Patricia Silva, PhD, director of science content —

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced that nominations are now being accepted for the Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research. The award aims to stimulate new and potentially groundbreaking research into progressive multiple sclerosis (MS),  and the Foundation expects to distribute to $4 million in grants over five years, supporting the…

Paralyzed Veterans of America recently held its annual health conference, called 2016 Summit + EXPO, focused on the latest research and discoveries in patient care for diseases that span multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury or disease to  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This year was the sixth such summit, held Aug. 30–Sept. 1 in Orlando, Florida,…

More than 900 people biked through the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, late last month, raising money for the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) all-around. The 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike,  the largest cycling-related fundraising event in North America, was an outstanding success —  surpassing…

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals announced that it has received an Intent to Grant notice from the European Patent Office (EPO) regarding a patent for its proprietary molecule Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a potential therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) designed to promote remyelination. The patent will cover the use of Tβ4 in a composition for treating or reducing…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated TG-1101 (ublituximab), a glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody by TG Therapeutics, an orphan drug to advance its development. The drug is a potential treatment for neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), two relapsing-remitting autoimmune diseases with similarities to multiple sclerosis. Currently, there are…

The Government of New Brunswick added  Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), by Sanofi Genzyme, to the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) through special authorization for eligible patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). New Brunswick joins other Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Manitoba, in making this treatment available to RRMS patients, ages 18 and older, who have had…

The Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC)  announced that this year’s 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike, a fundraising bike ride on roads alongside St. Lawrence River, will take place Aug. 27 and 28 in the Mauricie region. A total of 900 cyclists are set to participate in…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society  announced that it has dedicated more than $1 million to support a clinical study at the University of Iowa that will compare two types of diet and their effectiveness in easing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). “The National MS Society is committed to identifying wellness solutions to…

Health Canada has approved Teva Canada Innovation‘s three-time weekly 40 mg/mL injection of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) that allows less frequent dosing for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The approval was grounded primarily on data resulting from the Phase 3 Glatiramer Acetate Low-Frequency Administration (GALA) study, the largest Copaxone clinical…

A new video series for multiple sclerosis patients in the U.S. looks to help them better understand the complex legal and planning issues they face. The series, put together by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and Stetson University College of Law, in consultation with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is…

In a fair world, reading books would burn the most calories, eating ice cream would be chock-full of antioxidants and vitamins, and no one would have multiple sclerosis. But, like many other people, I have MS and have to live with fatigue, cognitive issues, trouble walking, and so much more…

A&W Food Services of Canada is celebrating its “Burgers to Beat MS” day on Thursday, Aug. 25, and for an 8th year will donate $1 for each Teen Burger sold at any of its 860 restaurants nationwide to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC). Through such campaigns, A&W has  raised over $8 million since 2009…

Researchers at Michigan State University suggest that a blood test can distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) from people with other neurological conditions, according to a recent study published in EBioMedicine. Results from the study, “An In Vitro Diagnostic for Multiple Sclerosis Based on C-peptide Binding to Erythrocytes,”…

There are several key questions that a participant will want answered before enrolling in a clinical trial. Many are listed here, but patients should feel free to ask study coordinators any additional questions they may have so their concerns are well addressed before the trial starts. It is important for a study participant to learn as…

Researchers from Colorado State University propose a new model of fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS), designed to overcome the lack of a unified definition of fatigue that can be objectively tested using experimental approaches. With this model, the authors behind the article, “Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Misconceptions…

Diplomat Pharmacy, the largest independent specialty pharmacy in the U.S., is now dispensing the limited-distribution drug Zinbryta (daclizumab) as a therapy for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Zinbryta was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing MS.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) recently announced the official launch of My MSAA Community, a free online community forum supporting people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and their caregivers and family members, and offering a way for patients to connect with others facing the same challenges. MSAA is…

Scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a method for stem cell transplants that may do away with the need for prior systematic treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If successful, stem cell transplants could be an option for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), an option now limited by the…

A long-term study underscores the potential benefits, especially in terms of relapses, of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients beginning treatment as soon as possible after symptoms appear — even before the disease is definitely diagnosed. “The 11-year long-term follow-up study from the randomized BENEFIT CIS trial” was published in the journal Neurology. Researchers in…

A large study of multiple sclerosis patients (MS) came to the conclusion that clinical and brain imaging assessments drawn from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are poor measures of long-term prognosis for patients. The study, “Long-term evolution of multiple sclerosis disability in the treatment era,” published in the journal…

As inflammation and neuronal death progressed in the brains of mice with multiple sclerosis (MS), a molecular signaling pathway with a key player called Wnt was seen to come into action in brain areas crucial for memory production, triggering the formation of new neurons. The findings, presented in the study…

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) recently awarded a sum of $5.5 million to two researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD. (Credit: UCSF) Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD, a clinical fellow in Neurology, received a $2 million grant to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to…

The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) recently announced that its second annual ACTRIMS Forum will be at the Omni ChampionsGate Feb. 23-25, 2017, in Orlando, Florida. ACTRIMS Forum 2017 promises to be of value to physicians, scientists, researchers, analysts, faculty, and allied health…

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Foundation wants to mark its 30th anniversary by granting 30 more wishes to MS patients in need this year through its Brighter Tomorrow Grant program. To do this, the organization is asking the public to help it raise $30,000 before Dec. 1, so it can increase by 30…

A study analyzing results from three Phase 3 clinical trials shows that Gilenya (fingolimod) effectively prevents relapses in different types of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with the therapy being most efficient in younger patients and those without previous treatment. The findings highlight the importance of starting treatment early, and not…

A Phase 3 clinical trial exploring Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is now recruiting participants. The trial, sponsored by Genentech (NCT02637856), is seeking patients who have previously taken a disease-modifying treatment that did not adequately control their disease activity. Participants must be between 18 and 55…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reported that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has granted nearly $20 million in funding to four research projects assessing various multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies for their clinical effectiveness. Two of the grants will cover studies comparing disease-modifying treatments, looking to identify differences…

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast are studying how myelin might be repaired, in an attempt to reverse the damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS). The more than £2 million, five-year research grant is jointly funded by  the Wellcome Trust, in its first Investigator Award for Northern Ireland, and by the BBSRC, the Biotechnology and Biosciences…

Gut bacteria and health have been topics of considerable scientific speculation in recent years, and the field of multiple sclerosis (MS) research is no exception. But what do we really know about MS and our intestinal inhabitants? A review, “Emerging Concepts on the Gut Microbiome and Multiple Sclerosis,” published in…

Sanofi Genzyme announced that the Government of Ontario has added Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) to the province’s Exceptional Access Program (EAP), opening coverage to the treatment for eligible patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The program facilitates patient access to drugs not funded on the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Formulary, or those…