Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Measuring levels of the protein GFAP in blood can help to predict disability progression that occurs without relapses — so-called silent progression — in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. These findings may have “clinical implications for patient management and development of novel drugs,” the…

Treatment with berberine, a compound found in many plants, eased disease severity and showed anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. “These results confirmed that treatment with berberine efficiently improved the disease in the animal model of MS,” the researchers wrote, noting…

Primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) is driven by antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid around the brain and spinal cord — but this is not the case in the more common relapsing forms of MS — a new study done in mice suggests. Researchers say this result…

PB006, a biosimilar to Biogen’s approved treatment Tysabri (natalizumab), showed similar safety and efficacy as the original medication in people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), according to data from a Phase 3 clinical trial. “The Antelope trial reported equivalence between [PB006 and Tysabri] treatment across efficacy, safety, and secondary…

Researchers were able to image the cerebellum — a small, compact region of the brain that plays key roles in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases — with greater clarity than ever before. Their imaging approach, which used MRI scanners equipped with powerful magnets, may help learn how…

In evaluating potential treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) over the past two decades, England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) made differing assumptions about whether and how the therapies’ effects will diminish over time. Such assumptions have a significant impact in estimating a therapy’s cost-effectiveness — a…

Researchers have identified specific areas of brain damage associated with depression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but not with other symptoms of the disease. The findings could pave the way toward new treatments for MS-related depression that work to stimulate these regions. “The more we know about the connectivity of…

FSD Pharma has submitted an application to Health Canada asking to start a Phase 1 clinical trial of Lucid-MS, the company’s experimental and myelin-protective oral therapy for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial will not involve patients and is designed to investigate the safety and tolerability of…

Pheno Therapeutics has entered into an agreement with UCB to develop new therapies aimed at remyelination to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders that are characterized by the loss of myelin, the companies announced. “This license allows us to accelerate a promising drug target towards…

A new therapy that delivers an anti-inflammatory compound to nervous system immune cells via cellular “shipping containers” called exosomes showed promise in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The study, “Resveratrol-loaded macrophage exosomes alleviate multiple sclerosis through targeting microglia,” was published in the…

A treatment containing neural stem cells derived from a human fetus was shown to be well tolerated in a small clinical trial of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Results showed some promising effects on markers of inflammation and brain atrophy. Researchers said these preliminary findings “warrant…

A protein in the virus that causes COVID-19 is structurally similar to several proteins targeted by the immune system in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. The results provide a potential mechanism for how COVID-19 could trigger MS-like disease in susceptible individuals, researchers said. The study, “…

The amounts of more than 60 species of bacteria are altered in the gut in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those without the disease, a new study reports. Researchers also identified differences in the makeup of viruses that infect gut bacteria in patients, which they said may…

Multiple tiny injections of myelin-related small proteins alongside suppressors of the activity of dendritic cells, done using a device akin to a tattoo gun, powerfully reduced the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model of the disease. That’s according to new findings announced by Therapeutic Solutions…

Women with chronic health conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience disbelief and disenfranchisement from healthcare providers when they seek care, a new study highlights. The study, “Women’s Experiences of Health-Related Communicative Disenfranchisement,” was published in Health Communication. There is a long history of discrimination and…

Researchers in Iran are conducting a clinical trial to test the effects of taking ginger supplements for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Ginger extracts have shown some promise in animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS), but no trial has yet determined the impact that ginger supplements may…

Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought consistent coverage of the latest scientific research, developments in treatment, and clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout 2022. This is a list of the top 10 most-read articles we published this past year, with a brief description of each. We look forward…

Severing the lower part of the vagus nerve — one of the main neurological pathways that connects the brain to the gut — led to less myelin loss in a mouse model that’s commonly used to study multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings suggest that the vagus nerve plays…

Foralumab, a nasal spray therapy that Tiziana Life Sciences is developing for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other disorders, was well-tolerated in mice for more than three months, according to data from a preclinical study. Tiziana is planning to share that data in a meeting with the U.S. Food…

Researchers have created a computer program that can simulate clinical trial responses for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), which may improve clinical trial design for novel disease-modifying therapies. The tool, called MS TreatSim, was described in the study, “In silico clinical trials for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis…

Genetic variations in certain genes may increase the risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection associated with certain treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions, a new study shows. The findings suggest that testing for four specific genetic variant could help to predict…

Abata Therapeutics has chosen its first treatment candidate for development: the T-cell therapy ABA-101 for certain forms of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The therapy is now in early studies that aim to support an investigational new drug application or IND — a formal request to U.S. regulatory authorities…

Daily exposure to 30 minutes of bright light for two weeks led to clinically significant reductions in fatigue scores among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a small clinical trial. “The findings from our study represent a promising non-drug therapeutic approach,” Stefan Seidel, PhD, co-author of the study…

A machine learning algorithm that incorporates genetic data alongside clinical and demographic information may be able to more accurately predict the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. “Once independently validated, the machine learning algorithm could enable clinicians to provide patients with more accurate prognostic information,…

Researchers have developed a technique that uses CAR T-cells, a form of cell therapy, to specifically eliminate the self-reactive immune cells that drive multiple sclerosis (MS), without destroying healthy immune cells needed to protect against infection. “Our CAR-T cells were very effective at treating mice that have an MS-like…

Differences in the composition of the gut microbiome are associated with an altered risk of low immune cell counts as a side effect of treatment with the multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). The findings provide further insights on how the gut microbiome — the billions of…

Assessing disease activity from the first to second year after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), once treatment has been initiated and stabilized, can help predict long-term disability outcomes. That’s according to the study, “Rebaseline no evidence of disease activity (NEDA-3) as a predictor of long-term…

Posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) — a procedure that delivers electrical stimulation to the bladder through nerves in the leg — can reduce symptoms of an overactive bladder in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results from a small trial. The findings indicate that adding PTNS to pelvic…

Blocking the activity of Spns2, a transporter of the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) protein, reduced the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model, a new study shows. The findings point to Spns2 as a new molecular target for MS treatments that could reduce the side effects associated…

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who switch to Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) after discontinuing Gilenya (fingolimod) have fewer relapses than those who switch to Mavenclad (cladribine) or Tysabri (natalizumab), according to a new study. Rates of disability worsening were similar for Ocrevus and Tysabri, but patients who switched…