Posts by: Jose Marques Lopes, PhD

Jose Marques Lopes, PhD

José is a science news writer with a PhD in Neuroscience from Universidade of Porto, in Portugal. He has studied Biochemistry also at Universidade do Porto and was a postdoctoral associate at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, and at The University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario. His work ranged from the association of central cardiovascular and pain control to the neurobiological basis of hypertension, and the molecular pathways driving Alzheimer’s disease.

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Age Seen as Crucial in MS Outcomes, with 40 Marking Shift from Relapses to Progression

News

Age at disease onset is tightly linked to clinical outcomes in multiple sclerosis patients, a Swiss study in those on disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) reports. It found a risk of continuous relapses ... Read more

September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 — Glia Score May Differentiate Progressive MS from RRMS, Study Suggests

News

Patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) have higher levels of protein markers of activated glial cells than those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or patients with other neurological disorders, according ... Read more

September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Newer DMTs More Effective Than Older Injectables in Pediatric MS, Study Says

News

Using newer disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) as an initial treatment for children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is associated with fewer relapses and brain ... Read more

September 13, 2019September 18, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 — Human Herpesvirus 6A May Increase MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

Infection with the human herpesvirus (HHV)-6A may increase the likelihood of having multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new national study in Sweden. The research, “Serological response against HHV-6A ... Read more

September 12, 2019September 12, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – No Retinal Thinning with Ocrevus in Relapsing MS Patients, Phase 3 Trials Show

News

Treating relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is not associated with retinal thinning — unlike treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a), according to two Phase 3 trials. The ... Read more

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Remyelinating Therapy Liothyronine Well-tolerated by MS Patients, Phase 1b Trial Finds

News

Treatment with a potential remyelinating agent called liothyronine was safe and well-tolerated by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a Phase 1b trial. Preliminary results also suggested benefits in ... Read more

September 5, 2019September 9, 2019

Floodlight App Gets Positive Ratings, Shows Good Continuous Use in Pilot Study

News

Using smartphones and smartwatches to monitor disease course via the FLOODLIGHT app leads to high adherence and satisfaction among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), results from a pilot study ... Read more

September 3, 2019September 11, 2019

Ofatumumab Better at Easing Relapse Rates and Slowing MS Progression Than Aubagio, Phase 3 Data Show

News

Monthly injections of ofatumumab led to more clinically meaningful reductions in relapse rates and delayed disability progression than did daily treatment with Aubagio (teriflunomide) tablets in people with relapsing forms of multiple ... Read more

August 30, 2019August 30, 2019

Higher Vitamin D Levels May Promote ‘Myelin Integrity’ in Progressive MS, Study Suggests

News

Higher levels of vitamin D in the blood may help to protect the myelin sheath, slowing damage to nerve cells in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a ... Read more

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019

Mavenclad Cost-Effective Treatment for At-risk RRMS Patients Compared to Other DMTs, Dutch Study Finds

News

Treating at-risk relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients is most cost-effective with Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets when compared to Gilenya (fingolimod), Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) or Tysabri (natalizumab), according to a study in Dutch patients. The study, ... Read more

August 26, 2019August 26, 2019

Link Between Lemtrada, Mortality More Common Than Previously Reported

Lemtrada, News

Treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is associated with the death of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) more often than previously reported and appears to be most common during the ... Read more

August 12, 2019August 27, 2019

NICE and NHS England Oppose Sativex to Treat Spasticity in MS, Urge More Studies of Medical Cannabis

News

A draft guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a U.K. advisory board, and a review by England’s National Health Service (NHS) call for more ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 9, 2019

Harnessing T-cell Subtype May Suppress Immune Responses in MS, Study Suggests

News

Though known mainly for killing tumor and virally infected cells, a T-cell subtype may restrain immune responses and be protective in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), according ... Read more

August 8, 2019August 8, 2019

Specific Mutation and Amino Acid Change Linked to MS Risk in Study from Japan

News

An amino acid change to phenylalanine, and a specific class I HLA gene variant are associated with greater risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in Japanese patients. ... Read more

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019

Microbes in Gut Protect Nervous System After Viral Infections, Study Suggests

News

Gut microbes prime immune cells called microglia to protect the brain and nervous system from neurological damage due to viral infections, according to new research in mice. The findings ... Read more

July 18, 2019July 18, 2019

Higher Doses of Opicinumab as Add-on Therapy Fail to Lessen MS Disability, Phase 2 Trial Shows

News

Treating people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) with opicinumab and Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for 72 weeks did not lead to a dose-dependent reduction in disability,  results of a ... Read more

July 10, 2019August 7, 2019

MS Brain Lesions Linked to Early-life Viral Infection in Mice, Way of Blocking Inflammatory Spread Seen

News

An experimental treatment known as OB-002, that works to block an inflammatory molecule in the brain, prevented the development of lesions there after an early-in-life viral infection in a ... Read more

July 8, 2019September 3, 2019

Mayzent Boosts Cognitive Processing Speed in SPMS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Data Show

News, SPMS

Treatment with Mayzent (siponimod) led to significant improvement in cognitive processing speed in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to updated results of a Phase 3 trial. ... Read more

July 2, 2019July 2, 2019

Protein Linked to Microglia Cell Activation and Nerve Fiber Damage in Study That Also Notes Potential Treatment

News

A protein leads to nerve fiber and myelin damage, particularly in progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, by activating brain immune cells called microglia, according to a new study. Its researchers ... Read more

June 26, 2019June 26, 2019

Rare Variants of Inflammasome Proteins and Regulatory Signals More Common in MS Patients, Study Finds

News

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have more genetic variants of genes that regulate the pro-inflammatory signals of protein complexes called inflammasomes, according to new research. The findings support the ... Read more

June 14, 2019June 14, 2019

‘Pregnancy Compensation Hypothesis’ May Explain Greater MS Risk for Women

News

A mismatch — between the ancestral immune function changes induced by the placenta and fewer modern-day pregnancies — may help explain the greater risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) and ... Read more

June 10, 2019

Stem Cell Therapy Based on Exosomes May Treat MS, Study in Mice Suggests

News

Exosomes — tiny vesicles secreted by cells — collected from bone marrow stem cells and injected into a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) helped to treat the disease, ... Read more

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019

Abnormal Activation of Neutrophils a Potential Therapeutic Target in MS, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Targeting the excessive activation of immune cells called neutrophils, and the associated oxidative stress, may be a therapeutic strategy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a mouse ... Read more

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

#AANAM – Gilenya at 0.5 mg Superior to Copaxone at Lowering Relapses, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Oral Gilenya (fingolimod) taken daily at a 0.5 mg dose is superior to Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) injections at lowering relapses and disease activity over one year in patients with relapsing–remitting ... Read more

May 15, 2019May 16, 2019

#AANAM – 2 Trials Aim to Decide Best Early Way of Treating RRMS, Cleveland Clinic Doctor Says

News

Two ongoing clinical trials may help doctors better understand which type of disease-modifying therapy — those considered highly effective or those with low-to-moderate efficacy used in an escalating treatment ... Read more

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019

#AANAM — Use of Highly Effective Treatments for RRMS Increasing but Still Limited, Study Says

News

Although the use of highly effective disease-modifying treatments (HETs) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has increased, they still represent a minority among the treatment strategies used, according ... Read more

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019

#AANAM — Ocrevus Lowers Markers of Inflammation, Damage in Relapsing MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) decreases the levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and immune B-cells in the serum and central nervous system of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more

May 9, 2019May 9, 2019

#AANAM – Greater Exposure to Ocrevus Means Less Risk of Disability Progression in MS Patients, Study Contends

News

Higher exposure to Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is associated with greater immune B-cell depletion in the blood, and lessened risk of disability progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and ... Read more

May 9, 2019September 3, 2019

#AANAM – Scoring Tool Helps Identify Patients with RRMS or Transitioning to SPMS, Study Reports

News, SPMS

A newly developed scoring tool enables better identification of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as well as those transitioning or already diagnosed with secondary progressive MS (SPMS). The research ... Read more

May 9, 2019September 3, 2019

#AANAM – Mayzent Improves Cognitive Processing Speed in SPMS Patients, Trial Results Show

News, SPMS

Treatment with Mayzent (siponimod) provided sustained improvements and prevented deterioration of cognitive processing speed in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), regardless of their cognitive function prior to ... Read more

May 7, 2019September 3, 2019

#AANAM — Tysabri Lowers Serum Neurofilament Light Levels in SPMS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Finds

News, SPMS

Treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) lowers the levels of the biomarker serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to data from a Phase 3 trial. ... Read more

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019

#AANAM – Mayzent Lessens Inflammation at Brain Meninges, Prevents Migration of Lymphocytes to Reduce Demyelination, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Treatment with Mayzent (siponomod) may reduce myelin deterioration by lessening the accumulation of immune cells in brain meninges, and preventing the migration of pro-inflammatory lymphocytes into the brain, according ... Read more

April 22, 2019April 22, 2019

Two-year Efficacy with Short-course Treatment Sets Mavenclad Apart, EMD Serono Executive Says

News

Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets stand out as a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), providing two years of proven efficacy with a maximum of 20 days of oral treatment, a top ... Read more

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019

Trial Testing Deprexis Online Therapy for MS-related Depression Enrolling in US, Germany

News

A clinical trial testing a computer program called Deprexis as a home-based therapeutic strategy for multiple sclerosis (MS)-related depression is enrolling participants with all types of MS  at three sites ... Read more

April 15, 2019April 15, 2019

Anne Cross, Neurologist with Pioneering Work into B-cells and MS, Awarded John Dystel Prize

News

This year’s John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research is being awarded to Anne H. Cross, a neurologist and MS chair in the department of neuroimmunology at  Washington University School of Medicine ... Read more

April 10, 2019September 3, 2019

Different Ways of Working Tailor Mayzent for Early SPMS Patients, Novartis Says

News, SPMS

The effectiveness of Mayzent (siponimod) in both the brain and the body make it an oral therapy tailored for people with early secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to Dan Bar-Zohar, ... Read more

April 8, 2019April 12, 2019

Mayzent ‘Will Change Lives’ of MS Patients Transitioning to SPMS, Novartis Says

News

The “regulatory environment” favored Mayzent (siponimod) being approved as an oral treatment for people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) — specifically, clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and active secondary progressive MS (SPMS) — a top ... Read more

April 5, 2019May 6, 2019

#AANAM – Mineral Intake Not Linked to MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

The amount of zinc, iron, and other minerals a person has in his or her diet is not associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to ... Read more

April 4, 2019May 6, 2019

#AANAM – Ibudilast Slows Brain Atrophy in PPMS But Not SPMS Patients, Phase 2b Trial Shows

News

Treatment with oral ibudilast slows brain shrinkage in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), but not in those with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to results of a Phase ... Read more

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019

Tiny DNA Molecule May Help Development of Myelin Repair Therapies, Study Suggests

News

A shortened DNA molecule showed an increased ability to bind myelin in human cells, and may boost the development of remyelination approaches for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, according to ... Read more