May 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD PML Found in Ocrevus-Treated Patient Who Had Used Tysabri for 3 Previous Years A multiple sclerosis (MS) patient treated in Germany withĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā has developed the dreaded brain infection progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).Ā But it is not clear whether the recently approvedĀ Genentech/Roche-developed treatmentĀ is the cause. The patient took the last dose of a three-year course of Tysabri (natalizumab)Ā in February. Tysabri is…
May 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Fampyra Granted Standard Approval in Europe as Trial Results Support Effectiveness Fampyra (prolonged-release fampridine tablets) ā sold in the U.S. as Ampyra (dalfampridine) ā has now been granted standard marketing authorization in Europe. The approval was based on the results of a Biogen-sponsored Phase 3 clinical trial confirming the drugās safety and efficacy in improving walking in patients with multiple…
May 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe Launches ‘Life Moments with MS’ to Mark May 31, World MS Day May 31 isĀ World MS Day. In its honor, Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe has launched āLife Moments with MS” ā a social media campaign to raise awareness about theĀ challenges people with multiple sclerosis (MS) face every day. Tevaās campaign, which uses the hashtag #LifeMomentswithMS, also includes educational resources on what…
May 24, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Healthline Names MS News Today One of the Best Multiple Sclerosis Blogs of 2017 HealthlineĀ recently selectedĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ as one of the Best Multiple Sclerosis Blogs of 2017, spotlighting its columns as “thoughts from experts and patients from all kinds of backgrounds” and “a source of inspiration for everyone.” The team at Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ is delightedĀ to be…
May 23, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Brain IFN-gamma Drives MS Disease Processes, Russian Immune Factor Analysis Finds MS brain inflammation is a result of interactions between processes in the brain and the rest of the body, with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) being a key player, according to a detailed analysis of cytokines in the spinal fluid and serum of MS patients. Russia’sĀ Kazan Federal UniversityĀ found that IFN-gamma activates other…
May 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus Market Entry Already Changing Dynamics in MS Treatment Choices, Spherix Analysis Suggests Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are largely moving away from injectable drugs and towards oral treatments when they switch from first to second-line MS therapies. ButĀ that might change with theĀ introduction of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), whichĀ has becomeĀ the drug of choice for manyĀ neurologists advising patients on drug switches. The real-world analysis by…
May 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Obesity and Poor Vitamin D Levels Tied to Risk of Childhood MS in Study A study of nearly 600 children with multiple sclerosis reportedĀ that genes linked to low vitamin D levels and obesity contribute to the risk of developing MSĀ in childhood. While the two are also risk factors for adult-onset MS, obesity and low vitamin D have a larger risk impact on childrenĀ thanĀ adults. The…
May 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Online BrainHQ Training Program Boosts Cognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, NYU Study Shows The onlineĀ BrainHQĀ adaptive training program developed by Posit Science is better than any computer game at helping multiple sclerosis (MS) patients improve their cognitive skills, according to a study by researchers at New York University (NYU). The study,Ā āCognitive function in multiple sclerosis improves with telerehabilitation: Results from…
May 16, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD The Importance of Garages in Accessible Housing What makes housing accessible? I thought I knew all of the features that would make a dwelling accessible. Turns out I didn’t. The Department of Housing and Urban Development report on housing stock in America has a table that covers an extensive range of…
May 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Multiple Sclerosis Experts Offer Guidelines on Contraceptive Use Among Women with MS Two studies that recently appeared in theĀ Multiple Sclerosis JournalĀ shed light onĀ how contraceptive use may affect women with MS, as well as how the disease might affect the safety and effectiveness of birth-control medications. Relapsing MS patients treated with older drugs such as interferons and Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) have a…
May 15, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD At 2017 BIO Convention, Former Mass. First Lady Ann Romney Will Discuss Living with MS Former Massachusetts First Lady Ann Romney,Ā global ambassador for Boston’sĀ Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Womenās Hospital,Ā will deliver a keynote address at theĀ Biotechnology Innovation Organizationās (BIO) International Convention in San Diego. Romney, who is scheduled to speak June 21, will talkĀ about how her multiple sclerosis (MS)…
May 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MSAA’s Dr. Jack Burks Responds to Readers’ Questions About Ocrevus and Its Use Recently approved, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) should now be available nationwide for patients prescribed the therapy. But as with any new treatment, concerns about safety and practical issues are on many patientsā minds. Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Dr. Jack Burks ā a neurologist and researcher who servesĀ as chief…
May 11, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National Multiple Sclerosis Society Commits to $17 Million for 43 Research Projects The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ is pumping $17 million intoĀ 43 research projectsĀ that represent almost half of its $40-million research funding commitment in 2017. Among the projectsĀ are trials evaluating intermittent fasting as a way to harness inflammation and stem cell research. A growing number of studies indicate thatĀ stem cells can slow…
May 9, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MedDay’s New Phase 3 Trial and Belief in Biotin’s Potential to Treat Progressive MS: An Interview with Dr. FrĆ©dĆ©ric Sedel A global Phase 3 clinical trial assessingĀ MD1003 ā also known as high-dose biotin ā for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) might lead to the approval of one of the first treatmentsĀ helping selectĀ progressive patients to improve. The trial aims to prove that high-dose biotin can reverse disability in non-active progressive MS.
May 8, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD United Spinal’s ‘Roll on Capitol Hill’ to Push for Better Access to Complex Rehab Technology People with multiple sclerosis (MS) and others with spinal cord injuries and disorders will speak at theĀ United Spinal Association’sĀ upcoming 6thĀ AnnualĀ Roll on Capitol Hill, which takes place June 11-14 inĀ Washington, D.C. Andrea Dalzell, Ms. WheelchairĀ New YorkĀ 2015, will be among those advocating for greater access to complex rehabilitation technology.
May 5, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD Disability Activism Beats Doing Housework I now introduce myself as a disability rights activist. I began to pay attention to local politics and related activities last fall. Our city redevelopment plans are charging along, without any city staffer to pay attention to the needs of the disabled. As such, I’ve been making the…
May 5, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Switching from Rituxan to Ocrevus: An Interview with Dr. Timothy Vollmer on Both MS Treatments A multiple sclerosis (MS) trial now underway in Colorado is assessing the safety and tolerability ofĀ switching fromĀ Rituxan (rituximab)Ā toĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab),Ā and its lead investigator, Dr. Timothy L. Vollmer, largely expects no problems. The neurologist believes the two GenentechĀ therapies āĀ both antibody-based drugsĀ that target the CD20 molecule on B-cells ā…
May 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Axim Signs Deal to Advance Clinical Trials of Cannabis-based MedChew Rx Gum to Treat MS Pain Axim BiotechnologiesĀ recently announced that its U.K. partner, Quay Pharmaceuticals,Ā has secured licenses from the British Home Office to continue developing and importing its medicalĀ cannabinoid product MedChew Rx ā a potential treatment forĀ pain andĀ spasticityĀ in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), among other illnesses. MedChew Rx is a gum…
May 2, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Remyelination Candidate Opicinumab Failed in Phase 2 Trial in MS, But Biogen Won’t Give Up Although a Phase 2b trial of the remyelination drug candidate opicinumabĀ (also known as anti-LINGO-1 and BIIB033) failed to meet its primary goal of improving disability in relapsing and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers believe the drug did cause āfairly strongā improvements. The trial evaluated four doses of the…
May 1, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Patients Struggle with Misdiagnosis and Ineffective Treatments, Survey Finds A significant percentage of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients struggle with improper diagnoses and ineffective treatments, a national survey of more than 5,300 patients found. The fifth annual survey, āMS in America 2017,ā was conducted by Health Union between Jan. 25 and March 1, 2017. ItĀ was released through the…
April 28, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lemtrada Might Outperform Ocrevus in Preventing MS Relapses, Italian Researchers Say Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) may be more effective in preventing relapses in multiple sclerosis patients than the newly approved Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), according to a study presented April 28Ā atĀ the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2017 Annual MeetingĀ in Boston. TheĀ study, supported by Sanofi Genzyme and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, compared…
April 27, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Genentech Highlights Rapid Actions of MS Therapy Ocrevus at AAN Meeting Within the first two months of treatment, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) reduced relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients by more than half compared to those on Rebif, and almost completely prevented new brain lesions, according to data underscoring the drug’s rapid effects. Researchers from San Francisco-basedĀ Genentech and its Swiss parent…
April 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Latest Tecfidera and Tysabri Data Suggest Treatments Improve MS Outcomes When Used Early Real-world data of treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Tysabri (natalizumab) in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients suggest that treatment at early disease stages improves outcomes and prevents disability development. The studies, presented by Biogen at the American Academy of Neurology 2017 Annual MeetingĀ in Boston, might challenge the…
April 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Real-world Data of Gilenya Treatment Validates Slowed Brain Shrinkage as Disease Progression Measure A real-world study of Gilenya (fingolimod) in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) confirms benefits of the treatment seen in clinical trials. The Novartis-sponsored study also demonstrated that measures of brain shrinkage can be used in a clinical setting to evaluate disease progression. The data, presented at theĀ American Academy of…
April 24, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD ATA188, Which Kills B-Cells Targeting Epstein-Barr Virus, Shows Promise as MS Treatment An investigational treatmentĀ called ATA188 that wipes out B-cells targeting the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has shown promise as a multiple sclerosis treatment, a Phase 1 clinical trial involving a small patient group indicates. The trial, conducted in Australia, covered six people with primary or secondary progressive MS. B-cells are a…
April 21, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD The Cluttered Consequences of Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue Multiple sclerosis causes debilitating fatigue. The following photographs show,Ā without censorship, what my fatigue leaves undone. The homes of everyone I know have living rooms without sweaters tossed over the back of chairs. Their floors are not an obstacle course. They do not have piles of mail, notes, drills,…
April 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Canadian Study of MS-Prone Family Proves that in Rare Cases, Multiple Sclerosis is Inherited A combination of mutations in two genes makes members of a Canadian family a 7-in-10 chance of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) ā a radical increase from the 1-in-1,000 risk among theĀ general population, according to a study that illustrates the huge impact certain genes can have on disease development. Interestingly, the…
April 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AAN Annual Meeting Offers First Ocrevus Data Update Since MS Therapy’s Approval by FDA New data on the recently approved multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting 2017, which will take place April 22-28 in Boston. The meeting is the first scientific conference focusing on neurology since the U.S.
April 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Are Ocrevus and Rituxan Similar? Neurologists Respond to Patients’ Concerns While manyĀ multiple sclerosis patients celebrated the recent approval of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), others argued that the drug is largelyĀ a rebranded version ofĀ rituximab. Rituximab ā sold as Rituxan for indications like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,Ā chronic lymphocytic leukemia, andĀ rheumatoid arthritis ā is used off-label to treat relapsing MS. In online forums and social media,…
April 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Realigning Upper Vertebrae Can Relieve MS Symptoms, Chiropractic Studies Suggest The Blair Chiropractic Technique may ease multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, studies indicate. The technique involves adjusting the spinal column’s upper cervical vertebrae. These bones can misalign, interfering with the neck-area connection between the brainstem and neural canal. Manipulating this area can alleviate MS symptoms in many patients, chiropractic studies have…