December 10, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS National MS Society Funds 13 New Research Projects The National MS Society has announced it is funding 13 new research projects that seek to better understand the risk factors involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) development and progression. The funding — nearly $7 million in total — also will go to “rescue” 22 MS-related research projects that…
December 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Report: Tecfidera, Aubagio Preferred RRMS Treatments in Canada Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Aubagio (teriflunomide) are the preferred disease-modifying treatments for managing relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Canada, according to a report from Spherix Global Insights. The report was part of Spherix’s RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (Canada) service, which collects data on market trends of MS…
December 7, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Worsening of Disability Evident in Older Patients Who Stop DMTs While older multiple sclerosis (MS) patients whose conditions are stable commonly stop using disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), a study indicates this decision can shortly lead to a marked disease worsening in a substantial portion of them. “Our results raise important questions about the accepted practice of discontinuing medications once MS…
December 3, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Immune-suppressing Medicines May Reduce COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy A class of immune-suppressing medications called TNF-alpha inhibitors can reduce the efficacy of vaccines for COVID-19, according to a study that included patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases. The results also suggest that a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine may help to protect patients with…
November 30, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Some Cell Therapies Work by Dying, New Research Shows Certain cell therapies that hold promise for treating autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis might work not because of the way the cells live in the body during treatment, but because of how they die. A better understanding of how these cell therapies work “is important in designing treatment protocols…
November 24, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS 1st Patient Enrolled in ENSURE Trials of IMU-838 in RRMS Immunic Therapeutics has enrolled the first participant in its Phase 3 ENSURE clinical trial program, which is testing the company’s investigational treatment IMU-838 (vidofludimus calcium) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). “Enrollment of the first patient in ENSURE … marks an important inflection point for Immunic as we…
November 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cholesterol Made by Nerve Cells Repairs Myelin Damage in Mice Cholesterol made by neurons is crucial for repairing long-term damage to the myelin sheath, the fatty coating around nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new report based on experiments done on mice. The finding suggests that increasing neuronal cholesterol synthesis may be helpful…
November 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Vumerity Approved for RRMS in European Union The oral medication Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) has been approved by the European Commission to treat adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). “This approval is a significant step forward in improving treatment adherence for people living with relapsing MS, which can make a meaningful difference on treatment…
November 11, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS sNfL Levels Linked to Relapse-free Disability Progression, Move to SPMS Measuring levels of the protein serum neurofilament light chain (NfL)Â can help to identify people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at higher risk of relapse-free disability progression or conversion to secondary-progressive disease, according to a study from Germany. The study, “NfL predicts relapse-free progression in a longitudinal…
November 10, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Sheds Light on How Tecfidera Kills Immune Cells The multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) triggers immune cell death by interacting with a protein called Keap-1, a new study reveals. The study, “Wdr1 and cofilin are necessary mediators of immune-cell-specific apoptosis triggered by Tecfidera,” was published in Nature Communications. Tecfidera is widely…
November 9, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ocrevus Still Top Therapy for Progressive MS Forms, Report Finds Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) continues to be the most commonly prescribed therapy for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to an analysis from the market intelligence firm Spherix Global Insights. However, other therapies are “gaining traction” among…
November 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Younger Age, Certain Lesions Linked to Higher MS Risk for RIS Patients Among people with nervous system damage indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS), but who don’t yet have the disease — a condition known as radiologically isolated syndrome or RIS — the risk of progressing to full-fledged MS is higher for those who are younger, have spinal cord lesions, and have…
November 2, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Never Drinking Alcohol Tied to ‘Significantly’ Higher MS Risk Not drinking alcohol significantly increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), especially if a person also is a current or former smoker, according to a new study. These findings add to the knowledge, discovered in multiple previous studies, that alcohol decreases the activity of the immune system. According…
October 29, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Canadians Prepare for 2021 Women Against MS Gala This year’s Women Against Multiple Sclerosis (WAMS) Gala, which aims to raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, will take place Nov. 5. In order to keep participants safe in the setting of the ongoing pandemic, the MS Society of Canada‘s initiative will feature three events held…
October 28, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mono as Child or Teenager Tied to Risk of MS as Adult in Large Study People who contract infectious mononucleosis — colloquially known as “mono” — during childhood or adolescence are at a roughly two to three times greater risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults, a large population-based study suggests. Notably, the study points to mono itself — independent of other factors…
October 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cold Eases Inflammation, Disease Severity in MS Mouse Model Colder ambient temperatures may ease the inflammation that drives multiple sclerosis (MS), early research in a mouse model suggests. Animals whose environment for two weeks was set at 10 C (about 50 F) had a “pronounced attenuation” of disease severity and other benefits compared with those kept at a…
October 25, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Review: Racial Disparities Impact Black, Hispanic MS Patients in US Black and Hispanic/Latinx people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. tend to have more severe disease, but less access to specialty care, greater diagnostic delays, and poorer outcomes, a review found. Moreover, Blacks are at higher risk than whites of both developing MS and dying from it. These…
October 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – CD20-positive T-cells May Be Early Drivers of MS Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. Certain types of…
October 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Nrg-1-treated Immune Cells Can Promote Myelin Repair Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. A…
October 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Economic Burden of MS in US Exceeded $85B in 2019 Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. The total economic…
October 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Relapse-free Worsening More Likely in Late-onset MS Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. People…
October 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Sativex Eases MS Patients’ Spasticity, Spasms in Trials Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference.
October 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Lower Relapse Rates Seen With Tysabri Than Ocrevus Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. People with …
October 14, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Brain Lesions Help Predict Long-term Disability Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the…
October 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Ponvory Effective in Early MS in OPTIMUM Trial Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference.
October 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 — Rituximab as First RRMS Therapy Outperforms Others Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the…
October 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Hydroxychloroquine Shows Potential to Treat PPMS in Phase 2 Trial Treatment with hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria medication, appeared to help slow disability progression among people with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) in a small, proof-of-concept clinical trial. Hydroxychloroquine “is a promising treatment candidate for PPMS and should be investigated further in randomized controlled clinical trials,” its researchers wrote. Results of the study…
October 6, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 – Trial Analyses Support Evobrutinib for Relapsing MS Treatment with evobrutinib, an experimental therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reduced the size of inflammation-associated brain lesions in a Phase 2 clinical trial, data show. The oral medication was also found to be generally safe and well tolerated, according to an analysis of trial data in…
October 4, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Finds Myc Gene Can Boost Efficiency of Myelin-repairing Cells Increasing the activity of a gene called Myc can make oligodendrocyte precursor cells, or the cells that repair myelin, more efficient — “ground-breaking research” that could have implications for advancing MS treatments, according to a new study by Cambridge researchers. The study, “Myc determines the functional age…
September 30, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Oct. 4 Online Conference Offers Latest Insights Into Progressive MS An upcoming conference focused on progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) will offer the latest insights about the underlying biology of the disease, and treatment and clinical strategies in development. The one-day conference, “Emerging Research & Trial Strategies for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis,” is taking place virtually on Oct. 4,and is…