Posts by: Patricia Inacio, PhD

Patricia Inacio, PhD

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

July 16, 2018July 16, 2018

Nicotine and Beta-amyloid Work on Immune System in Ways That Ease MS Symptoms, Study Reports

News

Nicotine, the active agent in tobacco, and amyloid proteins, which underlie Alzheimer’s disease, bind to a receptor present in certain immune cells and work to lessen ... Read more

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018

Overreactive T-cells Can Transition into T-cells That Control the Immune Response, Study Shows

News

New research shows that overreactive and tissue-damaging T-cells can transition into regulatory T-cells that help to control the immune system’s response. These findings open the door ... Read more

July 2, 2018July 5, 2018

Winter Months Spent in Sunny Climes Can Lower MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

Greater exposure to sunlight during the winter months — part of a person’s lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation — can help to lower the risk of ... Read more

June 27, 2018June 29, 2018

After Ocrevus Approval, New Therapies May Become Available for MS, Report Suggests

News

Genentech‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), approved in March 2017, has fueled a sea change in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S., leading to an increased interest in ... Read more

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018

New Fluorescent Imaging Tool Allows Researchers to Track Immune Cell Dynamics in MS Mouse Model

News

A new fluorescent imaging strategy allows researchers to track T-cells and further understand their dynamics in vivo, giving them insight into what happens when these immune ... Read more

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018

Online Aid for MS Patients with Cognitive Difficulties Now Part of MyMSTeam

News

MyHealthTeams together with Biogen launched a new online tool center, called MS and Cognition Resource Center, to educate multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on brain health, and ... Read more

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018

#EAN2018 – Mavenclad Greatly Reduces Risk of RRMS Relapse, Analysis Finds

News

New retrospective analysis of the Phase 3 CLARITY study (NCT00213135) shows that treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine tablets) improved annualized relapse rate and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in ... Read more

June 21, 2018June 26, 2018

#EAN2018 – Both Brain and Spinal MRIs Needed to Monitor MS Inflammation, Study Says

News

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to assess inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients should include scans of the spinal cord and not be restricted to the ... Read more

June 20, 2018June 20, 2018

#EAN2018 – Levels of Neurofilament Light Chain Can Predict Disease Progression in RRMS, Study Shows

News

Levels of neurofilament light chain are a reliable predictor of disease worsening and progression in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, a new study shows. Moreover, treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), marketed ... Read more

June 19, 2018June 19, 2018

Atara Biotherapeutics Study Links Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with MS

News

Analysis of post-mortem brain samples from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy individuals (without neurologic disease) showed that while signs of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are ... Read more

June 15, 2018June 15, 2018

Discovery of ‘Fiery’ Cell Death Mechanism May Be MS ‘Game-Changer’

News

Researchers have unveiled a new cell death mechanism called pyroptosis — also known as “fiery death” — as a main factor driving neurodegeneration and loss of myelin ... Read more

June 6, 2018June 6, 2018

#CMSC2018 — Inhibiting Oxidative Stress Enzyme Promotes Resealing of Blood-Brain Barrier in MS Mouse Model

News

Inhibiting an oxidative stress enzyme called myeloperoxidase protects the blood-brain barrier in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), limiting the migration of immune cells and ... Read more

June 6, 2018June 6, 2018

#CMSC2018 – Gains in Functional Abilities Seen in Lemtrada-treated MS Patients Over Six Years, CARE-MS II Extension Study Shows

News

Patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) continue to show improvement — lesser functional disability across a variety of measures — and often without the need ... Read more

June 5, 2018June 7, 2018

#CMSC2018 – New Phase 2 Data Supports Ublituximab in Effectively Lowering Relapses, Depleting B-cells in MS Patients

News

New results from a Phase 2 trial evaluating TG Therapeutics’ ublituximab continue to support the therapy’s efficacy in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This ... Read more

June 5, 2018June 5, 2018

Oryzon Genomics Readies Updates on ORY-2001, Being Tested in MS Patients in Phase 2 Trial

News

Oryzon Genomics will give updates on its leading investigational product ORY-2001, a brain-targeting epigenetic therapy now in a Phase 2 clinical trial recruiting multiple sclerosis patients, ... Read more

May 21, 2018May 24, 2018

Gut Microbiome May Offer Way to Ease or Halt Brain Inflammation, Study Suggests

News

Metabolites produced by microbes in the gut can ease inflammation in the central nervous system by limiting the damage done by microglia, an immune cell of the ... Read more

May 17, 2018May 17, 2018

Viral Infection Promotes Factor in T-cells Leading to Brain Tissue Destruction

News

Infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus triggers expression of a factor called TOX in immune cells strengthening their migration into the brain and promoting damaging effects, including ... Read more

May 14, 2018May 14, 2018

Biomarker in Cerebrospinal Fluid Seen to Predict MS Progression in Study

News

A potential biomarker — the ratio of antibody proteins in cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis — was seen to predict which  multiple sclerosis patients will ... Read more

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018

New Class of Anti-inflammatory Compounds May Help Halt Inflammation in MS, Study Suggests

News

A new class of indoline derivatives shows potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities capable of decreasing inflammation in the brain, new research shows. This finding highlights the potential of ... Read more

May 1, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 — Ocrevus Lowers Immune Response to Vaccines in Relapsing MS, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News, Ocrevus

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is linked to a reduced immune response to vaccinations in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a Phase 3 trial. These results were recently ... Read more

April 27, 2018April 27, 2018

#AAN2018 – Extending Time Between Tysabri Doses Linked to Lower PML Risk, Analysis Suggests

News

Extending the time between standard doses of Tysabri (natalizumab) from four weeks to up to 12 weeks is linked to a significant decrease in the risk of progressive multifocal ... Read more

April 26, 2018May 1, 2018

#AAN2018 – Cladribine Injections Deplete Number of Memory B-cells in RRMS, Study Shows

Lemtrada, News

Cladribine treatment leads to a selective depletion of memory B-cells in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), researchers report. The results are in the presentation “Cladribine for the Effective ... Read more

April 25, 2018

#AAN2018 — ALKS 8700 Shows Promise as RRMS Therapy, Phase 3 Trial Interim Results Suggest

News

A one-year analysis of the ongoing Phase 3 EVOLVE-MS-1 trial of ALKS 8700 as a therapy for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) supports the experimental therapy’s effectiveness, ... Read more

April 24, 2018April 24, 2018

#AAN2018 – High Fish Consumption Linked to Lower MS Risk

News

A diet rich in fish consumption and supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is linked to a reduction of 45 percent in the risk of developing ... Read more

April 23, 2018April 30, 2018

#AAN2018 – Blood Stem Cell Transplant Superior to DMDs in Highly Active RRMS, MIST Trial Shows

News

Autologous non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant was found to be significantly better at reducing risks for disability in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients compared to disease-modifying drug ... Read more

April 20, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 – Switching from Rebif to Ocrevus Improves MS, Extension Study Shows

News, Ocrevus

Continuous treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a) to Ocrevus leads to a significant long-term reduction in relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, a two-year extension study ... Read more

April 19, 2018April 19, 2018

#AAN2018 – Biogen Data Covers Work into an MS Blood Biomarker, Cognition and Life Quality

News

Research that points to a potential blood biomarker of multiple sclerosis (MS) severity, relates cognitive difficulties to patients’ employment and other measures of socioeconomic status, and one-year results ... Read more

April 19, 2018April 19, 2018

#AAN2018 — Investigational Therapy Ibudilast Slows Brain Atrophy in Phase 2 Trial for Progressive MS

News

Investigational therapy ibudilast leads to a significant reduction of brain atrophy, supporting its potential to effectively treat progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), new data from a Phase 2 clinical ... Read more

April 18, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 – Ocrevus Decreases Biomarkers of MS Patients’ Nerve Cell Damage, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News, Ocrevus

Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) reduces levels of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers that denote nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis patients, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. Researchers will present the ... Read more

April 16, 2018May 21, 2018

Adverse Effects Influence Patient’s Perspective of Ocrevus’s Effectiveness, Survey Shows

News, Ocrevus

Higher rates of adverse effects have a negative impact on a patient’s perspective about treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), according to a survey conducted by the multiple sclerosis community GeneFo. ... Read more

April 13, 2018May 1, 2018

Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis Linked to Lemtrada Use in RRMS Patients, FDA Reports

Lemtrada, News

Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is a rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effect linked to treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to ... Read more

April 3, 2018April 3, 2018

Study Receives $1.7M from NIH to Research New Therapeutic Strategies for MS, Others

News

A new project aimed at boosting the development of new therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases recently won $1.7 million in funding from ... Read more

March 29, 2018March 30, 2018

GeNeuro-Servier Antibody Limits RRMS Patients’ Brain Shrinkage, Phase 2b Trial Shows

News

The laboratory-generated antibody GNbAC1 continued to limit brain shrinkage a year after relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients began receiving it, its developers announced. GeNeuro and Servier were reporting on the 12-month ... Read more

March 27, 2018March 29, 2018

Smoking Increases Relapses in RRMS Patients Receiving Interferon-beta, Study Suggests

News

Cigarette smoking increases the relapse rate in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who are being treated with interferon-beta, a study suggests. The findings suggest that RRMS ... Read more

March 23, 2018March 23, 2018

Emerald’s Cannabinoid-derived EHP-101 Enhances Remyelination in 2 MS Mouse Models

News

Emerald Health‘s investigational cannabidiol-derived EHP-101 reduces neuroinflammation, the risk of loss of myelin, and nerve cell damage in two mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new ... Read more

March 21, 2018March 27, 2018

Blood Stem Cell Transplants Improve RRMS Patients’ Disability, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Blood stem cell transplants lead to significant improvements in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients’ disability, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. The 110 patients who took part in ... Read more

March 15, 2018May 21, 2018

New Spherix Report Finds PPMS Treatment Increased Significantly in Past Year

News, Ocrevus

Since Genentech‘s Ocrevus was approved a year ago, the treatment rate of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) has increased significantly. However, a closer look at the data shows that other ... Read more

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018

Merck’s MS Therapy Evobrutinib Significantly Reduces Brain Lesions, Phase 2 Trial Shows

News

Merck KGaA’s evobrutinib led to significant reductions in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients’ brain and spinal cord lesions, compared with a placebo, a Phase 2b clinical trial showed. ... Read more

March 8, 2018March 15, 2018

Increase in Blood-Brain Barrier Protein May Protect Against MS, Study Finds

News

One way the body may protect itself from nerve cell inflammation is to have cells in the blood-brain barrier increase their production of a protein that ... Read more

February 28, 2018February 28, 2018

Inhibiting Oxidative Stress Enzyme Reduces Nerve Cell Damage in Mice with MS, Study Shows

News

Inhibiting an oxidative stress enzyme reduced nerve cell damage and promoted the formation of new nerve cells, a multiple sclerosis study in mice showed. It also helped ... Read more