October 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Nrg-1-treated Immune Cells Can Promote Myelin Repair Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. A…
October 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Economic Burden of MS in US Exceeded $85B in 2019 Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ here to see the latest stories from the conference. The total economic…
October 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Relapse-free Worsening More Likely in Late-onset MS Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. People…
October 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Sativex Eases MS Patients’ Spasticity, Spasms in Trials Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. Sativex…
October 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Lower Relapse Rates Seen With Tysabri Than Ocrevus Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ here to see the latest stories from the conference. People withĀ …
October 14, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Brain Lesions Help Predict Long-term Disability Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ here to see the latest stories from the…
October 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Ponvory Effective in Early MS in OPTIMUM Trial Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference.
October 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Rituximab as First RRMS Therapy Outperforms Others Editorās note: TheĀ 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. 13ā15. GoĀ 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 ofĀ the study…
October 6, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā 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 ā “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…
September 29, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cognitive Rehab ‘Effective, Low-risk’ in Treating Difficulties Due to MS Cognitive rehabilitation is an effective therapy for cognitive problems brought on by multiple sclerosis (MS), a review study highlights. “Clinicians should consider this low-cost, low-risk, yet effective treatment approach for their patients,” its researchers wrote. The study, “Neurological update: cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis,” was published…
September 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mesenchymal Stem Cells Show Promise in Preclinical Studies of MS The therapeutic administration of mesenchymal stem cells can improve functional abilities and promote the restoration of lost myelin in rodent models of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis of published studies. The findings highlight the potential of these stem cells, but also point to a need for…
September 24, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cancer Researchers’ Discovery May Benefit MS Studies In an unexpected discovery, scientists working to understand the biological underpinnings of brain tumors found that increasing the activity of a protein receptor called PDGFRA reduces the production of myelin ā the fatty coating that is lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) ā in the nervous system. “We saw that…
September 23, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Light-sensing Protein Could Explain Seasonal Changes in MS Risk The presence of a light-sensing protein in the brain during the early stages of fetal development may help to explain why certain neurological diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), are more common among people born at specific times of the year, a study found. The researchers, who noted that people…
September 23, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Tecfidera May Reduce Relapse Rate More Than Other RRMS Therapies First-line treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) leads to a lower rate of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) than does treatment with Aubagio (teriflunomide) or injectable immunomodulators, according to an analysis of insurance data from France. “These data will be useful to feed into physician…
September 22, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Tied to Increased Risk After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis People who develop colon cancer are more likely to die in the first year, from that cancer or other causes, if they also have multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study indicates. MS disability seems to contribute to this association. “These results warrant further investigation to determine what factors may…
September 21, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Anti-CD20 Therapies Show Similar Safety, Efficacy in RRMS Anti-CD20 antibody therapies that target B-cells are highly effective for reducing the risk of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new analysis confirms. The analysis did not find any significant differences in efficacy or safety among the anti-CD20 therapies currently approved to treat RRMS, though…
September 21, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Oral Fesoterodine Fumarate Can Ease Bladder Problems in MS Treatment with fesoterodine fumarate ā which comes as an extended-release tablet patients can take by mouth ā can reduce bladder pressure and improve quality of life in people with bladder impairments due to multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal cord injuries, new research shows. “A 3ā…
September 20, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Vumerity Recommended for EU Approval as RRMS Treatment A committee of the European Medicines Agency is recommending that Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS) in the European Union. The opinion, from the agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), will now be sent…
September 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Patients on Anti-CD20 Therapies Urged to Get COVID-19 Vaccine While people with multiple sclerosis (MS) taking anti-CD20 therapies do not mount a robust antibody response after getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the vaccines do strongly activate other parts of the immune system that are likely to be helpful in fighting the virus, a new study shows. “The message…
September 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Rim Lesions, Suggesting Chronic Inflammation, May Be Common An imaging feature called a rim lesion is found in about 4 out of every 10 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. These rims, thought to represent areas of chronic brain inflammation in which myelin is being progressively damaged, may serve as alternate biomarkers of…
September 16, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Class of Molecules May Offer Opioid Alternative for Treating Pain A class of molecules called positive allosteric modulators, or PAMs, may be useful in treating pain caused by nerve damage ā a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) ā according to a new study that sheds light on how these molecules work. The international team of researchers behind…
September 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Chronic Inflammation in MS Linked to Specific Brain Cells in Study An interaction between immune cells and glia cells in the brain, mediated by the C1q complement system protein, appears to drive chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), new research shows. Inhibiting this protein helped to resolve inflammation in mouse models of MS and in tissue cultures, its researchers found.
September 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Risk of MS Relapse Not Increased by COVID-19 Vaccine, Study Finds Getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 does not increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses in the two months following vaccination, according to a new study. The results support recommending COVID-19 vaccines for people with MS, its researchers said. “The incidence of relapses in the 2āmonths before and…
September 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Serious Infections in Adolescence Linked to Increased MS Risk Experiencing serious infections during adolescence is tied to an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, but those occurring in childhood don’t increase MS risk, according to a new Swedish study. The study also found that certain types of infections, especially those that affect the central…
September 1, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Early High-efficacy DMTs Linked to Better RRMS Outcomes in Sweden People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Sweden have lower rates of worsening disability than those who live in Denmark, likely due to differences in treatment strategies in each country, according to a new study. “This study shows that, for the first time to our knowledge, differences in national…
August 30, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Patients in US Can Lack Key Insurance Coverage, Survey Warns Most people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. have health insurance, but many lack important other types of insurance, such as life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term care insurance, according to an online survey of patients. Its findings suggest that MS patients who are likely to be…
August 24, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New Research Project Will Study Nerve Cell-Glia Communication A new research project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), aims to better understand how different types of cells in the nervous system ā specifically neurons and glia cells ā communicate with each other and ultimately affect both motor and non-motor functions. Its findings may have important implications…