News

Persistent use of a single disease-modifying therapy (DMT) over a three-year period was low among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a U.S. study found. DMT discontinuations or switches were initiated in some cases by prescribers, specialty pharmacists, or patients for reasons that included treatment side…

People with high levels of free vitamin D in circulation before the age of 20 have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, a new study suggests. A significantly lower risk was also observed among people who, at ages 30–39, had elevated levels of a…

People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and those with greater MS-related disability have a significantly greater risk of serious infections relative to people without the disease, according to a population-based study in Sweden. Notably, these associations were observed regardless of the use of disease-modifying therapies, many…

Genetic variants that contribute to a high body mass index (BMI) during childhood are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The relationship is likely influenced by the fact that a higher BMI in childhood is linked to obesity in adulthood and a “longer…

ABX-002, an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) being developed by Autobahn Therapeutics, promoted the restoration of the myelin sheath in preclinical models of the disease, new data show. The research, which specifically tested an analog of ABX-002 called LL-341070, will be presented by Autobahn’s academic collaborators at…

Aquatic exercise is used less often by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than land-based exercise, but it’s generally well liked by those who use it, a patient survey found. A lack of pool access and associated expenses remain significant barriers to aquatic exercise. The team also found that exercise…

Among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), those who are married and have more formal education are more likely to take treatments as recommended, according to a new study from Iran. The study, “Effects of Disease-Modifying Treatments discontinuation in patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A 5…

Gilenya (fingolimod) and Tysabri (natalizumab) were more effective at lowering relapse rates in children with multiple sclerosis (MS) than interferon-beta, according to a recent meta-analysis. Findings like these can be leveraged for better clinical trial design, the researchers wrote. If used to determine “historical” relapse rates that…

The South Florida craft brew company 3 Mavins’ Beer is making it easy to support the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation’s programs and services on behalf of those who have the neurological disorder. Through a new partnership with the foundation, 3 Mavins’ is donating 3% of its profits from each can of…

Many people newly diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) experience substantial “hidden disabilities,” such as depression or fatigue, a study highlights. Findings indicate that treatment with disease-modifying therapies generally does not affect the severity of these problems, at least in the short term. “Considering the substantial impact that hidden…

Taking Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), an approved therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), while breastfeeding does not appear to be harmful to infants during their first 18 months, according to a real-life study in Germany called COBRA. “In this study, we compared the development of 120 children in total, whose…

Among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on rituximab, higher B-cell counts are predictive of a better antibody-based response to a vaccine for COVID-19, according to a new Swedish study. “In our study, the B-cell level in patients given Rituximab was the only factor that influenced the ability to form antibodies…

NervGen Pharma has received approval to enroll a third and final group of healthy volunteers in the multiple ascending dose (MAD) segment of its Phase 1 clinical trial of NVG-291, an investigational treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other nervous system diseases. A safety review committee cleared the…

As part of its ongoing support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), Tri Global Energy will again field a team of cyclists for Bike MS, the nonprofit organization’s nationwide fundraiser series. Tri Global Energy’s Team Wind Force, a cycling team comprised of 13 Texas-area renewable energy industry…

Disease severity, brain volume loss, and brain lesions are able to predict later cognitive declines in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study in China found. The study, “Clinical and MRI predictors of cognitive decline in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 2-year longitudinal study,”…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients undertaking stress-reducing activities — particularly physical and relaxation activities or meditation — at least once a week are less likely to have depression, an international study shows. Additional links were found between physical activity and reduced risk of fatigue, and between meditation and a greater…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with fatigue have significantly lower levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) — a molecule involved in nerve cell function — in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) relative both to those without this common symptom and healthy people, a study shows. The CSF is the liquid…

The experimental therapy XPro1595 was found to promote remyelination — the repair of the myelin sheath — in a mouse model of myelin loss, new data show. Myelin, the fatty covering that helps nerve fibers send electrical signals, is damaged by the immune system in …

Biogen has entered a licensing agreement to develop and potentially commercialize MedRhythms‘ investigational music-based digital therapy, MR-004, designed to help make walking easier for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The partnership combines Biogen’s leadership and expertise in MS with MedRhythms’ digital therapeutics platform that uses sensors, algorithms, and music…

Reports of psoriasis — an autoimmune skin disease that shares some biological processes with multiple sclerosis (MS) — are disproportionally high among MS patients on therapies that deplete B-cells, according to a U.S. study based on patient adverse event data. Conversely, patients on Tysabri (natalizumab), glatiramer acetate (sold…

A Phase 3 trial will test the ability of a group resilience training program, called READY, to promote quality of life and better psychosocial outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Involving more than 200 MS patients, the trial will compare the benefits of READY training against those of…

Women who were exposed to sexual or emotional abuse as children may be at an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, according to a large study in Norway. The risk was even higher among patients who experienced a combination of two or more types of abuse in…

Eating a ketogenic diet — one low in carbohydrates and high in fats — led to markedly less fatigue and depression for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in a small clinical trial that was designed to assess the tolerability of the dietary intervention. Measures of disability and quality…

Breast cancer is less likely to be detected through a routine cancer screening for women with multiple sclerosis (MS), while colorectal cancer is more likely to be detected at an early stage in MS patients compared with those without the disease, a Canadian study found. “Understanding the pathways to earlier…

Rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) were similar among Black and white people, but significantly lower in Hispanics and Asians living in southern California, a study found. These findings contrast with previous studies that have long reported lower MS rates among Black people compared to white people. Those discrepancies might…

Researchers have identified four new brain proteins that are targeted by inflammatory T-cells in multiple sclerosis (MS), which could aid in the development of more specific and safer treatments for people with the condition. The study, “Identification of four novel T cell autoantigens and personal autoreactive profiles in…

Administering the maresin-1 molecule — a natural anti-inflammatory in the body — in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) led to lower levels of inflammation and improved neurological function, a recent study showed. Maresin-1 and other molecules in its family are called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and are…

More than half of Canadians with multiple sclerosis (MS) report using cannabis to help manage their symptoms, according to a new study. The study, “Medical cannabis use in Canadians with multiple sclerosis,” was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Humans have used the cannabis plant for millennia,…

Tysabri (natalizumab) given every six weeks was found to be similarly effective as the standard four-week dosing schedule at stopping nervous system damage in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). That’s according to the full results of the Phase 3b NOVA clinical trial, which compared Tysabri dosing schedules…

The uncertainties that accompany multiple sclerosis (MS) are among the biggest challenges faced by people with the disease, with two-thirds of patients in a recent survey saying “they’re scared for the future” because of such unknowns, the MS Society, which conducted the U.K. survey, reports. “We may all think the…