodegeneration has received a grant from the National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF). The ... Read more

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016

Gut Microbiome in MS Patients Seen to Favor Inflammatory Bacteria in Study

News

A link indeed appears to exist between multiple sclerosis (MS) and unusual changes in the bacterial composition of the gut, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). In their study, ... Read more

July 13, 2016July 19, 2016

Side Effects and Convenience of MS Therapies Seen to Determine Patients’ Adherence to Them

News

Despite the existence of several disease-modifying drugs for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), patients’ satisfaction plays a critical role in their adherence to treatment. Improving adherence should be a major ... Read more

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016

Brain Atrophy in MS Patients May Soon Be More Easily and Routinely Examined

News

Detecting brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients requires high quality scans, too expensive and complicated for routine clinical use. But this may change with a new software that simplifies ... Read more