August 6, 2015 News by admin Could Salt Intake be an MS Risk Factor? Most people know that eating too much salt is bad for your health, but a new study suggests that it could also increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). The workĀ appearedĀ in the August 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal,Ā the journal of the FederationĀ of…
August 5, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cases of Brain Infection Reported in MS Patients Taking Gilenya Multiple sclerosis patients prescribed Gilenya (fingolimod) are now being informed about a handful of documented cases where the therapy was found to have led to a rareĀ brain infection, according toĀ the US Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has released a public warning indicating thatĀ cases ofĀ progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have been…
August 4, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Pfizer Acquires Exclusive Commercialization Rights to Generic Copaxone for Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Netherlands-based international pharmaceutical company Synthon, best known for developing complex generic therapeutics, has officially entered into an agreement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc., effectively transferring the exclusive rights in the US to glatiramer acetate to Pfizer. Glatiramer acetate is an experimental generic formulation of Copaxone, which is indicated as a…
August 3, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Views and News Announces August Educational Events The non-profit organization MSĀ News and ViewsĀ (MSVN) announced that it will host four educational events during the month of August for both patients and other peopleĀ interested in learning more aboutĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The educational events reflectĀ the organization’s ongoing mission, which is to collect, present and…
July 30, 2015 News by Maureen Newman MSPrecise Shown to be Accurate in Diagnosing RRMS in Study Cohort A new study testingĀ Amarantus Diagnostics’Ā MSPrecise on multiple sclerosisĀ patients identified the test as a specific and sensitive diagnostic test for multiple sclerosis. The test accurately diagnosed 84% of multiple sclerosis patients from a broad range of subjectsĀ with potential neurological diseases. These results further support Amarantus Diagnostics’ ability to design next generation…
July 30, 2015 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Altered Immune Cells in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients Cause Reduced Immune Capacity In a new study entitled āPolymorphonuclear Cell Functional Impairment in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Preliminary Dataā researchersĀ investigated how polymorphonuclear cells — important players of the innate immune system — are altered in multiple sclerosis patients. The study was published in the journal PLOS…
July 27, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Study Uses Findings on Quality of Life Issues To Develop New Confidence-Building Intervention The major challenge patients with multiple sclerosis face is nearly constant muscle weakness and fatigue caused by progressive nerve and neurological damage. It is well established that theseĀ symptoms dramatically affect quality of life in MS patients, making it more difficult toĀ work, partake in hobbies, and enjoy family and social interactions.
July 27, 2015 News by Charles Moore Biogen’s Tecfidera Now The Most Prescribed Oral MS Therapy Globally Cambridge, Massachusetts based Biogen Inc. has reported its second quarter 2015 results, posting a year-over-year seven percent revenue increase to $2.6 Billion in the quarter. āBiogen remains focused on improving the lives of people living with complex diseases,ā says Chief Executive Officer George A. Scangos, Ph.D. āTecfidera, which is now…
July 24, 2015 News by Maureen Newman Masitinib Shows Promise in Study For Treating Progressive MS Patients Progressive multiple sclerosis patients treated with AB Science’s lead compound AB07002 (masitinib) in a Phase 3 clinical trial showed positive results in a non futility test (a test to determine if an experimental therapy shows some sign of efficacy). With the successful completion of the futility analysis, AB Science is…
July 23, 2015 News by Maureen Newman Identifying MS Gene Mutations Could Make Personalized Treatment Possible Personalized medicine, often applied to treat cancer, may be possible for patients with multiple sclerosis as well. Certain patients respond differently to certain multiple sclerosis medications, such as interferon-Ī² (IFNĪ²), and researchers at San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan may have an answer as to why. The team, led by…
July 22, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD NHS Wales Approves Biogen’s Plegridy for Relapsing Remitting MS Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treatment PlegridyĀ (peg interferon beta-1a) by Biogen Idec, has just received Welsh NHS approval, which should make it available to patients by late October 2015. The decisionĀ follows NHS Scotland’s approval earlier this year, however, theĀ biweekly interferon beta shot has yet to be madeĀ available in England’s NICE…
July 21, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Nutra Pharma Working on Pediatric MS Treatment Based on Venom Nutra Pharma, a US-based biotechnology a company specializing in the acquisition, licensing, and commercialization of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of neurological disorders, cancer, autoimmune, and infectious diseases, recently announced that it has filed an application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for orphan drug status…
July 20, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Study Evaluates Gilenya’s Impact on Central Autonomic Dysfunction In MS With Delayed Heart Rate Fingolimod, also known by its brand name Gilenya, is an oral immunotherapy approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). In a recent study published in the Journal PLOS One, a team of researchers found that the autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction in MS patients with delayed heart ratere-acceleration…
July 20, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Study on French MS Population Reveals Long Disease Duration is Associated with Higher Mortality A study recently published in the journal PLoS One revealed an excess mortality rate among French patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that experience the disease for more than 20 years. The study was conducted by researchers at several institutes and hospitals in France, and is entitled ā…
July 17, 2015 News by Charles Moore Celgene to Acquire Receptos, Advancing Leadership in Immune-Inflammatory Diseases Such As MS and IBD Summit, New Jersey based Celgene Corporation and Receptos, Inc. of San Diego, California, a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic candidates for the treatment of immune and metabolic diseases, have announced their joint signing of a definitive agreement in which Celgene will acquire Receptos. Under terms of the merger agreement,…
July 16, 2015 News by admin Study Shows Skin Problems Can Be Caused by Interferon-Ī² MS Therapy Skin problems may be caused by interferon-Ī², a common treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published by a German research group at the Klinik und Poliklinik fĆ¼r Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, in WĆ¼rzburg, Germany. The work, entitled “Cutaneous Adverse Events Associated with Interferon-Ī²…
July 16, 2015 News by Charles Moore UK Government’s Progress On Improving Neurology Services For MS, Other Diseases Criticized The Multiple Sclerosis Trust — a UK charity dedicated to providing information for anyone affected by multiple sclerosis, education programs for health professionals, funding for practical research and campaigning for specialist multiple sclerosis services, says the recent Update on UK report shows little improvement in meeting key objectives for…
July 15, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Study Finds Physical Activity and Exercise Have Considerable Health Benefits for MS Patients In a recent study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, a team of researchers from Germany identifiedĀ an association between increasedĀ physical activity and improvedĀ mental health in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Based on the results, the researchers believe that physical activity and exercise have considerable health…
July 14, 2015 News by admin Nano-Drugs in Liposomes Could Treat Multiple Sclerosis Nano-drugs encased in liposomes could one day be used to treat neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published July 6th in the journal, PloS One. A liposome is a small, fat soluble droplet that can contain a water soluble drug. Liposomes might…
July 13, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New MS Study Shows TYSABRI Improves Cognitive Impairment Researchers at Spedali Civili of Brescia in Italy recently published findings in the journal PLoS OneĀ that Biogen’s Tysabri (natalizumab) can improve cognitive impairment in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) over the course ofĀ at least three years. The study is entitled āNatalizumab Significantly…
July 10, 2015 News by Maureen Newman Risk Assessment Ability Declines With Multiple Sclerosis Disease Severity According To Survey The ability to assess risk may decline as multiple sclerosis disease status progresses over time, as determined by a recent study from University of Alberta in Canada. Principal investigator Esther Fujiwara, PhD, and lead author of the study, Ashley Radomski, used the game of dice task (GDT) to challenge patients…
July 9, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Researchers Offer New Insights into Cognitive Deficits in Multiple Sclerosis Patients A new study led by researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center recently revealed that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience cognitive deficits due to a decreased connectivity between functional networks in the brain. The…
July 8, 2015 News by Maureen Newman Mitochondria May Play a Role in MS Development and Progression Recent attention to the role of mitochondria in the etiology of multiple sclerosis (what causes the disease) suggests that mitochondrial defects and mitochondrial structural and functional changes may contribute to the disease. Researchers studying mitochondria in multiple sclerosis believe abnormalities in mitochondrial dynamics impact cellular pathways such as inflammation and…
July 8, 2015 News by Isaura Santos 1200 People With Relapsing MS Needed For RPC1063, Avonex Clinical Trials Clinical investigatorsĀ worldwide are beginning to recruitĀ 1,200 patientsĀ with relapsing multiple sclerosisĀ for a study assessingĀ the effectiveness of two different doses of RPC1063 (Receptos, Inc.), an experimental oral therapy, and AvonexĀ® (interferon beta-1a, Biogen Inc.) in order toĀ reduce relapse rate in patients. This study, called the Sunbeam Study, is being funded by…
July 6, 2015 News by Charles Moore Kiwi And Aussie Crew Members Join Oceans of Hope Circumnavigation Voyage For MS Ability Awareness New Zealanders Neil Barnett and Russell Watts, who are both living with Multiple Sclerosis, will join the crew sailing the 67-foot sloop Oceans of Hope on the Darwin, Australia to Singapore leg of its round-the-world voyage to change popular perceptions regarding MS. Mssrs. Barnett and Watts wereĀ welcomed aboard the yacht…
July 2, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Awards WSU Professor With Grant to Develop New MS Research Model Alexander Gow, Ph.D., a professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, has just been awarded a research grant by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to fund his exploration of a novel model of MS pathology. Gow is a holder of theĀ Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Fellow Professor…
July 1, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Rocheās Ocrelizumab Found to be Superior to Standard Interferon Therapy in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Patients Roche recently announced encouraging results on its investigational medicine ocrelizumab as a therapy for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, which includesĀ either RRMS or SPMS with relapses. Ocrelizumab was evaluated in two pivotal studies (OPERA I and OPERA II), where it was compared to interferon (IFN) beta-1a (RebifĀ®), the standard-of-care…
July 1, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD “MS” Documentary Released on YouTube “MS” is a documentary film released last year that tells the story of three patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS) and how they deal with the chronic debilitating disease. The director of the film recently announced that the short documentary has been made available on YouTube in…
June 30, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Views and News Seeks to Improve MS Education in July MS Views and News (MSVN) is aĀ non-profit organization that works atĀ collecting, presenting and distributing information aboutĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as improving knowledge and education among patients and other members of the MS community. During July, MS Views and News will host four events featuring medical…
June 29, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Novartis’ Gilenya Found to Have Long-Term Positive Effects on Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis A new study recently published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry revealed that long-term fingolimod therapy (marketed as Gilenya by Novartis) can maintain a low disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study was conducted by an international team of researchers and…