August 31, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Neubie electrical stimulation device found to help in progressive MS A course of neuromuscular electrical stimulation using Neufit‘s neuro-bio-electric stimulator ā a device dubbed Neubie ā alongside physical therapy (PT) led to improvements in strength and range of motion for seven people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a case series. Use of the Neubie device and PT…
August 28, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Tyruko, first Tysabri biosimilar, cleared in US to treat relapsing MS The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tyruko (natalizumab-sztn) as the first biosimilar of Tysabri to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision also marks the first approval of any biosimilar for MS in the country, according to the regulatory agency.
August 25, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD New tyrosine kinase inhibitor shows potential in MS mouse model ASH41020, an investigational therapy from Ashvattha Therapeutics, significantly reduced disease severity and exhibited immunomodulatory properties in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent presentation. Evidence indicated the therapy works by shifting the balance of immune cells called macrophages toward a less inflammatory and more…
August 23, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Brain stimulation may offer promise for spasticity in MS: Study Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may offer promise for treating spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS), but more work is needed to identify the best approach to use for patients, according to a new review study. The studies under review generally indicated that a type of brain stimulation called repetitive…
August 23, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Disability, older age at start of DMT linked to worse cognition in RMMS Older age and greater physical disability when starting a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) were linked to worse cognitive function for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, but cognition remained relatively stable over the next several years, according to a Swedish study. Due to the high rates of DMT switches and…
August 17, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Benefits of intranasal Nogo-A antibody observed in mouse model Delivering an antibody against the Nogo-A protein to a specific region of the nose called the olfactory mucosa improved motor function and preserved myelin in the spinal cord of a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. This intranasal mode of delivery enabled significant concentrations…
August 16, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Engineered probiotic found to ease symptoms in mouse model of MS A lab-engineered probiotic, composed of live bacteria that colonize the gut, was able to ease signs of disease in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to recent research. After discovering that a metabolite called lactate could activate immune signaling pathways that help to curb autoimmunity, scientists specifically…
August 11, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD New EBV-targeted vaccine induces durable immune response in mice Researchers have developed a vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) ā a leading environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) ā that induced durable immune responses in mice. If it’s moved to the clinic, the vaccine could help prevent infections that drive MS and certain cancers, according to…
August 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Physical activity may reduce fatigue in people with RRMS: Trial More daily physical activity, better physical condition, and lower disability were all associated with less fatigue for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a clinical trial in Finland. āThe findings are interesting and support previous studies very well,” Marko Luostarinen, a doctoral researcher at the University of…
August 9, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Ibudilast treatment found to protect tissue integrity in brain in MS Treatment with ibudilast ā an anti-inflammatory being developed to treat people with progressive forms ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) ā significantly preserved tissue integrity in a brain region called the thalamus in patients in a clinical trial, according to new analyses from SPRINT-MS. While the therapy appeared to exert these…
August 8, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD FDA decision on GA Depot for relapsing MS expected March 2024 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review Viatris and Mapi Pharma‘s application seeking approval of GA Depot for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The medication is a long-acting formulation of glatiramer acetate, the active ingredient in the approved…
July 27, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Three MS therapies listed as WHO essential medicines For the first time, multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies have been added to the World Health Organization (WHO)ās Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML), which names those regarded as meeting the most important needs of healthcare systems worldwide. Glatiramer acetate (sold as CopaxoneĀ with generics available), Mavenclad (cladribine)…
July 26, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Ekiva-MS app’s goal: Give patients stronger voice in care decisions Dawn Health, a Danish digital health company, has developed a smartphone appĀ to support and empower people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they navigate their chronic disease care. Launched this week in Germany, the free Ekiva-MSĀ app is designed to help patients better track their symptoms…
July 25, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Genetic risk found similar between RRMS, PPMS in Swedish study The risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) was similar between first- and second-degree family members of people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS). The findings, which were consistent with previous studies suggesting that genetics and environment are relatively equal contributors to disease risk, also…
July 21, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Childhood diet can influence risk of MS and its clinical course: Study What a person eats in childhood can influence their future risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) and its clinical course, according to a recent Dutch study. A poor diet with more fast food, snacks, and candy as a child tended to be associated with a higher risk of developing…
July 19, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Spinal cord lesions tied to higher risk of clinical relapse in MS: Study The presence of spinal cord lesions ā alone or with brain lesions ā on MRI scans was associated with a higher risk of clinical relapse for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients over those with just brain lesions, according to a recent study. Spinal and brain lesions together were also predictive…
July 13, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD XPro1595 may promote myelin restoration, new mouse study finds INmune Bio‘s experimental therapy XPro1595 may promote myelin restoration through the activation of two types of nervous system support cells, according to new data that may lead to novel treatment strategies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative disorders. The findings highlight the activation of microglia, key…
July 12, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Tysabri best of 6 DMTs to prevent relapses, worse disability in MS Tysabri (natalizumab) is better than five other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) at reducing relapses and preventing disability worsening in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to the findings of a novel simulated clinical trial that directly compared the six treatments. The analysis used mathematical modeling to emulate a clinical trial…
July 11, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Research supports inclusion of optic nerve in McDonald criteria for MS Adding optic nerve damage ā reflected by a thinning of the nerve layer in the eye’s retina ā to the existing diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) was found to enhance diagnostic accuracy among people who had a single, MS-like event, according to a new study. The study “demonstrated…
July 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Sexual dysfunction could be an issue for 61% of women with MS Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are three times more likely to face problems with sexual intimacy than are their healthy counterparts, according to a recent meta-analysis. About 61% of women with MS were estimated to have some degree of sexual dysfunction, with the most common being low…
July 6, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Myelin may promote nerve cell damage in early immune attacks Nerve cells coated with myelin ā the fatty substance that’s lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) ā may be more vulnerable to degeneration in an inflammatory environment than cells lacking myelin, researchers working in MS patient tissues and mouse models report. The scientists believe the phenomenon arises when certain…
July 5, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD AI algorithms may predict cognitive decline in MS over coming year Researchers have developed computer algorithms that may be able to predict certain aspects of cognitive change in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The prediction models, constructed using data from an electronic, self-administered test of information processing speed given MS patients, might accurately identify those likely to experience cognitive worsening over…
June 29, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Diet rich in plant products linked to fewer symptoms in MS Diet was found to significantly influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms among patients living in Denmark in a new real-world study. A diet rich in plant-based products was generally associated with a lower symptom burden than one high in red and processed meats. The same was true…
June 23, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Regular vaccinations for most MS patients recommended by experts People with multiple sclerosis (MS) should generally follow a regular vaccination schedule similar to their healthy peers, with certain adjustments made if they’re on particular disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), according to a group of experts in Europe who devised a set of more than 50 evidence-based guidelines for the…
June 9, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Ocrevus best to prevent MS relapses after stopping Tysabri: Study Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) ā given by infusion ā may work better than certain oral treatments to prevent relapses and disability worsening in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who transition from Tysabri (natalizumab), a new study found. Individuals who switched to Ocrevus also were more likely to stay…
June 8, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Microglial activation reduced in 5 of 6 SPMS patients on nasal foralumab Reductions in microglial activation have been observed in the brains of five of six patients with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who received treatment with Tiziana Life Science’s foralumab nasal spray. Microglia, resident immune cells in the brain, are believed to play a role in driving inflammation…
June 6, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Depression not a causal risk factor for disability progression: Study Physical disability, not whether patients are depressed, when they’re diagnosed with multiple sclerosis significantly influences their future disability progression, according to a recent U.K. registry study. Although patients who were depressed at the time of their diagnosis were more likely to accumulate significant disability and require an aid to…
June 1, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD 2nd generation CD40L blocker safely reduces new lesions in Phase 2 trial Frexalimab, an experimental anti-CD40L antibody therapy from Sanofi, significantly reduced the number of new brain lesions with active inflammation in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new Phase 2 clinical trial data. Sanofi believes its second-generation CD40L blocker will effectively control immune activity in…
May 30, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Clene wins grant to develop CNM-Au8 for progressive MS The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has awarded Clene Nanomedicine a grant to advance its treatment candidate CNM-Au8 for people with nonactive, progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The funding comes from the MS Society’s Fast Forward Program, which supports commercial organizations developing promising new MS therapies,…
May 18, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Experimental MS therapy vidofludimus calcium triggers Nurr1 protein Vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), an investigational multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy with promising results in clinical trials, may exert neuroprotective effects by activating a protein called Nurr1, according to newly published preclinical data. The observed actions on Nurr1 are in addition to the therapy’s known role as an inhibitor of…