Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

More than 90% of Black and Hispanic patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in a Phase 4 clinical trial experienced no new relapse activity or sustained disability worsening after nearly one year, according to an interim analysis. However, more than half of these patients experienced…

Treatment with Aubagio (teriflunomide) significantly reduces the risk that adults with radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) will develop symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), new clinical trial data show. This is the second trial showing that approved disease-modifying therapies can delay the development of MS in people who have…

Supplements with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) were generally well tolerated among people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to findings from a small clinical trial. Results also showed that patients given TUDCA supplements had lower levels of certain inflammatory immune cells than those given a placebo, but no…

Use of the cell therapy MSC-NP failed to show a significant effect on overall disability scores among people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Results, however, indicated that MSC-NP improved walking ability for people with more advanced disease —…

Damage to the myelin sheath, a hallmark feature of multiple sclerosis (MS), leads to increased levels of fatty molecules called VLCFAs, which are converted by brain cells into an inflammation-driving signaling molecule called S1P, a study suggests. The discovery of this novel molecular pathway may open up new avenues…

Most treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) are not associated with an increased risk of complications during pregnancy, according to a new analysis. A few therapies were associated with slightly elevated rates of congenital abnormalities for babies exposed to treatment during pregnancy, but small sample sizes limit being able to…

People with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) seem to experience slower worsening of their disabilities than those with the primary progressive form of the disease (PPMS), a new study reports. However, SPMS patients tend to be older and have more advanced disability when they enter the progressive stage…

A novel formulation of ibudilast, delivered into the nose, was able to reduce inflammation and prevent nerve damage in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The nasal formulation also improved regeneration of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that is progressively lost…

Scientists have developed new skin patches that could offer a more convenient and less painful way to administer antibody-based medicines to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other disorders. “The developed [skin] patch is minimally invasive, self-administrable, and designed to be fully embedded into the skin with a short…

Abnormal perceptions of discomfort and fatigue likely play a role in causing increased heat and cold sensitivity to extreme temperatures among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. However, the results suggest that MS does not generally affect how the body regulates its own temperature. “Our findings…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to accrue more medical costs after switching to infusible therapies Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), Tysabri (natalizumab), or Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), according to an analysis of data from commercially insured patients in the U.S. “The overall healthcare costs for MS patients increased a lot…

The way Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) affects immune cell profiles of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) varies depending on what treatments they were on previously, a new study shows. Understanding these differences could help to optimize treatment approaches for MS patients considering Ocrevus, scientists say. The study, “…

Issues with sexual performance and satisfaction are common with multiple sclerosis (MS), and show significant associations with measures of quality of life, a study shows. Sexual problems tend to be more pronounced among patients with severe fatigue and depression, data suggest. These findings highlight areas where healthcare providers can…

Clinical trials testing rehabilitation strategies for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) include a disproportionate number of white participants and have generally paid little attention to how race and ethnicity may influence outcomes. Further, few efforts have been undertaken to make MS trials more racially and ethnically diverse. A team…

People with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) may experience more severe inflammatory activity and nerve damage early on in the course of their disease as compared with individuals who have secondary progressive MS, a new study indicates. The results also suggest that primary progressive MS patients tend to have…

A team of scientists has developed a wearable microscope — to be carried on the backs of animals in a lab — that can be used to evaluate cell activity in the spinal cord of living mice with greater clarity than has ever before been possible. The scientists say this…

A pair of experts are calling for genetic tests to be developed to identify people at higher risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection that can occur as a side effect of certain multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments. “The availability of a simple, relatively inexpensive test…

A new podcast series called “A Campbell Never Quits” is telling the life story of Tyler Campbell, a patient advocate who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) during his junior year at college. “The podcast aims to appeal to sports fans, people living with MS, and anyone who appreciates…

Because people with multiple sclerosis (MS) usually undergo regular MRI scans to image their brains, their data could help researchers learn more the long-term effects of COVID-19 on brain tissue. That’s the argument by a team of researchers in the paper, “Multiple sclerosis as a…

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and interferential currents (IFC) — both interventions apply electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the skin — can help to ease pain in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results from a small clinical trial. Results suggested that, while both treatments can reduce…

MSC-NP, a form of stem cell therapy that’s currently in early clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS), can reduce the inflammatory activity of brain immune cells called microglia, according to a new study. The therapy is known to reduce disease severity and improve myelin regeneration in animal models of…

Neurologists in the U.S. are generally favoring more aggressive early treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis by market research company Spherix Global Insights. With over a dozen therapies available in the U.S. to treat relapsing forms of MS, patients and providers have options to…

Can Do MS has three missions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their care partners — providing education about life with the disease, building connections among people, and activating them to be proactive about managing their condition. “Those are the three pillars that our programs are built…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) being treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) less frequently than the recommended every six months are not more likely to experience inflammatory disease activity, an analysis of some 360 patients whose dosing schedules changed during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests. Nicole Bou Rjeily, MD, a postdoctoral…

Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy) recently became the third anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). TG Therapeutics, the therapy’s developer, is now aiming to make Briumvi the most accessible therapy in its…

Treatment with the experimental oral therapy ibudilast (MN-166) does not significantly improve quality-of-life measures compared with a placebo among people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Analyses from the trial suggest that a marker of nerve damage…

Taking high-dose vitamin D supplements as an add-on to standard MS treatment doesn’t reduce the risk of inflammatory disease activity for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to data from a clinical trial. The findings “suggest that prescribing higher doses of vitamin D for purposes of…

Certain cells in the eyes — specifically blood vessel cells and a type of neurological immune cell called microglia — exhibit high expression or activity of genes that have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports.  The researchers also “identified…

More than half of the people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) who received Briumvi (ublituximab) in the ULTIMATE clinical trials had no signs of disease activity over the first six months of the trial — and over 80% of participants had no disease activity for the…

People infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) — including HIV-positive individuals who received antiretroviral treatment at some point after infection — are significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis suggests.  The decrease in MS risk was particularly pronounced…