Posts by: Jose Marques Lopes, PhD

News

A Phase 3 trial testing ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended release capsules in all types of multiple sclerosis (MS) is enrolling participants to determine whether the oral therapy can improve walking ... Read more

March 21, 2019March 21, 2019

Roche and pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance Finalize Ocrevus Negotiations for RRMS and Early PPMS

News

Roche Canada and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) have completed negotiations ultimately aiming to obtain public funding for Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) as a first-line treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple ... Read more

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019

Beta-interferons Extend Survival of Relapsing MS Patients, Study Reports

News

Treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) with beta-interferon therapies is associated with extended patient survival, particularly if taking such treatments for more than three years, according to a real-world ... Read more

March 20, 2019March 22, 2019

SPMS Treatment With Mayzent Better Than Best Supportive Care, ICER Report Says

News

Treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patients with the investigational oral therapy Mayzent (siponimod) significantly reduced the risk of disability progression and decreased inflammation, compared to best supportive ... Read more

March 18, 2019March 20, 2019

Temelimab Provides Long-term Benefits in RRMS Patients, Extension Study Shows

News

Two-year treatment with temelimab reduced brain atrophy, or shrinkage, preserved myelin, and reduced disease progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to findings from an extension study of ... Read more

March 15, 2019March 15, 2019

#AAN2019 — Ublituximab Safe, Well-tolerated in Extension Study of Phase 2 Trial in Relapsing MS

Alexa, News

Treatment with ublituximab continues to be safe and well-tolerated by patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, according to an extension study of a Phase 2 trial. According to a press ... Read more

March 14, 2019March 15, 2019

Fatty Acid Pentanoate May Be Effective Treatment for MS, Other Autoimmune Diseases, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Increased production of an anti-inflammatory molecule called interleukin (IL)-10, and suppression of a subtype of immune T-cells, may mean that a fatty acid called pentanoate is effective against inflammatory ... Read more

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019

#AAN2019 – Risk of MS Relapses Not Increased Right After Giving Birth, Study Suggests

News

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) do not experience more relapses right after giving birth, as previously believed, according to a preliminary study. The study also revealed that mothers with ... Read more

March 11, 2019March 14, 2019

Tecfidera May Work to Lower Relapses by Inducing Epigenetic Changes in T-cells, Study Suggests

News

Treating multiple sclerosis with Tecfidera induces specific genetic alterations that may reduce the levels of immune T-cells targeting the central nervous system, researchers report. Environmental stimuli may induce epigenetic changes in ... Read more

March 8, 2019March 13, 2019

#AAN2019 – Sugar-sweetened Beverages Linked to Higher Disability Level in MS, Study Finds

News

Drinking about 290 calories of sugar-sweetened beverages — the equivalent of about two cans of non-diet soda — per day may be associated with a higher level of disability ... Read more

February 18, 2019February 18, 2019

Natural Neurosteroid Seen to Block Inflammatory Response in Immune System and Brain in Animal Study

News

A naturally occurring compound, a neurosteroid called allopregnanolone, prevents the activation of the TLR4 protein in macrophages — a type of immune cell — and in the brain, new ... Read more

February 15, 2019February 15, 2019

Tiny RNA miR-142 Key in Preventing Autoimmunity, Study Reports

News

A tiny molecule known as microRNA-142 plays a key role in the prevention of autoimmune responses through immune cells called regulatory T-cells (Tregs), according to a new study of ... Read more

February 8, 2019March 11, 2019

Medicare Rules, Higher Cost-sharing Load Increase Out-of-pocket Spending for MS Therapies, Study Reports

Aubagio, News

Restrictive access policies by Medicare and a rising cost-sharing burden lead to an increased price of disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis patients, according to new research. The findings also revealed ... Read more

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019

Tiny Cell Membrane Disruptions Lead to Nerve Fiber Degeneration in MS, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Tiny ruptures in the cell membrane of nerve fibers enable the entry of calcium and ultimately lead to their degeneration, a study in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis ... Read more

January 25, 2019January 31, 2019

Chi3l3 Protein Favors Production of Myelin Repair Cells, Mouse Study Determines

News

A protein marker for activated immune cells called Chi3I3 is key for the production of myelin-forming cells, and may become a target to boost myelin repair in multiple sclerosis, ... Read more

January 23, 2019March 11, 2019

Favorable Efficacy and Similar Safety with Ocrevus in Relapsing MS, Study Finds

Aubagio, News

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) has superior or comparable effectiveness and a similar safety profile to other available disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) for treating relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a ... Read more

January 17, 2019March 11, 2019

Fewer RRMS Patients Relapse, Discontinue Treatment with Gilenya, Study Finds

Aubagio, News

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients on Gilenya (fingolimod) have fewer relapses and stay on treatment longer than those taking Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) or Aubagio (teriflunomide), according to a new study. ... Read more

January 15, 2019January 21, 2019

Ocrevus Targets Certain T-Cells, Along with B-Cells, in MS Patients, Study Reports

News

Treatment with a single dose of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) depleted a subset of immune T-cells within two weeks in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) or primary progressive MS (PPMS), ... Read more

January 3, 2019January 8, 2019

Stem-like Th17 Cells May Lead to New Therapeutic Approaches for MS, Other Autoimmune Diseases, Study Suggests

News

An altered metabolism and signaling is associated with the ability of a subset of immune T helper 17 (Th17) cells to induce neuroinflammation, according to a new study of ... Read more

January 2, 2019January 8, 2019

Pretreating Ocrevus Patients with Multiple Antihistamines and Liquids Lowers Infusion Reactions by 60%, Study Reports

News

Pretreating multiple sclerosis patients with antihistamines more extensively and with hydration can significantly reduce — by 60% — the likelihood of infusion-associated reactions that are the most common side effect of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) ... Read more

December 7, 2018March 20, 2019

Aubagio Becomes 1st Once-daily Oral DMT for Relapsing MS Patients in India

Aubagio, News

Aubagio (teriflunomide) has become the first once-a-day, oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS) to be approved for use in India. Sanofi Genzyme’s therapy is indicated for first-line treatment of ... Read more

December 6, 2018December 6, 2018

Use of Hospital Palliative Care by MS Patients in US Rose 30-fold Between 2005-14, Study Finds

News

Palliative care in a hospital setting rose 30 fold among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. from 2005 to 2014, and was associated with longer hospital stays and greater ... Read more

December 4, 2018December 13, 2018

RRMS Patients on Rebif Show High Treatment Adherence and Fewer Relapses in Real-World Study

News

Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) on Rebif (interferon beta 1-a), using the RebiSmart autoinjector, have high treatment adherence, despite seasonal weather or temperature fluctuations, as well as fewer relapses ... Read more

November 26, 2018December 4, 2018

Gilenya-induced Changes in Heart Rate May Predict Degree of Drop in Lymphocytes, Study Reports

News

Assessing changes in a person’s heart rate can help to predict the degree to which lymphocyte numbers will decrease in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients using Gilenya (fingolimod), according to ... Read more

November 16, 2018November 16, 2018

Unemployment and Under-employment Linked to Poorer Cognitive Abilities in UK Study

News

Multiple sclerosis patients of working age who are unemployed or on a reduced work schedule are likely to show considerable cognitive impairment on tests, especially those measuring mental processing speeds, ... Read more

November 15, 2018November 26, 2018

Ocrevus Helps Preserve Hand and Arm Function in PPMS Patients, Trial Data Show

News

Treating primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) patients with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) can help to preserve strength and function in their hands and the arms, analysis of data from a Phase 3 ... Read more

November 12, 2018November 15, 2018

Controlling B-cell Numbers, Activity Key to Preventing Inflammation in MS, Study Suggests

News

Appropriate control of immune B-cell numbers and activation in the nervous system is key to preventing inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. These findings also showed ... Read more

November 7, 2018November 13, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Better MS Monitoring and Disease Understanding Among Goals of FLOODLIGHT Open, Genentech Director Says

News

The ability to track multiple sclerosis (MS) at any time, gain a more complete picture of each patient’s disease course and a better understanding of MS are among the ... Read more

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018

Denali and Sanofi Partner to Develop Potential Treatments for MS, Other Neurological Disorders

News

Denali Therapeutics and Sanofi will collaborate to develop a compound called DNL747 that may treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative disorders. The companies will also jointly work on the development of a ... Read more

November 2, 2018November 8, 2018

Study Sheds New Light on Tecfidera’s Inhibitory Mechanism of Action

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) binds to a specific amino acid in key enzymes to inhibit their activity, according to a study that sheds more light on ... Read more

October 24, 2018October 30, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Ocrevus Used Early in MS Course Key to Slowing Disability, Genentech Director Says

News

Treating patients with primary progressive or relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) early with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is key to slowing disease progression, according to Hideki Garren, global head of Multiple Sclerosis and ... Read more

October 23, 2018October 25, 2018

Changes in Temperature and Salt Affect Myelin and Raise Risk of MS, Study Says

News

Environmental changes, such as high temperatures and alterations in salt types and concentrations, trigger structural changes to myelin that may increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a ... Read more

October 22, 2018October 30, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Finding Best Treatment for ‘Right Patient’ and Progressive MS Among Work of Interest, Cleveland Clinic Doctors Say

News

Tailored, highly effective therapies early in the disease’s course may be a way forward in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, according to Cleveland Clinic neurologist Robert Bermel. Another neurologist with the ... Read more

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – GNbAC1 Shows Consistent Neuroprotection in RRMS Patients, Phase 2b Study Reports

News

Treating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with GeNeuro’s investigational compound GNbAC1 lessened brain atrophy and lesion load and suggested myelin preservation, according to results of a Phase 2b study. Importantly, ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Serum Neurofilament Light Show Promise as Biomarker, But Not There Yet, Neurologists Say

News

Despite its lack of specificity to multiple sclerosis (MS) in particular, monitoring patients with a blood biomarker — serum neurofilament light (sNfL) — may hold promise as a relatively ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Blood Level of Neurofilament Light Chain May Predict Brain Atrophy in Progressive MS, Study Suggests

News

Measuring the blood level of neurofilament light chain (NfL) may predict brain shrinkage in primary progressive (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to a new study. The ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 22, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Stem Cell Transplant Effectively Lessens Disability in Patients with Aggressive MS, Study Finds

News

Treatment with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) led to a safe and rapid lessening of disability and no clinical relapses in patients with aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according ... Read more

October 16, 2018October 16, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Evobrutinib and Other Reasons for Hope in Pursuit of MS Treatments, Jerry Wolinsky Says in Interview

News

Advances in multiple sclerosis research and the development of new treatments over the last several decades give sustained reasons for hope as continue moving toward our future, according to Jerry S. ... Read more

October 16, 2018March 20, 2019

#ECTRIMS2018 – Two European Studies Compare Tecfidera, Aubagio Effectiveness

Aubagio, News

Treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) is associated with fewer new brain lesions at two years, lower relapse rates, increased time to first relapse, and ... Read more

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