March 14, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Treatments with electrical nerve stimulation ease pain in small trial Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and interferential currents (IFC) ā both interventions apply electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the skin ā 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…
March 10, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Stem cell therapy MSC-NP can ease inflammatory activity in brain cells 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…
March 9, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ocrevus and early start with aggressive treatment favored in US 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…
March 6, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Can Do MS brings education, connection, activation Can Do MS has three missions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their care partners ā 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…
March 6, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Delays in Ocrevus infusions not tied to greater MS activity 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…
March 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: TG aims to make Briumvi accessible to patients 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…
March 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Ibudilast did not lift life quality in progressive MS trial 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…
March 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: High-dose vitamin D doesn’t reduce MS activity: Trial 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…
March 2, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Certain eye cells tied to MS-related changes in study Certain cells in the eyes ā specifically blood vessel cells and a type of neurological immune cell called microglia ā exhibit high expression or activity of genes that have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports.Ā The researchers also “identified…
March 2, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Most on Briumvi show no MS activity after 6 months 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 ā and over 80% of participants had no disease activity for the…
March 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: HIV-positive people found to be less likely to develop MS People infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ā including HIV-positive individuals who received antiretroviral treatment at some point after infection ā are significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis suggests.Ā The decrease in MS risk was particularly pronounced…
March 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: MS clinical research lacks diversity, representation Nonwhite populations are underrepresented in research that tests therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS), meaning most available data on a treatment’s effectiveness and safety can’t be generalized to all patients. “The absence of diversity in MS research is a problem that concerns us all,” said LĆ©orah Freeman, MD, PhD, a…
March 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: CNM-Au8 bound for Phase 3 testing after positive data Treatment with the experimental oral suspension therapy CNM-Au8 led to improvements in measures of vision, cognitive and motor function, and brain health for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from the proof-of-concept VISIONARY-MS trial. Bolstered by these positive results,Ā Clene Nanomedicine is planning to launch a…
February 27, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Should EBV be targeted in MS? Experts debate. A history of infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be a strong risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS) ā but is targeting the virus a viable strategy for MS prevention or treatment? This question was the subject of a debate, “How To…
February 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Portable MRI device able to detect brain lesions in MS A portable MRI device may be used to detect brain lesions that are indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS), and serve as a low-cost imaging tool that can be brought to patients for testing, according to a new analysis. While the system is not yet accurate enough to be used…
February 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Medication, talk therapy both ease MS-related fatigue Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of talk therapy, and medication given separately or in combination can ease fatigue significantly for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a clinical trial. The effect on fatigue was comparable for talk therapy, medication, or the combination in validated…
February 16, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Omega-3 fatty acid reduced disease severity in MS mouse model Treatment with docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHEA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, reduced inflammation and disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). These findings suggest that “an increase of omega-3 consumption may be beneficial to patients diagnosed with MS,” researchers said. “We believe our findings…
February 14, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS CNM-Au8 preserves white matter in RRMS patients’ brains: Phase 2 trial Treatment withĀ CNM-Au8, anĀ experimental oral liquid therapy, led to statistically significant improvements in the health of connections between brain regions for people with stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). That’s according to new MRI data from the Phase 2 VISIONARY-MS trial (NCT03536559), which tested CNM-Au8 against a placebo in…
February 13, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ‘Mini-brain’ models point to poorer oligodendrocyte growth in PPMS Using stem cells derived from people with multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers developed cerebral organoids, or “mini-brains,” to better study the cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to the neurodegenerative disorder. Initial analysis showed that patient-derived stem cells, especially those from people with primary progressive MS (PPMS), tend to be…
February 9, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Levels of GFAP protein in blood may predict ‘silent progression’ of MS Measuring levels of the protein GFAP in blood can help to predict disability progression that occurs without relapses ā so-called silent progression ā in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. These findings may have “clinical implications for patient management and development of novel drugs,” the…
February 8, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Berberine, plant compound, eases disease severity in MS mouse model Treatment with berberine, a compound found in many plants, eased disease severity and showed anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. “These results confirmed that treatment with berberine efficiently improved the disease in the animal model of MS,” the researchers wrote, noting…
February 7, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Primary progressive MS confirmed as own disorder in mouse study Primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) is driven by antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid around the brain and spinal cord ā but this is not the case in the more common relapsing forms of MS ā a new study done in mice suggests. Researchers say this result…
February 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Biosimilar Comparable in Safety, Efficacy to Tysabri in Phase 3 Trial PB006, a biosimilar to Biogenās approved treatment Tysabri (natalizumab), showed similar safety and efficacy as the original medication in peopleĀ with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), according to data from a Phase 3 clinical trial. “The Antelope trial reported equivalence between [PB006 and Tysabri] treatment across efficacy, safety, and secondary…
February 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Hi-res MRI Scanners May Bring MS’s Effect on the Cerebellum Into View Researchers were able to image the cerebellum ā a small, compact region of the brain that plays key roles in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases ā with greater clarity than ever before. Their imaging approach, which used MRI scanners equipped with powerful magnets, may help learn how…
January 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Better Standards Needed for NICE Evaluation of MS Treatments: Study In evaluating potential treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) over the past two decades, England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) made differing assumptions about whether and how the therapies’ effects will diminish over time. Such assumptions have a significant impact in estimating a therapy’s cost-effectiveness ā a…
January 20, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Brain Circuit Associated With MS-related Depression Identified Researchers have identified specific areas of brain damage associated with depression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but not with other symptoms of the disease. The findings could pave the way toward new treatments for MS-related depression that work to stimulate these regions. “The more we know about the connectivity of…
January 18, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS FSD Asking to Open Trial of Lucid-MS, Myelin-protecting Therapy FSD Pharma has submitted an application to Health Canada asking to start a Phase 1 clinical trial of Lucid-MS, the company’s experimental and myelin-protective oral therapy for people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial will not involve patients and is designed to investigate the safety and tolerability of…
January 13, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Pheno, UCB Team Up to Bring New Remyelination Therapies to Trial Pheno Therapeutics has entered into an agreement with UCB to develop new therapies aimed at remyelination to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders that are characterized by the loss of myelin, the companies announced. “This license allows us to accelerate a promising drug target towards…
January 13, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Exosome-based Therapy Eases Disease in MS Mouse Model A new therapy that delivers an anti-inflammatory compound to nervous system immune cells via cellular “shipping containers” called exosomes showed promise in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The study,Ā “Resveratrol-loaded macrophage exosomes alleviate multiple sclerosis through targeting microglia,” was published in the…
January 11, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Neural Stem Cell Therapy for MS Tolerated Well in Small Phase 1 Study A treatment containing neural stem cells derived from a human fetus was shown to be well tolerated in a small clinical trial of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Results showed some promising effects on markers of inflammation and brain atrophy. Researchers said these preliminary findings “warrant…