News

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

Ocrevus Is Popular Among Neurologists, but Insurance Is a Growing Concern, Report Concludes

Ocrevus’ market introduction is off to a stellar start, with nearly half of neurologists surveyed by Spherix Global Insights saying they are using the therapy — the first ever ... Read more

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

MS Symptoms, Coupled with Poor Self-Esteem, Can Lead to Serious Depression, Study Says

Fatigue, limited mobility, and poor self-esteem or resiliency were found to be associated with periods of serious depression among multiple sclerosis patients, according to a recent study. Previous research has ... Read more

July 19, 2017July 20, 2017

Costs Associated with Multiple Sclerosis Rise as Severity of Disease Increases, European Study Shows

News

Costs associated with multiple sclerosis increase as the disease worsens, according to a study of more than 16,000 patients in 16 European countries. The study, “New insights into the burden ... Read more

July 19, 2017July 20, 2017

GeneFo to Host July 26 Webinar on Sex and Intimacy Issues by MS Advocate Tuppy Owens

News

GeneFo, an online multiple sclerosis community that offers support, advice and educational resources to patients, will conduct a free webinar July 26 for those interested in knowing more about ... Read more

July 18, 2017July 19, 2017

Australian Authorities Approve Ocrevus Following U.S. Endorsement of Breakthrough MS Therapy

News

Australia has become the first country to approve Genentech’s Ocrevus for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis treatment since the therapy’s initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug ... Read more

July 18, 2017July 19, 2017

Quarter of MS Patients in UK Not Aware of Disease-modifying Treatments, Online Survey Reports

News

A recent patient survey reveals that almost one in four people with multiple sclerosis in the U.K. are not aware of available treatments that could help delay the onset ... Read more

July 17, 2017July 18, 2017

Combined High-Intensity Interval, Resistance Training Improves Physical Health and Quality of Life in MS

News

In a pilot study with patients with multiple sclerosis, high-intensity interval training combined with resistance training improved physical capacity and quality of life in a pilot study of multiple ... Read more

July 17, 2017July 18, 2017

Copaxone Benefits RRMS Patients in the Long Term by Modulating Immune System Responses, Study Shows

News

An Italian study shows that first-line treatment with Copaxone benefits relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients by boosting the number of anti-inflammatory immune cells and restoring the balance of regulatory immune ... Read more

July 14, 2017July 18, 2017

Breastfeeding May Be Linked to Reduced Risk of MS, Study Suggests

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Women who breastfeed for 15 months or longer may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than those who breastfeed for shorter periods or not at all, ... Read more

July 14, 2017July 15, 2017

High Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Immune Cells in Intestines May Promote MS Activity, Study Reports

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People with multiple sclerosis have high levels of pro-inflammatory TH17 immune cells in their intestines that correlate with change in the micro-organism mix in their gut and the levels ... Read more

July 13, 2017July 14, 2017

Health Questionnaires Can Help to Predict ‘Hard Outcomes’ Like Survival in MS Patients, Study Says

News

Patient questionnaires can be sensitive to signs of disease progression and worsening in neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis just as they are in other diseases, helping doctors to better ... Read more

July 13, 2017July 14, 2017

Dormant Herpes Virus Can Impede Repair of Myelin Sheath Whose Deterioration Causes MS, Study Reports

News

A herpes virus that lies dormant in many people can hinder the repair of the neuron-protecting myelin sheath whose deterioration causes multiple sclerosis, a study reports. The finding about the ... Read more

July 12, 2017July 13, 2017

Allergy Medicine Fails to Reduce Flu-Like Syndrome in Relapsing-remitting MS Patients, Study Shows

News

According to a new clinical trial, the allergy treatment cetirizine fails to alleviate a flu-like condition that interferon-beta treatment generates in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The results, which surprised ... Read more

July 12, 2017July 13, 2017

Antidepressant Luvox Promotes Production of Neuron-protecting Sheath in Rats, Study Shows

News

A new study on rats indicates that the antidepressant Luvox promotes the production of the neuron-protecting coating that is deficient in multiple sclerosis. It also significantly decreased the severity ... Read more

July 11, 2017July 17, 2017

Long-term Use of Ampyra Lowers Medical Costs, Hospital Visits for MS Patients, Study Finds

News

A recent study has found that continued use of Ampyra (dalfampridine extended-release, sold in the U.S. by Acorda Therapeutics) by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) lowers both inpatient hospital ... Read more

July 11, 2017July 14, 2017

Europe Restricts Use of MS Therapy Zinbryta After Liver Damage Cases and a Death

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The European Medicines Agency has restricted the use of Zinbryta (daclizumab) for relapsing multiple sclerosis after reports of patients experiencing severe liver damage and one dying of liver disease. The ... Read more

July 10, 2017July 14, 2017

Experts Call for Tighter Regulation of Stem Cell Therapies in Use at Clinics Worldwide

News

Advertising for stem cell therapies not supported by clinical research — often made directly to patients and sometimes promoted as a “cure” for diseases like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s ... Read more

July 10, 2017July 14, 2017

B-cell-secreted Toxins Kill Neurons and Myelin-Producing Cells, MS Study Reports

News

B-cells of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) secrete substances that are toxic to both neurons and neuron-protecting myelin-forming cells, causing both kinds to die, according to a study. Despite ... Read more

July 7, 2017July 11, 2017

New Ocrevus Findings Show Benefits to Range of MS Patients: Interview with Genentech’s Dr. Hideki Garren

News

Genentech shared new insights into the workings of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and its effectiveness in reducing disease activity and slowing progression in relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) at ... Read more

July 7, 2017July 11, 2017

Mavenclad Reduces MS Relapses by Reseting the Immune System

News

New analyses of how Merck’s Mavenclad (cladribine tablets) act to treat relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) give researchers an entirely new picture of immune processes leading to the disease. Data showed ... Read more

July 7, 2017July 11, 2017

FOXP3 Gene Mutations May Explain Immune System Excitability in MS and Other Diseases

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A gene mutation may explain the uncontrolled, inflammatory immune response seen in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis, scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University ... Read more

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017

Younger MS Patients Who Are Hospitalized May Be at Higher Risk of Quitting Treatment, Study Reports

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MS patients who start treatment at a younger age, and whose condition requires hospitalization, are more likely to stop treatment, a Canadian study reports. The research, published in the journal ... Read more

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017

Lipoic Acid, an Over-the-counter Antioxidant, Seen to Slow Brain Atrophy in SPMS Patients

News

The over-the-counter antioxidant lipoic acid slowed brain deterioration in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to a pilot study. An Oregon Health & Science University research team conducted ... Read more

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017

MSBase, Icometrix Collaborate on Global Imaging Project to Understand MS Progression

News

MSBase and icometrix have joined efforts in a large-scale project to identify imaging markers of multiple sclerosis (MS) that could help diagnose the disease in its early stages. The combination ... Read more

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017

MIS416 Fails to Benefit Secondary Progressive MS Patients in Phase 2 Clinical Trial

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Innate Immunotherapeutics’ MIS416 has failed to help secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The company said it will continue testing the therapy, made up ... Read more

June 30, 2017July 2, 2017

Link Between MS Therapy Tysabri and Melanoma Possible, an Adverse Reactions Watchdog Group Says

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The multiple sclerosis therapy Tysabri could trigger melanoma, the Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR) has warned. Although its investigation failed to demonstrate that melanoma is more common among Tysabri-treated ... Read more

June 29, 2017July 2, 2017

Problems with Sense of Smell Are Worse in Primary Progressive MS Than Relapsing-Remitting Form, Study Reports

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Problems with sense of smell are more frequent and severe in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) than in those with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study reports. The ... Read more

June 29, 2017July 2, 2017

Poor Caregiver Mental Health Might Shorten Lifespan of MS Patients Under Their Care

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The stress of caring for a family member with multiple sclerosis or another neurodegenerative disease may directly affect the quality of care, according to a study showing that poor ... Read more

June 28, 2017July 2, 2017

Researchers Find Gene Mutation in Multiple Sclerosis That Runs in Families

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A variation in the NLRP1 gene is associated with multiple sclerosis that runs in families, Slovenian researchers report. Their study, “Identification of rare genetic variation of NLRP1 gene in familial ... Read more

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017

In Ongoing Phase 2 Trial, Ublituximab Seen to Effectively and Safely Deplete B-cells

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TG Therapeutics’ investigational treatment — ublituximab (TG-1101) — led to a near total depletion of B-cells in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) taking part in an ongoing Phase 2 trial, ... Read more

June 27, 2017June 29, 2017

Cladribine Tablets Are Only a Step Away from European Union Approval for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

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Merck’s cladribine tablets are now just one step away from obtaining European Union approval as a relapsing multiple sclerosis treatment. The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human ... Read more

June 27, 2017June 27, 2017

Tysabri Shows Long-term Safety, Efficacy in Japanese RRMS Patients, Study Shows

News

A recent study has found Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment for two years to be efficient and safe in Japanese patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study, “Safety and Efficacy of Natalizumab ... Read more

June 26, 2017June 26, 2017

MSAA Unveils New Print, Online Resources for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) has released three new resources for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), available for free as both printed and online versions on MSAA’s website. According ... Read more

June 26, 2017June 26, 2017

RRMS Patients at Risk of PML Can Safely Switch from Tysabri to Lemtrada

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Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) may be an effective option for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients withdrawing from prior treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab), an Italian study shows. The study, “High-Risk PML Patients ... Read more

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017

Genentech to Report on Ocrevus Success in Reducing Disease Progression in Relapsing and Primary Progressive MS at EAN Congress

News

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) significantly reduces disease activity and disability progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS), according to results of post-hoc analyses of Genentech’s Phase 3 ... Read more

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017

Nurse Advocates for Shared Decision-Making to Treat MS

News

Shared decision-making between patients and their doctors and healthcare providers was considered a critical step in the process of treating multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an article published in the journal ... Read more

June 23, 2017June 26, 2017

Tecfidera Improves MS Patients’ Work Productivity, Compared with Other Therapies, Study Shows

News

Multiple sclerosis patients taking Tecfidera, or dimethyl fumarate, were more productive at work than those on Copaxone or beta-interferon therapies, according to a study. Tecfidera also increased patients’ quality ... Read more

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017

MS Researcher Stephen Hauser, MD, Awarded the 2017 Taubman Prize

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Stephen L. Hauser, MD, director of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)‘s Weill Institute for Neurosciences, has been awarded the 2017 Taubman Prize for Excellence in Translational Medical Research. Recognized ... Read more

June 22, 2017June 26, 2017

Onetime Canadian Rancher Heidi Redl Wrote a Book About MS to Give Others Hope

News

Heidi Redl was in the physically demanding job of ranching when a doctor told her in 2004 that she had multiple sclerosis. Reluctant to give up her physical capabilities without ... Read more

June 21, 2017June 21, 2017

Fatigue and Reduced Leg Function Can Signal Transition to Progressive MS, Study Reports

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Fatigue and limited leg function are more common among older people with progressive multiple sclerosis than in those with relapsing forms of the disease, according to a study. In fact, ... Read more