Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Measuring levels of the protein serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 virtually:…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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. Sativex…

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 …

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 — the fatty coating that is lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) — in the nervous system. “We saw that…