News

In an effort to make sure those with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) are included in disability legislation, the United Spinal Association and some 200 advocates recently gathered virtually for this year’s “Roll on Capitol Hill.” The annual event, in which advocates met with lawmakers, gives organization members…

Multiple sclerosis and its associated fatigue negatively affect school performance, mental health, and physical and social functioning in children and adolescents with the disease, according to a review study. Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) also was associated with negative effects on social functioning, mental health, and quality of life in…

The European Commission (EC) has approved Aubagio (teriflunomide) for the treatment of children and adolescents, ages 10 to 17, with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Aubagio, approved for adults with RRMS since 2013, is now the first oral therapy available as a first-line treatment for pediatric patients in the European…

In the OPTIMUM clinical trial, Ponvory (ponesimod) significantly outperformed Aubagio (teriflunomide) in reducing relapse rates, fatigue, and evidence of brain damage among people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Based on these results, Ponvory has now been approved in the U.S. and the European Union as a treatment…

In the past year, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics was granted four patents and is waiting for a fifth, already accepted, meant to provide protection for its NurOwn cell therapy and technology in territories around the world. NurOwn is being tested in clinical trials as a potential treatment for…

People with  multiple sclerosis (MS) who are using a disease-modifying therapy — and are at a younger age — when they have a relapse within the first three years of their disease course are more likely to recover completely, lowering their risk of long-term, 10-year disability, a study suggests. Complete recovery…

A $1 million gift from Velocity Global will help expand First Descents, an adventure program for young adults living with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other serious chronic conditions. The money will go toward program development and is expected to help First Descents reach 1,000 MS patients over…

Children born to women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are not at a higher risk of brain disorders than are children whose mothers don’t have this disease, an observational study reported. However, children born to women with a family with a history of other autoimmune conditions and brain disorders, or…

T-cells in the fluid around the brain share a large percentage of receptors among different multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new report suggests. Better understanding the diversity of T-cell receptors in MS, and how these cells vary in different parts of the body, could be useful in understanding the…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be entirely aware of the decline in their cognitive abilities with cannabis use, which may explain why many choose to continue with it, a small study in patients who are long-term cannabis users reported. The study, “Impaired awareness: Why people with…

A home-based rehabilitation program can help ease fatigue, improve motor and cognitive function, and promote better quality of life in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a small clinical trial has found. While a structured supervised exercise program was better at improving fatigue and health-related quality of life, the…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected an application requesting the expansion of Aubagio (teriflunomide) for the treatment of children and adolescents, ages 10 to 17, with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). “The FDA deemed the data submitted were not sufficient to obtain approval of…

BurnAlong and the Shepherd Center, a leading rehabilitation hospital in the U.S., have established a partnership to bring tailored rehabilitation classes to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuromuscular diseases worldwide. The video classes, designed by clinicians, therapists, and wellness professionals at the Shepherd Center, based in Atlanta,…

The enzyme TET1, which is progressively lost with age, is essential to activate genes needed to repair myelin — the sheath around nerve cells that is damaged in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — a study in mice has found. The…

A clinical trial investigating patient-derived stem cell transplants for the treatment of people with severe relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) has enrolled a patient in Minnesota. The patient was enrolled at the University of Minnesota Medical School, one of two trial sites in the state. An additional 18…

John and Catherine Seibyl, both alumni of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Ohio, have pledged $7.5 million to the university to advance multidisciplinary research into multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. The funds will be shared strategically between CWRU’s School of Medicine and the Frances Payne Bolton…

Gilenya (fingolimod) at its approved 0.5 mg daily dose continues to be the optimal dose for people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a systematic review of 11 clinical trials confirmed. A 0.25 mg/day dose, however, also showed improvement over placebo in MRI outcomes and patient satisfaction, the researchers noted, and further…

A class of immune cells called myeloid cells that express the inflammatory protein SIGLEC1 may be able to distinguish between active and chronic multiple sclerosis (MS) brain lesions, a study found. The study, “SIGLEC1 (CD169): a marker of active neuroinflammation in the brain but not in the blood…

A computer-based training program that exercises distinct components of attention and working memory can improve cognition in young people with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), a new study indicates. Findings also support a common pencil-and-paper measure of cognition, called the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), in detecting clinically meaningful changes…

Nearly a third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are younger than 40 are not being treated with disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), even though younger individuals are expected to get the most benefit from DMTs, according to a new study. “DMTs for MS are more frequently used at…

Four weeks of robotic exoskeleton-assisted exercise rehabilitation, called REAER, worked better than conventional gait training in improving mobility and cognitive function in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with substantial walking difficulties, according to a small trial. A robotic exoskeleton consists of an externally worn device that encases a user’s hips, back,…

Urinary problems, such as an urgency to urinate or a feeling of incomplete urination, are common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), impacting more than half of patients, according to a large study in Italy. The researchers noted that urinary disorders…

Medical cannabis made by Panaxia Labs Israel will be marketed and distributed in Greece by Leriva Group, under a recent agreement between the two companies and pending a marketing authorization in the country. The product will be sold under the brand name Panaxir. The companies expect to start…

Impaired social cognition — lacking the ability to understand and process others’ emotions — may affect how people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) feel on a day-to-day basis, a small, three-year study has found. RRMS patients with such difficulties were “characterized at follow-up by a higher level of depression…

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine appears to be reasonably safe for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small study of its use in the U.K. Vaccine side effects were in line with those experienced by the general population, its researchers said, such as flu-like symptoms and sore arms.

Markedly low levels of a simple amino sugar called N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) were found in the bloodstream of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and correlated with greater disease severity and disability, a study reported.  These findings support GlcNAc as…

Belong.Life, a developer of a networking platforms that help patients navigate and manage their disease, has added a French language option in its BelongMS app for the French-speaking Canadian community. BelongMS is a free mobile app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to support the multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Low levels of serum neurofilament light chains (sNfL) prior to treatment predicts an optimal response to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and reduced immune cell overactivity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a study reports. The investigators noted the…

The Red Songbird Foundation welcomes people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are struggling with issues relating to mental health or substance abuse to apply for its Jason Davis Scholarship. The award will cover the costs of a full treatment, given in California, addressing a serious mental health or substance…

Qynapse, a company that combines artificial intelligence with neuroimaging technology, is reaffirming its commitment to help advance multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care in recognition of World MS Day. World MS Day is officially celebrated on May 30, with global events and activities designed to raise disease awareness.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19-associated restrictions, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is inviting supporters of its Walk MS events to connect, celebrate, and fundraise for the fight against multiple sclerosis (MS) through a virtual platform. “The National MS Society creates Walk MS celebrations in every state so participants can…

Nasally-administered foralumab, a potential treatment for neurodegenerative disorders such as progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), appears safe and well-tolerated, and shows immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory effects in healthy volunteers, an updated analysis from a Phase 1 trial has found. “Nasal administration of Foralumab is a unique approach to treat…

PicnicHealth and Komodo Health have agreed to combine their databases of patient medical records to support research based on real-world evidence. Together, the companies hope to unlock new insights into complex diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). “Komodo Health and PicnicHealth share a mission to utilize health data…

New York University (NYU) Langone Health has launched an at-home, therapeutic program of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) — a type of non-invasive brain stimulation — to reduce cognitive, motor, speech, or mood symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other brain disorders. A first of its kind, the…

Mayzent (siponimod) and Zeposia (ozanimod), the two sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators most recently approved in Canada for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), showed strong launches in the country, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights’ report. However, due to several internal and external factors, sustained relevance of these…

Immersive virtual reality may make treadmill exercise more engaging and effective for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that can make walking difficult, according to new research. The findings were published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, in the study “Immersive virtual reality…

World MS Day, created by the MS International Federation and its members in 2009 to bring together the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, will this year continue online its 2020–2022 theme of improving connections to break down social barriers. The global MS campaign, featuring…

Foralumab, an investigational anti-CD3 antibody that is administered via a nasal spray, has been given for the first time to a person with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). It was administered under an Individual Patient Expanded Access Program, which earned approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in…

The European Commission has approved Ponvory (ponesimod) to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and active disease, as defined by clinical or imaging features. The approval, which follows a recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use in March, covers clinically isolated…

A professor at the University of Freiburg, in Germany, was awarded the Novo Nordisk Prize for his research into the role of microglia in diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease, and how they might be used as early warning signs of these disorders. Marco Prinz, MD,…