April 9, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Overall Cost of DMTs Stable 2018–2020, Study Finds The overall cost of disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. remained stable from 2018 to 2020, according to pharmacy and medical claims data from Prime Therapeutics’ insured members. This stabilization derived from a balance between a reduction in Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) use due…
April 7, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Tecfidera, Gilenya and Ocrevus Losing Favor as Switch Therapies in US, Spherix Finds Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), Gilenya (fingolimod), and Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) are losing ground to more recent therapies among U.S. multiple sclerosis (MS) patients switching treatment, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights’ report. The launch of MS generics, bioequivalents, and new brands in the U.S. market over the past year has increased…
April 2, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Protecting Myelin-producing Cells From Inflammation May Be Key to Treating MS Prolonging a cellular defense mechanism shown to restore myelin — the protective sheath around nerve cell fibers that is lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) — may be key to treating the neurodegenerative disease, a study in MS mouse models suggests. That defense mechanism, called integrated stress response (ISR), helps…
March 30, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Kesimpta Approved in EU as At-home Injectable Therapy for Relapsing MS The European Commission has approved Novartis’ Kesimpta (ofatumumab) as the first self-administered, at-home B-cell-targeting therapy for adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and active disease. Active disease in these forms, which include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and active secondary progressive MS (SPMS),…
March 18, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD More Trials Needed to Clarify Benefits of Alzheimer’s Therapy Memantine in MS Treatment of up to a year with memantine — an approved therapy for Alzheimer’s disease — failed to prevent cognitive decline and disability, and to significantly reduce fatigue and spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), a review of published studies shows. The therapy, sold under the brand name Namenda, works…
March 3, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD NMSS Partnership Targets Autoimmune Disease Research The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has joined forces with the diabetes-focused JDRF and the Lupus Research Alliance to fund research looking at common underlying mechanisms of autoimmune disease. Called “Decoding Immune-Mediated Diseases – Novel Approaches for Therapeutic Insights,” the new joint grant program is meant to stimulate…
March 1, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Imcyse Raises €21.3M to Advance Treatments for MS, Other Diseases Imcyse has raised €21.3 million ($25.8 million) in funding to advance its innovative immunotherapy platform for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other severe autoimmune diseases. The funding was a result of a series B financing round featuring existing investors such as Biogenosis, Société Fédérale de Participations et…
February 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD AI-powered Robotic Glove May Help Improve Hand Grip Strength BioLiberty, a Scottish biotech startup, has developed a robotic glove that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the hand grip in people with muscle weakness due to multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions. The technology may be closer to entering people’s homes now that the startup has secured support…
February 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Drop in PML With Tysabri Use in Sweden Likely Due to Risk Management Plan The number of cases of Tysabri (natalizumab) that are associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) — a serious brain infection — in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients living in Sweden fell between 2006 and 2018, a study shows. Notably, the data highlighted that this drop was likely due to…
February 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MS-linked Molecule IL-17 Impaired Immune Cells in Mice’s Brains Sustained, excessive levels of interleukin 17A (IL-17A) — a pro-inflammatory molecule linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases — reduce the number and activity of the brain’s immune cells in the dentate gyrus, according to a study in mice. The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampus, a…
February 16, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Rituximab Before or During Pregnancy Not Linked to Major Complications Treatment with rituximab before or during pregnancy was not associated with major pregnancy or infant complications, according to a case series of 19 women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases. These findings add to the limited available evidence on the use of rituximab by expectant mothers either…
February 12, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD National MS Society Urges DMT Dosing Changes for COVID-19 Vaccinations To potentially increase the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is recommending dosing adaptations for some disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Based on expert consensus and available data, the guidance is particularly relevant for MS patients considering initiating or already being…
January 29, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Tecfidera Safe and Effective Over Long Term in Children With RRMS, Trial Shows Long-term treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) safely and effectively reduces the frequency of relapses in children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to 2.5 years of data from the FOCUS Phase 2 trial and its extension study. These findings are consistent with those previously reported for adult patients, supporting…
January 27, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mouse Study Links Cortical Inflammation to Immune Cell Destruction Multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated inflammation in the cerebral cortex — the outermost layer of the brain that is involved in cognitive function — prompts the destruction of neural connections by specific immune cells, according to a study in a mouse model of MS. These immune cells targeted dendritic spines (nerve…
January 26, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Innodem to Advance Way of Diagnosing, Tracking MS via Eye Movement Innodem Neurosciences received $6 million to advance its digital biomarker eye-tracking technology as a possible way of diagnosing and monitoring neurodegenerative diseases. The technology is now being tested in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Money raised by the Montreal-based startup came through a series A financing round led by Morningside Ventures.
January 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ACTRIMS2021 – Forum to Focus on Several MS-related Spectrums The upcoming Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) 2021 Forum will focus on the spectrums of multiple sclerosis (MS), related inflammation, disease severity, and the latest findings in the field. According to an ACTRIMS press release, about 1,000 researchers and clinicians are expected to…
January 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD SERPINA3 Nerve Injury-induced Protein May Be Biomarker of PPMS People with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) have significantly higher levels of a nerve injury-induced protein, called SERPINA3, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) than do those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and those without the neurodegenerative disease, a study shows. Of note, the CSF is the liquid that bathes…
January 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ocrevus Targets Pro-inflammatory T-cells, Not Just B-cells, in PPMS, Study Finds In addition to significantly reducing subsets of B-cells — its main immune cell target — Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) lessens pro-inflammatory immune T-cells in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), a small study shows. Notably, the suppression of immune cell subsets thought to be involved in the abnormal immune responses…
January 18, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Tonix Files for Patent for TNX-1500 to Treat Autoimmune Diseases Tonix Pharmaceuticals has filed a patent application with the World Intellectual Property Organization covering the use of TNX-1500 — its third-generation anti-CD154 antibody — for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), and organ transplant rejection. “There remains a significant need for new treatments with improved…
January 15, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Sexual Dysfunction Common in Men with MS, Review Finds Sexual dysfunction affects more than 60% of adult men with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The data add to previous findings showing that more than two-thirds of women with MS also experience these problems, highlighting the importance of detecting and managing sexual dysfunction in…
January 14, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD New Technique May Help Isolate, Characterize T-cells in MS Research Scientists at the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center have developed a technique able to more efficiently isolate specific T-cells — immune cells involved not only in the fight against infections and cancer but also in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) — for research. In particular, the…
January 11, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD BioNTech Vaccine Treats MS in Mice Without Dampening Immune System BioNTech’s experimental non-inflammatory vaccine — designed to dampen the abnormal immune responses seen in multiple sclerosis (MS) against myelin — delayed the onset and lessened the severity of symptoms in a mouse model of MS, a study reports. Importantly, treated mice showed no signs of overall immune suppression,…
December 29, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Stories of 2020 Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought you daily coverage of the latest scientific findings, treatment developments, and clinical trials related to multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout 2020, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to reporting more news to patients, family members, and caregivers dealing with MS during…
December 21, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Dosing Finishes in Trial of NurOwn Cell Therapy for Progressive MS Patient dosing has finished in a Phase 2 clinical trial testing NurOwn, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics’ investigational cell-based therapy for people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. The trial’s top-line results are…
December 18, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mayzent Aids Cognitive Processing Speed in SPMS Patients, Trial Suggests Mayzent (siponimod) significantly improved cognitive processing speed in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) compared with a placebo, according to additional analyses of two-year data from the EXPAND Phase 3 trial. While…
December 15, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD FDA Approves Shorter Infusion Time for MS Therapy Ocrevus The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a shorter infusion time of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for treating relapsing or primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Infusion refers to the slow delivery of a therapy directly into the bloodstream over a period of time. The decision shortens the twice-yearly infusion…
December 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ublituximab Superior to Aubagio at Lowering Relapse Rates, Phase 3 Data Show Ublituximab, an investigational anti-CD20 antibody, outperformed Aubagio (teriflunomide) in lowering the frequency of relapses among people with active, relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to top-line data from the Phase 3 ULTIMATE trials. Full results, including data on safety and secondary goals, are expected to be presented…
December 11, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Inflammatory Environment in MS Impairs Myelin Debris-clearing by Immune Cells The pro-inflammatory environment characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS) reduces the levels of PPAR-gamma — a receptor protein whose activation dampens inflammation — and impairs myelin processing in immune cells that clear myelin debris, a study suggests. These findings may help to better understand how PPAR-gamma regulates the function of these…
December 9, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplant With NG-01 Treatment Shows Promise in Progressive MS Treatment with NG-01 — an approach that uses patients’ own mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) — safely and effectively delayed disease progression in people with active, progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to final data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Delivering these cells directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)…
December 1, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Virtual Reality-based Rehabilitation May Improve Upper Limb Function in MS Patients, Review Finds Motor rehabilitation using virtual reality (VR) may improve hand and arm function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. Evidence of its beneficial effect is, however, still preliminary, as most analyzed studies included small patient groups and some failed to show statistically significant improvements in upper…