Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Steve holds a PhD in biochemistry from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. As a medical scientist for 18 years, he worked in both academia and industry, where his research focused on the discovery of new vaccines and medicines to treat inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases. Steve is a published author in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals and a patented inventor.

Articles by Steve Bryson

Sublingual cladribine shown equivalent to MS treatment Mavenclad

A sublingual formulation of cladribine, which is the active ingredient of the approved oral treatment Mavenclad, in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), showed comparable pharmacological properties to its name-brand counterpart. Thatā€™s according to preclinical data announced by BioNxt Solutions, the formulation’s developer, in a company press release.

‘Eating Well with MS’ program improves dietary behavior: Study

An online education program called “Eating Well with MS” improved the dietary behavior of adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), and was deemed in a study to be practical to complete, interesting, and valuable for patients. “Our study completion rates highlight the practicality of the intervention,” the researchers evaluating the…

Glial cells implicated in MS disease progression, development

Glial cells, which mostly support the function of nerve cells, play key roles in multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression and development, according to a stem cell-based study. ā€œMost research and therapeutic strategies have so far focused on blocking the overactive immune system, but how cells in the brain itself,…

Kesimpta outperforms Aubagio among ethnically diverse groups

Kesimpta (ofatumumab) is more effective than Aubagio (teriflunomide) among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from ethnically diverse groups, including Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, and Asian individuals, according to an analysis of pooled clinical trial data. ā€œDetermining whether there are differences in how people respond…

CHIT1 levels at diagnosis may predict future MS progression

Levels of the immune cell protein CHIT1 at diagnosis, taken from the spinal fluid via a spinal tap, may strongly predict how fast disability progression will occur in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. Compared with standard clinical measures used to predict disease progression ā€” such…

Stem cell therapy leads to short-term disability reduction in MS

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to experience a short-term reduction in disability and brain lesion volume after receiving stem cell therapy, according to a meta-analysis of nine studies detailing randomized clinical trials. After six and 12 months, however, the researchers found no differences in disability between patients…

Altered immune B-cell metabolism drives inflammation in MS: Study

An abnormally active metabolism in immune B-cells can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules that drive further inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. Selectively blocking certain metabolic processes with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor normalized B-cell metabolism and shifted their signaling to an anti-inflammatory state.

Use of mild-to-moderate DMTs predicts switching to other DMTs

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who start treatment with a mild-to-moderate efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) were more likely to switch to another DMT, an analysis of the German MS Registry finds. Starting a DMT between 2014 and 2017 was also a predictor of switching. Disease activity despite treatment…

Interferon beta corrects gene processing disrupted in MS: Study

Alternative splicing, a biological process that allows a single gene to code for multiple proteins, is extensively disrupted in immune cells isolated from untreated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and long-term treatment with interferon beta-based therapies largely corrects the defects, a study found. ā€œAlternative splicing is a potential biomarker warning…

Stem cell transplant alters immune cells in MS mouse model: Study

A stem cell transplant effectively reduced the abnormal immune response that drives multiple sclerosis (MS) progression by altering a specific group of immune cells called myeloid cells, a mouse study showed. Treatment with a compound that suppressed a receptor called CSF1R improved the transplantation efficiency of myeloid cells…

Obesity medications linked to reduced chance of MS in real world

The use of obesity medications ā€” approved drugs for treating diabetes and promoting weight loss ā€” is associated with a reduced chance of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to real-world data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a study found. In particular, medicines that activate a receptor…

KYV-101 helps 2 hard-to-treat progressive MS patients: Case study

Kyverna Therapeutics‘ cell-based therapy KYV-101 had an acceptable safety profile and promising treatment effects when given to two people with hard-to-treat progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a case study. “We are very pleased about offering this potentially paradigm-shifting treatment opportunity to patients that have exhausted other medical…

New bilingual graphic aims to raise awareness of early MS symptoms

A bilingual graphic educational message, dubbed VISIBL-MS, has been developed by researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) to raise awareness about the early symptoms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). The graphic ā€” bearing the word ā€œVISIBLYā€ in English and ā€œVISIBLEā€ in Spanish ā€” uses the letters in each phrase…

Magnetic brain stimulation aids motor function, balance in MS trial

Coupling a noninvasive brain stimulation procedure with an intensive rehabilitation program significantly improved motor function and balance in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a randomized clinical trial finds. High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive treatment approach that delivers pulses of magnetic fields to modulate nerve…

Non-invasive MEG scan can predict cognitive therapy outcomes in MS

A non-invasive scan that measures network activity across the brain was able to predict the outcomes of behavioral therapies designed to improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrates. Brain network function, as assessed by the test, called magnetoencephalography (MEG), “could play an important role…

Ocrevus in real world may also help severely disabled MS patients

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) may stabilize disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have severe walking impairments ā€” a patient group excluded from clinical trials supporting the therapy’s 2017 approval ā€” a real-world analysis suggests. However, about half of those receiving Ocrevus in this study discontinued…