Posts by: Joana Carvalho, MSc

Joana Carvalho, MSc

Joana is currently completing her PhD in Biomedicine and Clinical Research at Universidade de Lisboa. She also holds a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Evolutionary and Developmental Biology from Universidade de Lisboa. Her work has been focused on the impact of non-canonical Wnt signaling in the collective behavior of endothelial cells — cells that make up the lining of blood vessels — found in the umbilical cord of newborns.

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019

Ills Like Depression, Hypertension More Common in MS Patients Than Others in US, Blue Cross Report Finds

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. are three times more likely to have mental or behavioral health issues, including depression and substance abuse (substance use disorder), than the general population, ... Read more

October 8, 2019October 8, 2019

Structure and Workings of Receptor Tied to Inflammation and Cell Death Seen for First Time

News

Scientists observed for the first time the molecular structure of the P2X 7 receptor, a protein that plays a key role in cell death, inflammation, and cancer progression. This breakthrough ... Read more

October 3, 2019October 3, 2019

Acthar Gel Eases MS Flare-up Symptoms After Two Months of Treatment, Observational Study Shows

News

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) eased flare-up symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing relapses, top-line data from an observational registry study shows. Acthar Gel, a medication developed ... Read more

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019

FeetMe Raises €9.4M to Advance Gait and Posture Technology for Patients with Movement Disorders

News

FeetMe, a medical device company dedicated to the development of devices and digital health services to improve patients’ mobility, has raised €9.4 million ($10.25 million) in Series A funding to ... Read more

September 13, 2019September 18, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 — Eliminating SARM1 Protects Neurons in Mouse Model of MS

News

Eliminating SARM1, an enzyme that plays a key role in nerve cell degeneration, protects neurons in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a condition that mimics the key pathological ... Read more

September 12, 2019September 12, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 — Biogen Presents New Real-world Data Demonstrating Clinical Benefits of Tysabri, Plegridy, and Avonex

News

Biogen is presenting new data highlighting the potential clinical benefits of Tysabri (natalizumab), Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a), and Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for the treatment of specific groups of individuals with ... Read more

September 10, 2019September 10, 2019

NervGen Planning Clinical Trials of NVG-291, Peptide That Might Promote Myelin Repair

News

NervGen Pharma announced plans to open clinical trials evaluating the potential of its lead candidate NVG-291 to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and spinal cord injury. NVG-291 is an investigational peptide ... Read more

September 6, 2019September 6, 2019

Oral Ozanimod More Effective Than Avonex in Lowering Annual Relapses in MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Finds

News

Oral ozanimod is more effective at reducing the frequency of relapses than Avonex (interferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and does so with reasonable safety, results ... Read more

September 5, 2019September 5, 2019

Sandoz Enters Agreement with Polpharma Biologics to Develop and Commercialize Tysabri Biosimilar

News

Sandoz, a division of Novartis dedicated to the development of biosimilars, has entered an agreement with Polpharma Biologics, a biopharmaceutical company also dedicated to the manufacture of biosimilars, to ... Read more

August 29, 2019August 29, 2019

Role of SARM1 Enzyme, Key Player in Neurodegeneration, Detailed in Studies

News

Two new studies delve into the structure of SARM1, an enzyme that plays a key role in nerve cell degeneration, and are expected to aid the development of targeted ... Read more

August 21, 2019August 21, 2019

Immune System Molecule IL-17A Likely Inflammatory Agent in RRMS, Study Says

News

Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), a molecule that mediates immune and inflammatory responses, likely promotes inflammation and tissue damage in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and should be considered a potential target for ... Read more

August 14, 2019August 14, 2019

US Agency Asked to OK Cannabinoid Shipments from Canada to Support Studies in MS, MMJ Announces

News

MMJ International Holdings, a pharmaceutical company whose focus is plant-derived cannabis products for therapeutic purposes, has requested permission to ship tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) from Canada to the ... Read more

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019

SyntheticMR’s Software Package Capable of Quickly Measuring Myelin in Brain Available in US

News

SyntheticMR‘s SyMRI NEURO, a software package that can segment and measure myelin volume in the brain, is now available for use by radiologists in the U.S. through an agreement ... Read more

August 8, 2019August 19, 2019

Medical Marijuana Now Available to MS and Other Patients in Louisiana

News

Medical cannabis products, jointly developed by GB Sciences Louisiana (GBSL) and the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center’s (LSU AgCenter) Therapeutic Cannabis Program, are now available for purchase by qualified patients ... Read more

August 5, 2019August 8, 2019

Under-the-skin CBD Infusion With Valeritas’ h-Patch Device Prolongs Therapy Effects, Study Finds

News

Valeritas Holdings’ proprietary h-Patch device can be used to administer cannabidiol by an under-the-skin (subcutaneous) infusion, prolonging the time the medication remains in circulation in the body and maximizing ... Read more

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019

Rutgers Health Leading Program to Support MS Children

News

Rutgers Health is leading the Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Demyelinating Diseases Program, the only program in the state of New Jersey designed specifically to support children with multiple sclerosis ... Read more

July 31, 2019July 31, 2019

3D Imaging of Brain Lesions May Spot Those Most Likely to Heal, Guiding Treatment

News

A new diagnostic method for multiple sclerosis (MS) that uses 3D analysis of a patient’s brain may be able to tell physicians which lesions there are more likely to heal ... Read more

July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

MS MindShift Campaign Uses Balloon Festival to Raise Awareness About MS Brain Health

News

Celgene and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) are working together to bring the “MS MindShift: A New View of MS” campaign, which is raising awareness about the ... Read more

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019

Phase 1 Trial of T20K, Plant Protein-derived Therapy for MS, Doses 1st Group of Healthy Men

News

A first group of healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 trial assessing the safety and tolerability of T20K, Cyxone‘s plant protein-derived candidate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more

July 16, 2019July 19, 2019

3-D Brain Models of PPMS and Parkinson’s Off to Space Station for Research in Microgravity

News

The National Stem Cell Foundation announced the start of a pioneering project to investigate the impact of microgravity on the neurodegeneration associated with primary progressive multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s ... Read more

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019

CMSC Opens Weeklong Mental Health Program to Help Mentor and Train MS Specialists

News

The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), working with the Foundation of the CMSC (FCMSC) and EMD Serono, launched a new Mental Health Mini-Mentorship Program to help clinicians better ... Read more

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019

Study Examines Gadolinium Deposits in MS Patients’ Brains, But Still Can’t Determine Relationship with Disease Severity

News

The use of gadodiamide, a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) often used to help clinicians visualize brain structures in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, leads to the accumulation of gadolinium ... Read more

June 28, 2019August 2, 2019

Mavenclad Continues to Demonstrate Sustained Efficacy, Safety in Patients with Relapsing Forms of MS, Post-hoc Analyses Show

News

Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets continue to show sustained efficacy and consistent safety in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), post-hoc analyses of a Phase 3 trial extension study ... Read more

June 27, 2019August 5, 2019

Progressive MS Patients Have Difficulties Perceiving Thoughts, Intentions of Others, Study Reveals

News

Patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) have difficulties perceiving the thoughts and intentions, but not the emotions, of other individuals, Kessler Foundation researchers have found. Those findings were reported ... Read more

June 24, 2019June 24, 2019

Health Care Needs ‘Particularly High’ in Children and Teens with MS, Study Finds

News

The burden in treating children with multiple sclerosis (MS) in terms of hospitalizations and doctor visits is extremely high, especially in the first year after diagnosis, a study from ... Read more

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Cyxone Launches Phase 1 Trial Assessing T20K for MS

News

Cyxone launched the first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial assessing the effects of T20K, its new therapeutic candidate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), in healthy volunteers. The announcement came ... Read more

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019

Immune System Activation Induced by Filgrastim Likely Beneficial for Patients with Tysabri-associated PML, Study Says

News

Immune system activation induced by filgrastim may be beneficial for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with the use of Tysabri (natalizumab), without worsening multiple sclerosis (MS) progression, a ... Read more

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019

Neurological Disease’s Progression Slows with Lowering of Iron Load in Brain, Study Finds

News

Deferiprone, a compound that lowers iron levels in the bloodstream by binding to iron molecules, can slow progression of a severe neurodegenerative disorder called pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a study ... Read more

June 14, 2019June 17, 2019

New AI Method Detects Brain Changes in Response to Treatment in RRMS Patients

News

A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based model is better than conventional methods for detecting brain changes in response to treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), ... Read more

June 7, 2019June 10, 2019

FDA and EMA to Review Ozanimod as Possible Oral Therapy for Relapsing MS

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) both agreed to review for possible approval ozanimod, Celgene‘s investigational oral therapy for relapsing forms of multiple ... Read more

June 3, 2019June 3, 2019

Mavenclad May Surpass Gilenya as DMT of Choice for Treatment of MS in Canada

News

Mavenclad (cladribine) may surpass Gilenya (fingolimod) in the category of oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) of choice for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada, according to a press ... Read more

June 3, 2019June 3, 2019

EMD Serono and ‘MS Inside Out’ Campaign Join Global Effort to Make MS More ‘Visible’

News

EMD Serono is supporting World MS Day, an initiative created by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) to promote solidarity and raise awareness about multiple sclerosis (MS) worldwide, by joining efforts ... Read more

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019

MS International Federation Urges Participation in Visibility Campaign on World MS Day

News

The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) is encouraging family members, caregivers, and patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to participate in World MS Day today. Created by MSIF and its ... Read more

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019

IPMSSG Issues Guidelines on Participation of MS Youngsters in Clinical Trials

News

The International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group (IPMSSG) has updated its guidelines regarding the participation of children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) in clinical trials. The new series ... Read more

May 22, 2019June 27, 2019

Reactivation of Ancient Viruses May Be Involved in MS Inflammatory Response, Study Says

News

Reactivation of ancient viruses incorporated into the human genome in the course of evolution may be involved in the acute inflammatory response that is characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more

May 22, 2019September 3, 2019

Simvastatin, Common Statin, Treats SPMS in Ways Distinct from Cholesterol, Study Suggests

News, SPMS

Simvastatin, a widely prescribed statin that works to lower cholesterol levels, may slow brain atrophy and disease progression in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) for reasons unrelated to ... Read more

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019

Lyfebulb and Celgene Announce 2019 Innovation Challenge Finalists

News

Lyfebulb and Celgene have announced the 10 finalists who will compete for a $25,000 grant to support the development of their innovative proposals that address an unmet need in ... Read more

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019

Ocrevus Approved in UK as First NHS Treatment for PPMS

News

After first rejecting it due to cost-effectiveness concerns, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has now approved the use of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for people in the U.K. ... Read more

May 9, 2019May 9, 2019

#AANAM — Adamas Provides Update on Phase 3 INROADS Trial Testing ADS-5102 for MS

News

Adamas Pharmaceuticals announced the study design and baseline characteristics of patients enrolling in the company’s ongoing Phase 3 trial testing the efficacy and safety of ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended-release capsules in ... Read more

May 1, 2019May 1, 2019

Women with MS Have Higher Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction, Study Reveals

News

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to experience sexual dysfunction and sexual distress than those without the disease, a study reports. According to researchers, the high prevalence of ... Read more