June 25, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Online Aid for MS Patients with Cognitive Difficulties Now Part of MyMSTeam 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 to help them better understand how MS impacts the brain and how they might manage the cognitive challenges the disease brings.
June 22, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #EAN2018 – MavencladĀ Greatly Reduces Risk of RRMS Relapse, Analysis Finds New retrospective analysis of the Phase 3 CLARITY study (NCT00213135)Ā shows that treatment with MavencladĀ (cladribine tablets) improved annualized relapse rate and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), regardless of their age. Moreover, the effectiveness of Mavenclad was comparable to five standard therapies…
June 21, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #EAN2018 – Both Brain and Spinal MRIs Needed to Monitor MS Inflammation, Study Says 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 brain, because brain scans alone risk underestimating disease progression, a study suggests. These results were shared in the presentation, āMeasuring disease activity in…
June 20, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #EAN2018 – Levels ofĀ Neurofilament Light Chain Can Predict Disease Progression in RRMS, Study Shows Levels ofĀ neurofilament light chain are a reliable predictor of disease worsening and progression in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, a new study shows. Moreover, treatment withĀ GilenyaĀ (fingolimod), marketed by Novartis, can reduce the levels ofĀ NfL for up to 10 years. These findings were shared recently in the presentation ā…
June 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Atara Biotherapeutics Study Links Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with MS 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 present in both groups of brains, EBV-positive immune cells were more prevalent and densely populated in the MS brain. The study reporting those findings,…
June 15, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Discovery of ‘Fiery’ Cell Death Mechanism May Be MS ‘Game-Changer’ Researchers have unveiled a new cell death mechanism called pyroptosis ā also known as āfiery deathā ā as a main factor driving neurodegenerationĀ and loss of myelin in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). An inhibitor of pyroptosis, currently undergoing testing in human clinical trials for epilepsy, decreased central nervous system inflammation…
June 6, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC2018 ā Inhibiting Oxidative Stress Enzyme Promotes Resealing of Blood-Brain Barrier in MS Mouse Model 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 halting their attack on nerve cells, researchers have found. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier is a hallmark of various disorders, including MS, and when…
June 6, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC2018 – Gains in Functional Abilities Seen in Lemtrada-treated MS Patients Over Six Years, CARE-MS II Extension Study Shows Patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) continue to show improvement ā lesser functional disability across a variety of measures ā and often without the need for continuous treatment after takingĀ LemtradaĀ for two years, according to six-year results from the CARE-MS II extension study. These results were shared in a…
June 5, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC2018 – New Phase 2 Data Supports Ublituximab in Effectively Lowering Relapses, Depleting B-cells in MS Patients New results from a Phase 2 trial evaluating TG Therapeuticsā ublituximab continue to support the therapy’s efficacy in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This investigative infusion therapy is now moving into a Phase 3 study. Treatment with 450 mg of ublituximab delivered intravenously in a rapid fashion…
June 5, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Oryzon Genomics Readies Updates on ORY-2001, Being Tested in MS Patients in Phase 2 Trial 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, at a series of scientific conferences. According to a press release, these include two conferences in the United States, the 2018 BIO…
May 21, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Gut Microbiome May Offer Way to Ease or Halt Brain Inflammation, Study Suggests Metabolites produced by microbes in the gut can ease inflammationĀ in the central nervous system by limiting the damage done by microglia, an immune cell of the brain, an early study reports. Its scientists suggest this gut-brain axisĀ may open new avenues to treatment. “These findings provide a clear understanding of how…
May 17, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Viral Infection Promotes Factor in T-cells Leading to Brain Tissue Destruction 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 inflammation and tissue destruction. These findings represent a new piece of the puzzle about the mechanism underlying autoimmune diseases Ā like multiple sclerosis (MS).
May 14, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Biomarker in Cerebrospinal Fluid Seen to Predict MS Progression in Study A potentialĀ biomarker ā the ratio of antibody proteins in cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis ā was seen to predict which Ā multiple sclerosis patients will progress into full-blow disability some five years after being diagnosed in a new study. If confirmed in larger clinical studies, this biomarker could to…
May 8, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New Class of Anti-inflammatory Compounds May Help Halt Inflammation in MS, Study Suggests A new class of indoline derivativesĀ shows potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activitiesĀ capable of decreasing inflammation in the brain, new research shows. This finding highlights the potential of the new compounds in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The study āSynthesis and Biological Evaluation of Derivatives of Indoline as…
May 1, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 ā Ocrevus Lowers Immune Response to Vaccines in Relapsing MS, Phase 3 Trial Shows Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā is linked to a reduced immune response to vaccinations inĀ patients with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a Phase 3 trial. These results were recently presented at the 2018 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual MeetingĀ in Los Angeles in a presentation titled, āEffect of Ocrelizumab on Vaccine Responses in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.ā GenentechāsĀ Ocrevus is an approved MS therapy that targets the CD20 protein located on the surface of B-cells, targeting the cells for destruction. B-cells are immune system cells involved, for example, in the production of antibodies necessary to fight off infection. At the AAN meeting, researchers reported that in MS patients,Ā treatment with Ocrevus decreased the ability of B-cells to activate other immune cells, improving the rate of MS attacks. Penn Medicine neurologist Amit Bar-Or, MD, presented these findings, which showed that interactions between different classes of immune cells, such as B- and T-cells, promote MS attacks. Vaccination against infections is an important part of the management of patients with MS. So, in a second study (NCT02545868), researchers investigated the impact treatment with Ocrevus has on patient response to vaccines. They recruited 102 patients with relapsing MS and randomized them in two groups. In group A, 68 people received a single dose of 600 mg Ocrevus (administered into the blood); in group B, 34 patients received no disease-modifying therapy or interferon-beta. All patients were then administered vaccines for tetanus, seasonal flu, and pneumococcus.Ā Patients in group A received the vaccines 12 weeks after they were treated with Ocrevus, while group B patients received the vaccines on day one. Researchers also tested patientsā response to a novel protein (an antigen) never "seen" by their immune system, called keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) neoantigen. The vaccinations led to an immune system response in all patients, but the level of response in patients treated with Ocrevus was lower. A positive response to the tetanus vaccine at eight weeks after treatment was 23.9% in group A (Ocrevus) compared with 54.5% in group B (no treatment); the response to pneumococcus vaccination was 71.6% in group A and 100% in group B. After four weeks of treatment, the levels of antibodies against the different strains of the flu virus were lower in Ocrevus-treated patients than in the control group, ranging from 55.6% to 80.0% in the Ocrevus group compared with 75.0% to 97.0%Ā in the controls. The immune response to the neoantigen KLH was also decreased in the Ocrevus group. "This study shows that while people with MS treated with ocrelizumab [Ocrevus] can still mount vaccine responses, it's not nearly as strong as prior to treatment," Bar-Or said in a press release. "While antibody responses were reduced in the ocrelizumab treated patients, they still responded to a certain level," he said. "This is valuable information in terms of seasonal vaccines such as the flu ā it appears safe for patients taking ocrelizumab to get vaccinated and vaccination is likely to provide them with at least some protection from such infections." These findings correlate with standard guidelines that advise patients to undergo vaccinations six weeks before they start treatment with Ocrevus.
April 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Extending Time Between Tysabri Doses Linked to Lower PML Risk, Analysis Suggests Extending the time between standard doses ofĀ TysabriĀ (natalizumab)Ā from four weeks to up to 12 weeks is linked to a significant decrease in the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients infected with what’s known as the JC virus, according to a recent analysis of data from…
April 26, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – CladribineĀ Injections Deplete Number of Memory B-cells in RRMS, Study Shows CladribineĀ treatment leads to a selective depletion of memory B-cells in patients with relapsing-remittingĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS), researchers report. The results are in the presentation āCladribine for the Effective Control of Multiple Sclerosis via Memory B Cell Depletionā being given Friday, the final day of the 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ …
April 25, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 ā ALKS 8700Ā Shows Promise as RRMS Therapy, Phase 3 Trial Interim Results Suggest A one-year analysis of the ongoing Phase 3 EVOLVE-MS-1 trial of ALKS 8700Ā as a therapy for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) supports the experimental therapy’s effectiveness, with the treatment significantly reducing the number of MS lesions. Interim results from the trial were presented Tuesday at the…
April 24, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – High Fish Consumption Linked to Lower MS Risk A diet rich in fish consumption and supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsĀ (PUFAs) is linked to a reduction of 45 percent in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a study shows. The results confirming previous research will be shared April 26 at theĀ 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ American Academy of…
April 23, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Blood Stem Cell Transplant Superior to DMDs in Highly Active RRMS, MIST Trial Shows Autologous non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant was found to be significantly better at reducing risks for disability in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients compared to disease-modifying drug (DMD) therapies, interim results of the MIST clinical trial show. The results will be shared at the 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ American…
April 20, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Switching from Rebif to Ocrevus Improves MS, Extension Study Shows Continuous treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a)Ā to Ocrevus leads to aĀ significant long-term reduction in relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, a two-year extension study shows. Ocrevus’s maker, Genentech,Ā drew the results from anĀ open-label extension of the Phase 3 OPERA trials. Researchers will present the findings at…
April 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Biogen Data Covers Work into an MS Blood Biomarker, Cognition and Life Quality Research that points to aĀ potential blood biomarker ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) severity, relates cognitive difficulties to patients’ employment and other measures of socioeconomic status, and one-year results of an ongoing clinical trial are among data presentations planned byĀ BiogenĀ for theĀ annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). This year’s…
April 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 ā Investigational Therapy Ibudilast Slows Brain Atrophy in Phase 2 Trial for Progressive MS Investigational therapyĀ ibudilastĀ 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 trial show. These results will be shared at the upcoming 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ American…
April 18, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Ocrevus Decreases Biomarkers of MS Patients’ Nerve Cell Damage, Phase 3 Trial Shows Genentech’sĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā 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 results at theĀ American Academy of Neurology’s annual meetingĀ in Los Angeles, April 21-27. The presentation will be titled āInterim Analysis of the…
April 16, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Adverse Effects Influence Patient’s Perspective of Ocrevus’s Effectiveness, Survey Shows Higher rates of adverse effects have a negative impact on a patient’s perspective about treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab),Ā according to aĀ survey conducted by the multiple sclerosis communityĀ GeneFo. About half of the 840 patient responses surveyed so far have reported improvements from Ocrevus. Those reporting none had a higher rate…
April 13, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis Linked to Lemtrada Use in RRMS Patients, FDA Reports Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is a rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effect linked to treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab)Ā in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review. The study, āAcute acalculous cholecystitis ā A new safety risk for…
April 3, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Study Receives $1.7M from NIH to Research New Therapeutic Strategies for MS, Others 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 the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In the five-year study, a research team at theĀ University at BuffaloĀ (part of the State University…
March 29, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GeNeuro-Servier Antibody Limits RRMS Patients’ Brain Shrinkage, Phase 2b Trial Shows The laboratory-generated antibodyĀ GNbAC1Ā continued to limitĀ brain shrinkage a year after relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients began receiving it, its developers announced. GeNeuro and ServierĀ were reporting on the 12-month results of aĀ Phase 2b clinical trial. GNbAC1 is a monoclonal antibody that destroys a harmful retroviral protein called pHERV-W which scientists have…
March 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Smoking Increases Relapses in RRMS Patients Receiving Interferon-beta, Study Suggests 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 patients who smoke may have fewer relapses if they quit. An article on the results, āSmoking affects the interferon beta treatment response in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the journal Neurology. A number of studies have looked at the link betweenĀ environmental and lifestyle factors and the risk of developing MS. These factors include how much sunlight and vitamin D patients get and whether they have anĀ Epstein-Barr virus infection. Cigarette smoking is a well-documented risk factor in MS, but most of the studies on it have focused on the link between smoking and MS, or the link between smoking and the Ā disease's progression. āStudies that addressed the relationship between smoking and disease activity in RRMS are rarer,ā the researchers wrote. The team decided to investigate whether smoking during interferon-beta treatment would affect relapse rates. Previous research had set the stage for the study by showing a link between smoking and gene mutations that make people more susceptible to developing MS. The mutations were in theĀ HLA and NAT1 genes. The team looked at DNA from 834 RRMS patients in the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Biobank who were treated with interferon-beta. Well-known brand names of the treatment include Rebif, Avonex, and Plegridy. There are also other brand names and biosimilar drugs. Researchers also looked at patientsā medical records two years before they started on interferon-beta. Before making any conclusions on possible links between smoking and patients' relapse rate, the team adjusted for patientsā sex, age at the start of treatment, and number of relapses in the two years before treatment began. Their key conclusion was that smoking increased by more than a quarterĀ the number of relapses in patients on interferon-beta therapy. āEach pack of cigarettes more per day during IFN-Ī² [interferon-beta] treatment increased the number of relapses by 27%,ā the team wrote. The researchers found no association among smoking, relapses, and mutations of the HLA or NAT1 genes. āOur results confirm that lifestyle factors are important in MS, suggesting that smoking cessation may be associated with a reduction in disease activity,ā they wrote. āAlthough not formally proving that smoking cessation will decrease disease activity in RRMS, the results should encourage physicians to inform patients with MS about the harmful effect of smoking and increase focus on smoking cessation,ā they observed.
March 23, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Emerald’s Cannabinoid-derived EHP-101 Enhances Remyelination in 2 MS Mouse Models Emerald Health‘sĀ 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 study shows. These results support the potential therapeutic benefits of EHP-101 for MS, and Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals expects to launch a human…