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Daily intake of propionic acid, a substance naturally made by gut bacteria when they break down fiber from food, significantly reduced blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve cell damage, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s according to data from a small Phase 2b…

Researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) received a $470,000 grant to investigate how a ketogenic diet — one that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates — may help protect vision in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The project,…

About one-quarter of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience difficulties finding the right words when speaking, a symptom that is linked to broader cognitive problems rather than fatigue or depression, according to a new study. The findings showed that MS patients with cognitive impairment were nearly five times more…

In addition to controlling multiple sclerosis (MS), the approved therapy Mavenclad (cladribine) may also help manage certain coexisting autoimmune diseases, potentially allowing some patients to avoid taking multiple immunosuppressive therapies simultaneously. The findings come from a review of eight adults in the French MS Registry (NCT02889965) who…

Certain gut bacteria may influence the odds of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), in part by altering the activity of specific immune cells, according to an analysis of data from tens of thousands of people. While the findings point to possible biological mechanisms linking gut bacteria and MS, the associations…

A research team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has received a $7.49 million grant to advance a novel cell-based therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) toward its first clinical trial. The state funding, awarded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), was earmarked for a team…

Nanocurcumin, a dietary supplement containing the turmeric compound curcumin, may significantly improve disability outcomes in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a review of multiple clinical trials. However, evidence supporting other similar compounds called polyphenols remains limited and inconsistent. The review also found that…

Changes in the upper part of the spinal cord may help identify people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who are at higher risk of converting to the secondary progressive form of the disease (SPMS), a study reports. People with RRMS who later developed SPMS tended to have a…

A genetic mutation associated with more severe disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) may also correlate with poorer cognitive performance in healthy people, a study reported. People with MS, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia who carried the rs10191329A mutation showed similar trends of poorer cognition, though these didn’t reach statistical…

Increasing the dose of the infusion therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) does not provide additional benefit compared with the approved regimen in slowing disability progression for people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) or primary progressive MS. That’s according to final data from two global Phase 3b clinical…

Novel ring-shaped sugar molecules called cyclodextrins may help promote conditions that support myelin repair in multiple sclerosis (MS) by easing harmful changes in the immune cells that clear away damaged myelin, a new lab study suggests. Researchers found that after taking up myelin debris over time, these immune cells…

A Phase 2a clinical trial testing Tiziana Life Sciences‘ experimental intranasal therapy foralumab in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) has begun dosing its final participant. The INFORM-MS trial (NCT06292923) is evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of foralumab versus a placebo in up…

Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and chickenpox (varicella) vaccines do not increase the risk of relapse for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study involving more than 360 patients. Both vaccines are recommended for people who are not protected, before starting certain MS treatments that suppress the immune system and…

Combining high-intensity physical exercise with melatonin supplements may offer greater benefits for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than either approach alone, a new clinical trial shows. The combination was particularly effective at decreasing markers of cellular stress and inflammation, lowering “bad” cholesterol, and reducing body fat, according to researchers.

Common anti-fever medications such as aspirin and acetaminophen may help ease fatigue, improve temperature regulation, and increase exercise capacity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies. Aspirin may be particularly effective at reducing overheating during exercise, while acetaminophen may offer greater…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given Pheno Therapeutics the green light to begin clinical testing of PTD802, the company’s oral lead treatment candidate for boosting myelin repair in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. The experimental remyelination therapy aims to potentially…

Taking high-dose vitamin D supplements for more than a year can significantly cut relapse risks and ease disability for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a comprehensive review of more than 30 clinical trials. These benefits were observed in patients who added the vitamin to their standard…

Computer-based analyses of microorganisms in the digestive tract can distinguish people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from healthy individuals with high accuracy, according to a new study. The analysis looked beyond gut bacteria to include other organisms like fungi and viruses. The findings suggest these comprehensive microbial profiles could eventually…

Tolebrutinib has been approved in the European Union for the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) for people who have not experienced a relapse in the previous two years. The medication will be sold under the brand name Cenrifki. The decision, which is in line with a…

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) at age 50 or later are more likely to accumulate disability through mechanisms that are not directly linked to relapses or MRI activity than those with earlier-onset disease, according to an Italian registry study. “This suggests that the adverse prognostic effect of [late-onset…

Despite being converted into the same active ingredient, the newer multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) is associated with significantly lower relapse rates than the older medication Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), or its generics, in people with relapsing forms of MS. Those are the findings of a…

An international trial will test a combined approach to targeting underrecognized cognitive symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), coaching patients on becoming more conscientious with the aim of making them more likely to stick with treatment plans. Difficulties with learning, memory, and related functions are among the symptoms of MS, affecting…

Scientists have identified six proteins that could serve as targets for new treatments designed to slow multiple sclerosis (MS) progression. The data showed that one protein, RRM2B, may interact with the approved MS treatment Mavenclad (cladribine), while the other proteins interacted with molecules that are not currently used…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were older than 60 had a low risk of disease flares whether they continued or stopped taking disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), according to a recent study. According to researchers, these data suggest that some older adults with MS may be able to consider…

For teenagers, eating a healthy diet during one’s adolescent years — particularly one rich in milk, cheese, and yogurt, among other dairy products — may help reduce the risk of developing late-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, a study has found. In fact, participants in the study who…

An autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) helped over 80% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) remain free from disease activity for at least two years, a real-world study in Germany found. The strongest benefits were seen in people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), with better outcomes observed in…

Two new research projects are looking at whether the hormonal and biological changes that happen around menopause play a role in how multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses in women, which could help doctors better predict the course of the disease and time treatments more effectively. “By better understanding the biological…

An artificial intelligence (AI) model that analyzes brain scans alongside clinical and demographic data showed high accuracy in predicting which people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were likely to experience cognitive decline over time, according to a new study. Using tools that show which parts of the data most influenced…

The number of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) has risen steadily over the past two decades, but the increase appears to be driven largely by longer survival after diagnosis rather than by more people developing the disease. That’s according to findings of a large study that analyzed nationwide…

Imviva Biotech is cleared to launch a basket Phase 1b trial testing its investigational off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapy CTA313 in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and other B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The announcement follows the clearance of the company’s investigational new drug (IND) application by the U.S. Food and Drug…