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 2 months 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 — specifically neurons and glia cells — communicate with each other and ultimately affect both motor and non-motor functions. Its findings may have important implications…
August 23, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Variant in STK11 Gene Tied to Greater MS Risk for Black People in US A variation in a gene called STK11, previously shown to increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) among Caucasians, is now also linked to a greater likelihood of MS in Black people. In fact, the variation was significantly more common in Black MS patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS),…
August 20, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS PoNS Stimulation Device for MS Gait Problems Due in US Next Year PoNS, a non-invasive devise to accompany physical therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with difficulty walking, will be available on the U.S. market early next year, its developer, Helius Medical Technologies, announced in a quarterly financial update. Short for Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator, the PoNS…
August 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Smartphone App Floodlight Found to Reliably Measure MS Data A smartphone-based app called Floodlight can reliably assess cognition, arm and hand function, and walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new analyses. “Detection of progression onset or worsening is critical to optimally adapt the therapeutic strategy” patients are using to treat the neurodegenerative disease,…
August 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Trial Will Test Ocrevus on Arm, Hand Function in PPMS A Phase 3 clinical trial testing the effect of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) on upper limb disability progression in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) is recruiting participants. The trial, called O’HAND (NCT04035005), expects to enroll approximately 1,000 adults with PPMS, ages 18 to 65, at more than…
August 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Probiotics Likely To Be of Help With RRMS, Meta-analysis Finds Probiotic supplements could ease disability, lessen depression, and improve overall health in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of four randomized clinical trials. Physicians working with these patients might recommend “confirmed probiotic supplements” to help manage “MS concerns,” its scientists wrote, while noting that studies…
August 16, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Lemtrada Does Not Lead to Brain Bleeds, Small Belgian Study Says Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) does not have a substantial effect on blood pressure or platelet counts, and does not lead to bleeding in the brain of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a small Belgian study. The findings contrast with previous studies showing an increase in blood pressure, stroke, and…
August 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Heat, Variable Temperatures Found to Increase Risk of MS Hospital Visits Visits to the hospital related to multiple sclerosis (MS) are more common when it’s hot or when temperatures are more variable, but less likely to be needed when it’s humid, a new analysis suggests. The results were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, in…
August 11, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Many MS Patients Report Mistreatment by Caregivers More than half of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who require an informal caregiver have experienced abuse or mistreatment by that caregiver, according to a study conducted in California. The study, “Validity and Reliability of the Scale to Report Emotional Stress Signs–Multiple Sclerosis (STRESS-MS) in Assessing…
August 9, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS US Survey Finds High Rates of Dissatisfaction With Quality of Life, But Satisfaction With Healthcare More than one-third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who responded to an online U.S.-based survey are dissatisfied with their quality of life, and more than one in four MS patients are pessimistic about their future, according to the results of the survey, conducted by Multiple Sclerosis News…
August 5, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Metformin Seen to Aid Cognition, Brain Biology in MS Rat Model Treatment with the diabetes medication metformin was seen to lessen cognitive impairment, improve coordination, and normalize neuronal activity in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study reporting these findings, “Evaluation of the effects of metformin as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activator on spatial learning and…
July 28, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Signaling Protein Seen to Help Promote Myelin-making Cells A signaling protein called fractalkine helps to regulate the development of oligodendrocytes, cells of the nervous system responsible for making myelin — the protecting coating of nerve cell fibers that is damaged and lost in multiple sclerosis (MS). This finding was in the study, “Fractalkine signaling regulates…
July 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gray Matter in Hippocampus Can Help Distinguish Between Two MS Types Subtle changes in structure in the hippocampus — a region of the brain involved in processing memories — can differentiate between relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, according to a new study. The study, “Unraveling the MRI-Based Microstructural Signatures Behind Primary Progressive and Relapsing–Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Phenotypes,”…
July 26, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gilenya Started Earlier in RRMS Disease Course in Recent Years People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have switched to treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) at an earlier stage in their disease in recent years, compared to individuals who switched to the treatment around the time it became available, a new study indicates. The findings suggest “an increased experience in…
July 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NervGen Sets Advisory Board to Support Upcoming NVG-291 Trial NervGen Pharma announced the formation of its multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical advisory board, a group of experts who will work with the company as it prepares to start a Phase 2 clinical trial next year testing its lead compound, NVG-291, in people with MS. “We are honored to…
July 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Anti-CD20 Antibodies Reduce Myelin Loss in MS Rats Treatment with anti-CD20 antibodies reduced the loss of myelin and improved the survival of neurons in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. The findings imply that B-cells — the immune cells that are killed by anti-CD20 antibodies — play a central role in the…
July 2, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Trials of IMU-838 in RRMS, Progressive MS Start Later This Year The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Immunic Therapeutics to initiate two clinical trials of its investigational medication IMU-838 (vidofludimus calcium) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), as well as a separate trial for people with progressive types of MS. The RRMS clinical trial program, expected…
June 30, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ublituximab Quite ‘Reassuring’ as Potential MS Therapy, Experts Say In clinical trials, the investigational anti-CD20 therapy ublituximab was the first to push the annualized relapse rate (ARR) below the 0.1 threshold among patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), while improving disability outcomes in a significant proportion of patients. “The [relapse] rate was below a tenth…
June 28, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Early Use of High-efficacy DMTs Favor Lesser Disability Over Time Long-term disability outcomes tend to be better in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who are treated early on with highly effective therapies, a study based on patient registry data indicates. The study, “Long-term disability trajectories in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients treated with early intensive or…
June 24, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Symptoms Often Apparent Years Before Diagnosis Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) start experiencing symptoms of the disease several years before being diagnosed, a new study suggests. While it has long been known that people with MS tend to seek medical attention more frequently in the years before diagnosis than those without the disease, there…
June 23, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Long-term Kesimpta Use Not Seen in Trial to Depress Antibody Levels Long-term use of Kesimpta (ofatumumab) among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) did not substantially lower their antibody levels, allowing them to retain an ability to fight infections, new data from a Phase 3 clinical trial indicate. “These long-term results continue to support Kesimpta as a high-efficacy, first-choice treatment with…
June 21, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Oral Aubagio Approved in EU for Children With RRMS, Ages 10-17 The European Commission (EC) has approved Aubagio (teriflunomide) for the treatment of children and adolescents, ages 10 to 17, with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Aubagio, approved for adults with RRMS since 2013, is now the first oral therapy available as a first-line treatment for pediatric patients in the European…
June 21, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Results: Ponvory Outperforms Aubagio in OPTIMUM Clinical Trial In the OPTIMUM clinical trial, Ponvory (ponesimod) significantly outperformed Aubagio (teriflunomide) in reducing relapse rates, fatigue, and evidence of brain damage among people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Based on these results, Ponvory has now been approved in the U.S. and the European Union as a treatment…
June 16, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Data on T-cell Repertoire May Help in Understanding MS Development T-cells in the fluid around the brain share a large percentage of receptors among different multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new report suggests. Better understanding the diversity of T-cell receptors in MS, and how these cells vary in different parts of the body, could be useful in understanding the…
June 15, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS FDA Rejects Expansion of Aubagio for Pediatric MS The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected an application requesting the expansion of Aubagio (teriflunomide) for the treatment of children and adolescents, ages 10 to 17, with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). “The FDA deemed the data submitted were not sufficient to obtain approval of…