Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Use of oral ibudilast — being explored as a treatment for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — was found to significantly slow the growth of chronic active lesions in the brains of patients with the neurodegenerative disease, according to MRI data from the SPRINT-MS study. Such lesions…

The ongoing worsening of disability among people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) may be predicted by elevated blood levels of the GFAP protein, a marker of damage to star-shaped support cells in the brain and spinal cord called astrocytes, a study suggests. The risk of disability progression was…

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

An increasing number of people in western Norway have been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) after age 50 over the past century, according to a new population study. The rise was primarily driven by people being diagnosed at older ages, with the average age of onset rising from 28.6…

DeepSTI, a new artificial intelligence or AI-assisted MRI algorithm, can generate high-resolution, 3D images of the brain from only one head orientation. This new technology may allow clinicians to use fewer scans to visualize changes in the brain caused by neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a study…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) engage in significantly more sedentary behaviors — activities like watching TV or using a computer or smartphone versus those requiring physical movement, such as exercise — than do individuals without the progressive disease, according to a pooled analysis of published studies. This effect was…

Extending Tysabri (natalizumab) dosing intervals based on the drug’s blood levels was as effective at controlling disease activity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as the approved four-week dosing regimen. That’s according to results from NEXT-MS (NCT04225312), a Phase 4 clinical trial studying whether tailoring Tysabri’s…

Nearly two years of treatment with Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) significantly reduced relapse rates by more than 80% in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to the final published details of the EVOLVE-MS-1 clinical trial. MRI scans also showed the number of active inflammatory lesions and new…

iConquerMS, a research initiative where people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) contribute their health data and ideas, is expanding its research program to include caregivers of people with MS. Established in 2014 by the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP), iConquerMS has launched a new website and research…

Measuring the amount of specific antibody clumps in the blood helped distinguish people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from healthy individuals and people with other conditions with an accuracy of at least 90%, a new study has found. The findings show that clumps of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies — which…

A noninvasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can significantly improve walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a pooled analysis of published studies. The technique was effective when applied to the main brain region called the primary motor cortex, which is involved…

Using a vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to prevent the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) is highly likely to be cost-effective, especially when given in early adolescence, according to an Australian modeling study. “The evidence from this study highlights the urgent need for the development of an EBV…

Adhering to a low-fat diet for three months was found to significantly ease fatigue among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a pilot clinical trial. The diet, which restricted total fat intake to less than 20% of calories per day, had a good adherence. Unlike other…

ChariotMS, the world’s first clinical trial to test whether Mavenclad (cladribine) can slow the worsening of upper limb function in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), has now enrolled 100 participants. The announcement means the Phase 2 trial (NCT04695080) has reached 50% of its target recruitment goal.

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) have significantly lower relapse rates after entering menopause, but disability levels increase significantly in that period, according to a pooled analysis of studies. The findings are consistent with a decrease in immune activity with age and loss of estrogen, leading to fewer disease-related relapses,…

Two non-pharmacological rehabilitation approaches — one using a computer program designed to improve working memory and the other involving standardized cognitive-behavioral group sessions — both improved the cognitive function of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reported. While varying medications often are used as…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who receive vaccines against influenza — commonly known as flu shots — as well as diphtheria, polio, pneumoccocus, and multiple other pathogens are not significantly more likely to be hospitalized due to a disease relapse, according to a new study in France. Similar…

Octave Bioscience plans to test its precision care program in an observational, real-world study with people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The program, called MS Precision Care Solution, uses blood biomarkers to monitor disease activity alongside MRI scans of the brain and spinal cord. An app tracks…

Innodem Neurosciences has signed a multi-year agreement with Novartis Canada to continue developing Innodem’s digital biomarker eye-tracking technology, a noninvasive method to monitor disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). The multimillion-dollar commercial agreement comes on the heels of promising data from an observational trial, sponsored by…

Levels of GFAP protein in the blood — a marker of damage to support cells in the brain — were associated with the enlargement of brain lesions and of fluid-filled brain cavities called ventricles in people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) undergoing Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment, a study showed. While…

Pilates exercise with a relaxation technique improved walking abilities and self-awareness among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small study. The study, “Impact of Pilates suspension with self-awareness on gait and metacognition in multiple sclerosis: Randomized, single-blinded and parallel-group trial,” was published in…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) with a rapid decline in walking abilities were more likely to be older when first examined, female, or Black, according to a large data study in the U.S. Other factors associated with worsening walking impairment over time included living with MS longer, having progressive…

Neurologists in the U.S. are largely satisfied with current treatment options for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but opportunities remain for therapies in development, according to a new report by Spherix Global Insights. In the report series, called RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (U.S.), an ongoing survey of healthcare…

Vitamin D reduced the signs of inflammation and nerve damage in a rat model of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Low levels of the vitamin have been extensively linked with a higher risk of developing relapsing forms of the disease, but studies of vitamin D supplementation in…

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein levels can be used to assess neurodegeneration in children and adolescents with neurological disease, including multiple sclerosis (MS), even when they are not experiencing any symptoms, a study has found. The protein already had been established as a biomarker of disease activity and poor…

Treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) provides a similar long-term benefit for Black and Hispanic people with multiple sclerosis (MS) as is found in other racial and ethnic populations, according to five years of data from the real-world ESTEEM study. The study — which assessed the long-term safety and…

NX210c, an investigational therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases from Axoltis Pharma, will have its clinical development boosted as part of a collaboration with InSilicoTrials. The companies will use InSilicoTrials’ simulation platform to replicate the brain and spinal cord characteristics of people with neurological disorders…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) living in the U.K. who identified as South Asian reported their first symptoms at a significantly younger age than self-reported white and Black individuals, according to preliminary data from the ADAMS project. ADAMS, which stands for the genetic Association study of individuals from…

Elevated blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve damage, are associated with long-term disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — even among those without acute relapses or MRI disease activity — a study revealed. The results demonstrate the potential utility of NfL blood…

Mavenclad (cladribine) is equally as effective as Gilenya (fingolimod) in reducing relapse rates among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with highly active disease, according to a new real-world comparison. Disability worsening and the development of new lesions also were similar between the two patient groups — but…