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.
November 21, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS WCN 2019 Discussions Point to Failures of Regulators to Make MS Therapies Available There is a sizable gap between advancements in treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā and their regulatory approval, which is a circumstance that necessitates increased Ā advocacy on a global scale. This concern was a major topic of conversation recently at theĀ XXIV World Congress of NeurologyĀ (WCN 2019)…
October 29, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Levels of Infection-fighting Antibodies Low in Blood of People with MS, Study Finds People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have low levels in their blood serum of certain antibodies that can protect against infection, regardless of whether they are using a disease-targeted therapy or not, a study reports. These levels were not so low as to risk infection on their own,…
October 28, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS AP-1 Transcription Factor Family is Critical for Healthy T-cell Development, Study Says The transcription factor family AP-1 is crucial for the proper activation of immune T-cells, a new study shows, and this finding may have important implications for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The study, titled “AP-1 activity induced by co-stimulation is required for chromatin opening during…
October 14, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Metformin Works to Promote Remyelination in Ways Similar to Fasting, Study Says Metformin, a common diabetes treatment that works to mimic dietary fasting, was seen to promote remyelination in the stem cells of elderly rats, suggesting it may be useful in treating multiple sclerosis. “Metformin Restores CNS Remyelination Capacity by Rejuvenating Aged Stem Cells” was published in…
October 7, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS RRMS Patients Not Using DMTs More Likely to Have Been Misdiagnosed, Cite Poorer Relationships with Doctors, Survey Says People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who don’t use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are more likely to have been misdiagnosed previously, and to have poorer relationships with their healthcare providers, the results of a new survey suggest. The survey, titled “Multiple Sclerosis In America 2019,” was conducted byĀ …
September 27, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ExeGi Pharma’s Probiotic Visbiome Will Be Tested in MS Clinical Trial ExeGi Pharma announced a new clinical trial testing its probiotic Visbiome in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will further evaluate whether changing bacteria in the gut could be therapeutically beneficial in MS. The human body hosts millions upon millions of bacterial guests, the majority of which…
September 26, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New App May Help Measure Cognitive Function in MS Patients, Study Reports A new app might make it easier for healthcare providers to assess cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The app was described in the study, “iCAMS: Assessing the Reliability of a BICAMS Tablet Application,” published in the International Journal of MS…
September 26, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MRI Marker May Be Better at Predicting MS Disease Progression, Study Finds The volume of atrophied (shrunken) regions in the brain, as visible through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, can predict disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research reveals. The finding was published in the journalĀ Radiology in an article titled, “Atrophied Brain T2 Lesion Volume…
September 24, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Interferon Beta Use by Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients OK, Office in Europe Says If necessary, women with relapsing multiple sclerosis can continue treatments based on interferon beta while pregnant and breastfeeding, according to an updated recommendation by an office of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Interferon beta-based treatments are a mainstay of approved MS therapies. Three specific treatments were mentioned in press…
September 23, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS EMD Serono Opening Phase 3 Trials of Oral Evobrutinib in Relapsing MS Patients EMD Serono (Merck KGaA in Germany) is opening two pivotal and global Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral evobrutinibĀ in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Evobrutinib, also known as M2951, works by blocking a protein called Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK), which is…
September 18, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS FTC Warns Companies Against Unsubstantiated Advertising of CBD Products for MS The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to three companies that sell cannabis-based products containing cannabidiol (CBD), cautioning them that making unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits of CBD could lead to legal action. The agency “urges the companies to review all claims made for their…
August 30, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New AAN Guidelines Favor Regular Vaccinations, Including Flu Shots, for MS Patients New guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommend that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) keep up with regular vaccinations, including annual flu shots, but be sure to first advise their doctor on medications they are using. The guidelines were published in the journalĀ Neurology, in the report…
August 27, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Phase 1 Clinical Trial of EHP-101 Concludes with Positive Safety Results The first in-human clinical trial of EHP-101, an investigational treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic scleroderma (SSc), has been successfully completed,Ā Emerald Health PharmaceuticalsĀ (EHP) announced. EHP-101 demonstrated it was safe and well-tolerated in healthy volunteers, supporting further clinical development ofĀ EHP-101 in future Phase 2 clinical trials. The…
August 19, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Imaging That Captures Damage to Brain in CIS Helps in Determining Likelihood of MS, Study Says Imaging techniques that measure damage to the brain, in addition to those that detect lesions, may be useful in predicting likely disease progression in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study found. The study, “Early imaging predictors of longer term multiple sclerosis risk and severity…
August 19, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NHS ‘Toolkit’ Aims to Improve Care Given People with MS, Other Neurological Ills in UK The National Health Service (NHS) EnglandĀ announced an initiative that aims to speed diagnoses and ensure better all-around care for people with progressive neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and motor neuron disease (MND). Experts at NHS England, as part of the NHS RightCare…
August 16, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Therapies Among Limited Offerings Through AllianceRx Walgreens Prime Medications for treating certain rare and chronic conditions, Ā including multiple sclerosis (MS), are now available from the specialty and home delivery pharmacy AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, the company announced. The newly included specialty medications are all limited distribution drugs (LDDs), which means the drug manufacturers have signed agreements giving very…
August 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Shows Range of Psychological and Physical Problems in Opioid-addicted MS Patients Opioid addiction increases the risk for a number of physical and psychological problems in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found. The study, “Impact of opium dependency on clinical and neuropsychological indices of multiple sclerosis patients,” was published in the journalĀ Neurological Sciences. Opioids,…
August 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Smartphones Could Be Used to Make Tremor Research Easier, More Affordable, Study Finds Smartphones could be used as an inexpensive and effective way to measure Ā tremors in mice, which may allow for more research on tremor medications, a new study reports. The study, “Accurate and affordable assessment of physiological and pathological tremor in rodents with the accelerometer of a smartphone,”…