Posts by: Marisa Wexler, MS

Marisa Wexler, MS

Marisa holds an MS in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. She specializes in cancer biology, immunology, and genetics. Marisa began working with BioNews in 2018, and has written about science and health for SelfHacked and the Genetics Society of America. She also writes/composes musicals and coaches the University of Pittsburgh fencing club.

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020

Gene Variants Linked to High Childhood BMI Point to Higher MS Risk, Study Finds

News

Genetic variations that increase body mass index (BMI) in childhood are associated with a higher risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) regardless of a person’s vitamin D levels, a study found. ... Read more

January 23, 2020January 23, 2020

Memory Training Could Make Brains of MS Patients More Efficient, Study Suggests

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who complete training through a method called the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) show a decrease in brain activity after training, which could indicate ... Read more

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020

Scottish Medicines Consortium Approves Ocrevus for Treating PPMS

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) has been approved in Scotland as a treatment for early, inflammatory primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has advised that Ocrevus can be prescribed ... Read more

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020

First MS Patient Dosed in Phase 2 Trial of Potential Remyelinating Therapy CNM-Au8, Clene Announces

News

The first participant has been dosed in the Phase 2 REPAIR-MS clinical trial examining the effects of CNM-Au8, Clene Nanomedicine‘s investigational remyelinating therapy, on brain metabolism in people with multiple ... Read more

January 10, 2020January 10, 2020

US Patent Issued for Anavex 2-73 for Treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Including MS

News

Anavex Life Sciences has received a U.S. patent covering the use of Anavex 2-73 (blarcamesine) for the treatment of several neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and ... Read more

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

Gabapentinoid Use to Control MS Pain Can Lead to Respiratory Problems, FDA Warns

News

Gabapentinoids — a class of therapies sometimes used off-label to help control pain in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — can increase the risk of serious breathing problems, particularly ... Read more

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019

Timing Speed of Eye-to-Brain Signals May Be Way of Measuring Myelin Changes, Study Says

News

Measuring the speed of signals sent to the brain by nerves in the eye could help assess if remyelination is taking place, a study in cats suggests. Such measurements ... Read more

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019

Einstein Researchers Receive Grant to Study Brain Activity Related to Fall Risk in MS Patients

News

A grant awarded recently by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund research to explore how brain changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients affect mobility. The five-year grant (1R01NS109023-01A1), ... Read more

December 13, 2019January 15, 2020

Sitting Less, Walking More May Be Feasible Way to Healthier Life with MS, Study Suggests

News

Small changes in daily activities, like sitting less and walking more, may be healthful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) without the challenges of formal exercise. A new study, “Management ... Read more

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019

MetP Pharma Awarded US Patent for Potential Remyelination Therapy

News

MetP Pharma‘s patent application for a new method to treat demyelinating and neuroinflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), has been approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office ... Read more

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019

Atlas Biotechnologies to Fund Research into Cannabis Treatment for MS, Similar Diseases

News

Atlas Biotechnologies will fund and provide support to three research projects at the University of Alberta to possibly identify cannabis component(s) that could help people with neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). ... Read more

November 27, 2019December 3, 2019

Profit and Competitors’ Prices Major Drivers of MS Therapy Costs in US, Pharma Execs Say

News

Prices for new multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies in the United States are decided most by competitors’ prices, and continual increases in the cost of existing treatments by concerns for company ... Read more

November 21, 2019November 21, 2019

WCN 2019 Discussions Point to Failures of Regulators to Make MS Therapies Available

News

There is a sizable gap between advancements in treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and their regulatory approval, which is a circumstance that necessitates increased  advocacy on a global scale. This ... Read more

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

Levels of Infection-fighting Antibodies Low in Blood of People with MS, Study Finds

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have low levels in their blood serum of certain antibodies that can protect against infection, regardless of whether they are using a ... Read more

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

AP-1 Transcription Factor Family is Critical for Healthy T-cell Development, Study Says

News

The transcription factor family AP-1 is crucial for the proper activation of immune T-cells, a new study shows, and this finding may have important implications for autoimmune diseases such ... Read more

October 14, 2019October 14, 2019

Metformin Works to Promote Remyelination in Ways Similar to Fasting, Study Says

News

Metformin, a common diabetes treatment that works to mimic dietary fasting, was seen to promote remyelination in the stem cells of elderly rats, suggesting it may be useful in ... Read more

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

RRMS Patients Not Using DMTs More Likely to Have Been Misdiagnosed, Cite Poorer Relationships with Doctors, Survey Says

News

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who don’t use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are more likely to have been misdiagnosed previously, and to have poorer relationships with their healthcare providers, ... Read more

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019

ExeGi Pharma’s Probiotic Visbiome Will Be Tested in MS Clinical Trial

News

ExeGi Pharma announced a new clinical trial testing its probiotic Visbiome in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will further evaluate whether changing bacteria in the gut could ... Read more

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019

New App May Help Measure Cognitive Function in MS Patients, Study Reports

News

A new app might make it easier for healthcare providers to assess cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The app was described in the study, “iCAMS: Assessing ... Read more

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019

MRI Marker May Be Better at Predicting MS Disease Progression, Study Finds

News, SPMS

The volume of atrophied (shrunken) regions in the brain, as visible through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, can predict disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research ... Read more

September 24, 2019October 2, 2019

Interferon Beta Use by Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients OK, Office in Europe Says

News

If necessary, women with relapsing multiple sclerosis can continue treatments based on interferon beta while pregnant and breastfeeding, according to an updated recommendation by an office of the European ... Read more

September 23, 2019October 23, 2019

EMD Serono Opening Phase 3 Trials of Oral Evobrutinib in Relapsing MS Patients

News

EMD Serono (Merck KGaA in Germany) is opening two pivotal and global Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral evobrutinib in people with relapsing multiple ... Read more

September 18, 2019September 17, 2019

FTC Warns Companies Against Unsubstantiated Advertising of CBD Products for MS

News

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to three companies that sell cannabis-based products containing cannabidiol (CBD), cautioning them that making unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits ... Read more

August 30, 2019September 18, 2019

New AAN Guidelines Favor Regular Vaccinations, Including Flu Shots, for MS Patients

News

New guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommend that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) keep up with regular vaccinations, including annual flu shots, but be sure to ... Read more

August 27, 2019August 27, 2019

Phase 1 Clinical Trial of EHP-101 Concludes with Positive Safety Results

News

The first in-human clinical trial of EHP-101, an investigational treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic scleroderma (SSc), has been successfully completed, Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP) announced. EHP-101 demonstrated it was ... Read more

August 19, 2019August 23, 2019

Imaging That Captures Damage to Brain in CIS Helps in Determining Likelihood of MS, Study Says

News

Imaging techniques that measure damage to the brain, in addition to those that detect lesions, may be useful in predicting likely disease progression in people with clinically isolated syndrome ... Read more

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

NHS ‘Toolkit’ Aims to Improve Care Given People with MS, Other Neurological Ills in UK

News

The National Health Service (NHS) England announced an initiative that aims to speed diagnoses and ensure better all-around care for people with progressive neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s ... Read more

August 16, 2019August 16, 2019

MS Therapies Among Limited Offerings Through AllianceRx Walgreens Prime

News

Medications for treating certain rare and chronic conditions,  including multiple sclerosis (MS), are now available from the specialty and home delivery pharmacy AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, the company announced. The ... Read more

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019

Study Shows Range of Psychological and Physical Problems in Opioid-addicted MS Patients

News

Opioid addiction increases the risk for a number of physical and psychological problems in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found. The study, “Impact of opium ... Read more

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019

Smartphones Could Be Used to Make Tremor Research Easier, More Affordable, Study Finds

News

Smartphones could be used as an inexpensive and effective way to measure  tremors in mice, which may allow for more research on tremor medications, a new study reports. The ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 9, 2019

Music While Walking Makes MS Patients More Motivated and Less Mentally Drained, Study Suggests

News

People listening to music during an extended walk tend to sync their steps to its beat — and for those with multiple sclerosis (MS), such synchronization helps to overcome mental ... Read more

July 23, 2019July 26, 2019

Antiviral and Nausea Treatments Ease Fatigue in MS, Small Study Reports

News

An antiviral medication called amantadine and ondansetron, which treats chronic nausea, both work to reduce fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but amantadine may be more effective, a single-site ... Read more

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019

Convelo Therapeutics and Genentech Join Forces to Develop Remyelination Therapies

News

Convelo Therapeutics has announced a collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to work toward the development of new remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other ... Read more

July 16, 2019July 16, 2019

Independent Mouse Study Reinforces Remyelinating Potential of ISP Therapy

News

A new study demonstrates that intracellular sigma peptide (ISP) can promote remyelination in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Importantly, this study was independent of NervGen, a pharmaceutical ... Read more

June 25, 2019June 25, 2019

New Jersey Health Foundation Awards $70,000 to Kessler Foundation Researchers Studying MS and Stroke

News

Two researchers at Kessler Foundation were awarded grants of $35,000 each by the New Jersey Health Foundation to pursue their investigations into new ways to improve rehabilitative care for ... Read more

June 24, 2019June 24, 2019

Blocking Sortilin Protein May Be Potential Treatment for Chronic Nerve Pain, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Inhibiting the function of a protein called sortilin — an important regulator of nerve damage-induced pain in mice — may represent a potentially effective strategy for treating chronic pain ... Read more

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019

Potential Mechanism Behind Effectiveness of B-cell Depletion Therapy in MS Uncovered

News

The loss of immune B-cells, and the resulting changes in the profile of immune T-cells, is a major mechanism of action for the beneficial effects seen with ublituximab treatment ... Read more

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019

Childhood MS Linked to Greater Cognitive Impairment in Adulthood, Study Finds

News

People with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) have a greater decline in cognitive function, and are more likely to experience cognitive impairment in adulthood, than those whose disease began when ... Read more

June 13, 2019June 13, 2019

Elevated Blood Pressure May Predict Brain Bleeding in RRMS Patients Treated with Lemtrada, Study Suggests

News

New research suggests that rising blood pressure might be predictive of intracranial hemorrhage — bleeding in the brain, a serious and sometimes fatal condition — in people with multiple ... Read more

June 12, 2019June 12, 2019

Biotech Startup Receives Funding to Pursue Cell-based Therapies for Neurological Disorders

News

Startup company Oscine Therapeutics has received an investment from Sana Biotechnology to support the research and development of cell-based therapies for a variety of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis ... Read more