April 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gilenya May Raise Risk of Intestinal Parasitic Infection, Report Suggests Treatment with GilenyaĀ (fingolimod) could make people with multiple sclerosis (MS) more vulnerable to the parasitic infection known as cryptosporidiosis, a case report suggests. The report, “Cryptosporidiosis after treatment with fingolimod: a case report and pharmacovigilance review,” was published in the jorunalĀ BMC Infectious Diseases. Gilenya…
April 9, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New Database to Compile COVID-19 Data About People with MS and Related Diseases The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have created a new database to track COVID-19 infections in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and related diseases. The database, calledĀ COViMS (COVID-19 Infections in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Diseases),…
April 6, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Finds Link Between Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Adolescence and MS Risk People exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke during adolescence may be more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, a study suggests. The study, “Exposure to passive smoking during adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis,” was published in theĀ Multiple…
April 3, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Headache a Common Side Effect of Interferon-beta Treatment, Study Finds New or worsening headaches are a more common side effect of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) than previously appreciated, a new study suggests. The study, “Interferon-Beta-Induced Headache in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Frequency and Characterization,” was published in theĀ Journal of Pain Research.
April 2, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Regular Exercise ‘Strongly Recommended’ to Ease Fatigue in MS Physical exercise can ease fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and potentially benefit them in many other ways, and should be part of rehabilitation programs for patients, a large review study suggests. The study,Ā “The impact of physical exercise on the fatigue symptoms in patients with…
April 1, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Biosimilar Truxima Works as Well as Rituximab Originator in MS, Study Finds Truxima, aĀ biosimilar of rituximab, is comparable to the originator therapy in terms of effectiveness and safety for treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. Rituximab āĀ marketed asĀ RituxanĀ in the United States ā isĀ an antibody-based therapy thatĀ works by killing B-cells, which are immune cells…
March 31, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Canada Rules EHP-101, Potential Cannabidiol Treatment, Not Controlled Substance EHP-101, a cannabidiol-derived investigational therapy being developed by Emerald Health PharmaceuticalsĀ (EHP)Ā to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), is not a controlled substance in Canada, the company announced. The active ingredient in EHP-101 is a derivative of cannabidiol, abbreviated CBD. This is one of the most well-known active compounds in…
March 20, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Janssen Seeks FDA Approval for Oral Ponesimod for Treating Relapsing MS Janssen has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for ponesimodĀ to be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Ponesimod, formerly ACT-128800, is an experimental treatment that targets the proteinĀ sphingosine-1-phosphate…
March 12, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ponesimod, Up for Approval, Shows ‘Clear Superiority’ Over Aubagio, Janssen Exec Says PonesimodĀ may soon be a new oral therapy for people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) in Europe, and a filing for its approval in the U.S. is likely within weeks. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, its developer,Ā submitted an applicationĀ to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) inĀ early March, a first ponesimod filing…
March 5, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Janssen Asks EMA to Approve Oral Ponesimod to Treat Relapsing MS JanssenĀ has submitted an application toĀ the European Medicines Agency (EMA) asking that ponesimodĀ be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) in the European Union. Ponesimod (formerly ACT-128800) is an experimental treatment that targets theĀ sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor…
February 24, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Masitinib Slows Disability Progression in PPMS and Non-active SPMS, Phase 2/3 Trial Reports AB Science‘sĀ masitinib significantly slowed disability progression in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and non-active secondary progressive MS (SPMS) at a lower dose of 4.5 mg/kg a day, top-line results from a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial show. Masitinib, formerly known as AB1010, is an oral…
February 17, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Number of People with MS in UK More Than Previously Estimated New data from Public Health England (PHE) and the U.K. MS Society show that the number of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United Kingdom is now more than 130,000 ā about one in every 500 people living in the country. This is an increase of…
February 11, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cognitive Decline in MS May Not Be Inevitable or Progressive, 10-year Study Suggests Progressive cognitive decline in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be as inevitable as previously thought, a study suggests. The study, “A longitudinal study of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: is decline inevitable?,” was published in theĀ Journal of Neurology. Statistics indicate that some kind…
February 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mavenclad May Be Added to RRMS Treatments on Quebec’s Public Health Plan The agency in charge of health and social services for Quebec, known as theĀ Institut national d’excellence en santĆ© et en services sociaux (INESSS), is recommending thatĀ Mavenclad (cladribine) be offered at discount to adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) enrolled in the province’s health system. INESSS’ opinions…
February 7, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mayzent Approved in Europe as First Oral Treatment for Active Secondary Progressive MS The experimental BTK inhibitor SAR442168 showed an acceptable safety profile and met its primary endpoint ā a significant reduction in the number of new lesions visible on a brain imaging scan ā in a Phase 2 trial in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), study results show. SAR442168,…
February 3, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MSAA Marks 50th Anniversary with Benefit Evening, New Logo and More The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is celebrating 50 years of work and dedication to improving the lives of people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). Some changes are underway and initiatives being launched to commemorate this milestone. MSAA, a nonprofit organizationĀ founded in 1970, aims to provide…
January 29, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mental Health of Women Affected by Caring for Children with MS, Study Suggests Caring for children with multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect the mental health of their mothers over the long term, a study has found. The study, “Increased mental health care use by mothers of children with multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal Neurology. People with…
January 27, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NICE Approves Plegridy as RRMS Treatment Offered by NHS England The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) in the U.K. issued its final decision, approving the inclusion of Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a) to treatĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in England within the National Health Service (NHS). This decision follows a cost-effectiveness review done in May 2018,…
January 24, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gene Variants Linked to High Childhood BMI Point to Higher MS Risk, Study Finds Genetic variations that increase body mass index (BMI) in childhoodĀ are associated with a higher risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) regardless of a person’s vitamin D levels, a study found. The study, “BMI and low vitamin D are causal factors for multiple sclerosis,” was published in…
January 23, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Memory Training Could Make Brains of MS Patients More Efficient, Study Suggests People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who complete training through a method called the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) show a decrease in brain activity after training, which could indicate more efficient brain processing, a recent study shows. The study, “Brain activation patterns associated with paragraph…
January 16, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Scottish Medicines Consortium Approves Ocrevus for Treating PPMS Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) has been approved in Scotland as a treatment for early, inflammatory primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has advised that OcrevusĀ can be prescribed by the National Health Service (NHS) forĀ people with PPMS who have had symptoms for less than 15…
January 13, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS First MS Patient Dosed in Phase 2 Trial of Potential Remyelinating Therapy CNM-Au8, Clene Announces The first participant has been dosed in the Phase 2 REPAIR-MS clinical trial examining the effects of CNM-Au8,Ā Clene Nanomedicine‘s investigational remyelinating therapy, on brain metabolism in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds…
January 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS US Patent Issued for Anavex 2-73 for Treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Including MS Anavex Life Sciences has received a U.S. patent covering the use of Anavex 2-73 (blarcamesine) for the treatment of several neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and Rett syndrome. Issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the new patent (no. 10,507,196) covers…
January 3, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gabapentinoid Use to Control MS Pain Can Lead to Respiratory Problems, FDA Warns Gabapentinoids ā a class of therapies sometimes used off-label to help control pain in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) ā can increase the risk of serious breathing problems, particularly for those who have risk factors like poorer lung function or use opioid pain medicines, according to a warning…
December 18, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Timing Speed of Eye-to-Brain Signals May Be Way of Measuring Myelin Changes, Study Says Measuring the speed of signals sent to the brain by nerves in the eye could help assess if remyelination is taking place, a study in cats suggests. Such measurements could be useful in evaluating multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments aiming to repair myelin in clinical trials ā of particular interest…
December 17, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Einstein Researchers Receive Grant to Study Brain Activity Related to Fall Risk in MS Patients A grantĀ awarded recently by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund research to explore how brain changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients affect mobility. The five-year grant (1R01NS109023-01A1), totaling $3.5 million, was awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of…
December 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Sitting Less, Walking More May Be Feasible Way to Healthier Life with MS, Study Suggests Small changes in daily activities, like sitting less and walking more, may be healthful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) without the challenges of formal exercise. A new study,Ā “Management of multiple sclerosis symptoms through reductions in sedentary behaviour: protocol for a feasibility study,” published inĀ BMJ…
December 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MetP Pharma Awarded US Patent for Potential Remyelination Therapy MetP Pharma‘s patent application for a new method to treat demyelinating and neuroinflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), has been approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent, titled āTreatment of Demyelinating Diseasesā (U.S. Appl. No. 16/506,830), is valid until 2039,…
December 9, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Atlas Biotechnologies to Fund Research into Cannabis Treatment for MS, Similar Diseases Atlas BiotechnologiesĀ will fund and provide support to three research projects at the University of AlbertaĀ to possibly identify cannabis component(s) that could help people with neurological diseases likeĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The cannabis plant produces hundreds of biological compounds, the best-known being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ā the psychoactive compound primarily…
November 27, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Profit and Competitors’ Prices Major Drivers of MS Therapy Costs in US, Pharma Execs Say Prices for newĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies in the United States are decided most by competitors’ prices, and continual increases in the cost of existing treatments by concerns for company profits and future growth, a study based on”confidential” interviews with four biotech executives with experience in the MS field reports. U.S.