April 26, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Employment, income drop steadily over 2 decades after onset of MS For people who develop multiple sclerosis (MS), the disease can exact a toll on their ability to work and on how much they earn in the private sector, according to a study by researchers in France, who said policies need to be enacted to replace lost income. “The effects…
April 25, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Having MS may marginally increase likelihood of cervical cancer: Study There’s no evidence to suggest that multiple sclerosis (MS) directly causes most cancers, but having the condition may marginally increase the likelihood of developing cervical cancer, according to a new study from China. That study found “no causal relationship between MS and 15 types of cancers except cervical cancer,”…
April 23, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD AAN 2024: Subcutaneous Ocrevus led to nearly no relapses after year A subcutaneous (under-the-skin) formulation of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) helped most adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) remain free of clinical relapses and new or worsening brain lesions, according to one-year data from the Phase 3 OCARINA II study. Given twice a year as a 10-minute injection, this formulation of Ocrevus…
April 22, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Viatris launches low-dose Copaxone generic formulation in Canada Viatris has launched a generic version of low-dose Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) in the Canadian market for the treatment of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who retain the ability to walk. Called Glatiramer Acetate Injection 20 mg/mL, the product was approved in Canada as a generic of…
April 16, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD MS patients may be at higher risk of stroke: Review study The risk of having a stroke, that is, a blockage in blood flow to the brain that can cause lasting damage, is about 2.5 times higher in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than the general population, a review of multiple studies finds. The researchers called for further studies to…
April 10, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Immune signatures may predict MS course, treatment response Researchers have identified three distinct immune signatures in the blood of people with early multiple sclerosis (MS) that seem to be linked to specific disease trajectories and response to treatment, potentially offering a path to personalized care. “These findings represent a pivotal shift towards precision medicine in MS,” Heinz Wiendl,…
April 5, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Nykode’s ‘inverse vaccine’ found to prevent MS in mouse model An inverse vaccine developed by Nykode Therapeutics to boost immune system tolerance to a specific protein target was able to prevent the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model of the disease. The vaccine, known as a Vaccibody, is designed to teach the immune system to…
April 3, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Patients started early on Tysabri are less likely to relapse, study finds People who start treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) soon after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at a lower risk of relapse in the long term compared with patients who start on less effective disease-modifying therapies (DMT), a study has found. Patients on Tysabri, an antibody-based therapy,…
March 29, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Low estradiol hormone levels tied to worse brain damage in menopause Low levels of the estrogen hormone estradiol may be linked to worse brain damage, a new study found, offering a possible explanation as to why multiple sclerosis (MS) often progresses more rapidly in women during menopause, when levels of that sex hormone drop. However, the use of hormone…
March 20, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Vitamin D seen as most helpful for males in progressive MS rat model Vitamin D supplements were associated with less severe disease in a rat model of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), but male rats tended to experience greater benefits than did females, a study into disease-related sex differences reports. This higher overall benefit may be due to nerve cells in males being…
March 13, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Common MS therapies appear safe to use while breastfeeding Taking antibody-based medications for multiple sclerosis (MS) while breastfeeding does not appear to harm a child’s health or development during at least the first three years of life, according to a preliminary study of more than 180 babies. Children breastfed by mothers taking Tysabri (natalizumab), Ocrevus (ocrelizumab),…
March 12, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Comorbidities common in MS patients in clinical trials, study finds Nearly half of all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who participated in clinical trials — including global, pivotal studies — had one or more comorbidities, or coexisting conditions, the most common being depression and high blood pressure, a meta-analysis study found. While the rate of patients with comorbidities “may be…
March 8, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD ACTRIMS 2024: Switch to Briumvi well tolerated in relapsing MS People with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) being treated with an infusion CD20 inhibitor such as Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) can safely transition to the more recent Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy), which is given in shorter infusion times. That’s according to data from the ENHANCE Phase 3b clinical trial…
March 7, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD ACTRIMS 2024: MRI Paramagnetic rim lesions tied to cognitive decline The presence of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs), which represent areas of damage in the brain and spinal cord with chronic active inflammation, may help identify people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are more likely to have cognitive decline over time. That’s according to four-year data presented by Hannah Schwartz,…
March 7, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD ACTRIMS 2024: An antihistamine may speed MS disease progression The antihistamine clemastine accelerated disease progression by more than five times in some adults with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) who received it in a Phase 1/2 trial, new data show. Joanna Kocot, PhD, a neuroscientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), showed that this effect is at least…
March 6, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD ACTRIMS 2024: Tolebrutinib fails to eliminate iron rim lesions in Phase 2 trial Nearly one year of treatment with tolebrutinib, an oral small molecule being developed by Sanofi, failed to eliminate iron rim lesions in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a small Phase 2 clinical trial. Researchers are continuing to examine study results to determine…
February 29, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Australian researchers win grants to study immune system’s role in MS Two researchers from The University of Western Australia (UWA) have received grants from MS Australia for work that may help scientists better understand how an immune system gone awry can cause multiple sclerosis (MS). Belinda Kaskow, PhD, a teaching and research fellow at UWA’s School of Biomedical Sciences,…
February 28, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Balance training helps both in easing fatigue, restoring balance: Small trial Both balance and endurance training can help to ease fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — but if problems with balance are a concern, then balance training would be the best choice as it targets both fatigue and balance, a small study found. The study, “Fatigue may…
February 27, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Stem cell therapy for MS seen to lower mitochondrial DNA in study People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have higher amounts of mitochondrial DNA in their spinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, than do their healthy counterparts, a small study found. Mitochondria are small cellular organelles that produce most of the energy needed to power cells. These cell powerhouses…
February 27, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Black MS patients in US score poorly on walking, physical ability tests Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) scored lower on tests of walking and physical function than did white patients, regardless of social determinants of health such as education or income, a U.S. study reported. These findings add to a growing understanding of how MS manifests in Black people, and…
February 23, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Most MS patients stay relapse-free 6 years after stem cell transplant About 4 in 5 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who receive a stem cell transplant remain free of relapses for at least six years, and this may translate into being able to get back to work, a small study from Norway suggests. The study, “Autologous hematopoietic…
February 22, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Complement protein activation is linked to more severe MS Complement proteins, especially when activated in the brain and spinal cord, may contribute to nerve cell damage and more severe multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, a study that offers insights into a possible therapeutic target suggests. The study, “Complement Activation Is Associated With Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis,” was…
February 21, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Melatonin at night may help with morning balance, strength in MS Taking melatonin before bedtime may help balance and muscle strength in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study from Tunisia. Those benefits are in addition to making for more restful sleep. While the findings come from a small number of patients, they suggest melatonin supplements may…
February 20, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Nabiximols, cannabis-based spray, eases spasticity in real-world use Nabiximols, a cannabis-based oral spray sold as Sativex, was reported to considerably ease spasticity — unusual muscle tightness or stiffness — in about two-thirds of the multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using it for three months in a real-world study in Germany. For most patients, the treatment also…
February 19, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Caffeine tablets may help MS patients’ balance, mobility Taking caffeine tablets — the equivalent to about two cups of coffee a day — may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) keep their balance and move more easily, which could aid their quality of life, a small study suggests. While the tablets may…
February 9, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Crocin supplement seen to reduce signs of inflammation in MS Taking a two-month supplement of crocin, an antioxidant found in the cooking spice saffron, helped to reduce signs of inflammation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who took part in a small study in Iran. However, crocin had no effect on symptoms of depression or anxiety compared with a…
February 7, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Pelvic floor exercises can help make sex more enjoyable, study finds Pelvic floor exercises, which strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bowel, and vagina, can help with sexual health and lessen sex-related distress in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small study found. Women reported increased sexual desire, arousal, and better overall satisfaction after engaging in a 12-week training program,…
January 30, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Cell-based therapy can be produced in under 3 days from blood sample Kyverna Therapeutics has developed a method that enables KYV-101, an experimental CAR T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions, to be produced in a much shorter timeframe than conventional manufacturing processes, a study shows. The approach took less than three…
January 23, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD High-dose vitamin D does not slow MS lesion development Taking a high-dose vitamin D supplement as an add-on to standard treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) doesn’t slow the development of new lesions, a sign that the brain or spinal cord have been damaged, according to a meta-analysis study. Vitamin D also had no…
January 22, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Head injuries, genetic makeup increase MS risk by up to 18 times People with a certain type of genetic makeup who’ve have head trauma may have a risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) up to nearly 18 times over those without genetic factors or a history of head trauma, a study shows. “Our study could prompt further research to uncover the…