News

November 14, 2019November 14, 2019

Vumerity’s $88,000 List Price Not What ‘We Had Hoped,’ National MS Society Says

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has criticized Biogen for the $88,000 yearly list price it placed on Vumerity (diroximel fumarate), the newly approved oral disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for relapsing multiple sclerosis. That ... Read more

November 14, 2019November 14, 2019

7T MRI Reveals New Insights into Some RRMS Features

News

With the help of 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), investigators discovered that leptomeningeal enhancement — a radiographic finding indicative of brain inflammation — is more common than previously ... Read more

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019

Single Dose of CD45-ADC Resets the Immune System, Delays the Onset of MS in Mice

News

A single dose of CD45-ADC, an investigational targeted therapy being developed to treat different types of autoimmune diseases, is enough to reset the normal function of the body’s immune ... Read more

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019

Sativex, Cannabis Extract for MS Spasticity, Now Available to Select Patients in England

News

The cannabis sativa plant extract Sativex is a cost-effective therapy for spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) and can be offered to patients in England needing it on at least a ... Read more

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019

Long-term IFN-Beta Treatment Normalizes Immune Balance in RRMS, Study Shows

News

Long-term treatment with interferon beta (IFN-beta) corrects the defective immune balance characteristic of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study has found. The study also identified more than 200 genes ... Read more

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019

Acthar Gel Quite Effective at Resolving Relapses as Alternative to Corticosteroids, Study Reports

Alexa, News

Acthar Gel is more effective for treating flares in multiple sclerosis than other alternatives, including intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis, a claims-based study from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals reports. The study “Treatment Effectiveness for Resolution of ... Read more

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019

Early Damage on Brain Scans and Greater 5-Year Disability Help Predict 30-Year Outcomes in MS, Study Finds

News, SPMS

A 30-year study of outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reports that radiological findings in the first year of disease onset, and the amount of disability evident at five ... Read more

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019

Low Neurite Density in Spinal Cord Linked to Greater Physical Disability in RRMS Patients

News

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have poorer neurite density — a measure that relates to the amount of nerve cell projections, including axons and dendrites involved in nerve-to-nerve ... Read more

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019

‘Soothie Cushion’ Designed to Regulate Body Temperature in Travelers With MS, Other Disabilities

News

Newly launched, the Soothie Cushion is designed to provide seating comfort and help regulate the body temperature of travelers with disabilities, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and myasthenia gravis, says its ... Read more

November 8, 2019November 12, 2019

2 Potassium Channels Key to Fast Transmission of Impulses Along Myelin-rich Nerve Fibers, Study Shows

News

Two potassium ion channels located at gaps between segments of myelin are required for high frequency and high-speed conduction of electrical impulses along myelin-rich nerves, a study shows. Loss of ... Read more

November 7, 2019November 7, 2019

Generic Version of Gilenya, pms-Fingolimod, Now Available for RRMS Patients in Canada

News

Pharmascience recently launched pms-Fingolimod, a generic version of Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod), to treat adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Canada. The new generic is now available in that country, and has demonstrated efficacy ... Read more

November 7, 2019November 7, 2019

Siemens Healthineers Joins with Quanterix to Develop Blood Tests for NfL Levels

News

Siemens Healthineers has signed a license and supply agreement with Quanterix that helps it in developing blood tests for neurofilament light chain (NfL) to aid in early disease detection, ... Read more

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

Specific FOXP3 Mutation Linked to Greater Likelihood of MS in Brazilian Women, Study Reports

News

A specific mutation in the FOXP3 gene, one already linked to multiple sclerosis in the Iranian population, was now also seen to increase the risk of MS in Brazilian women, a ... Read more

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

European 3TR Project Unites Experts in Effort to Make Treatment More Personal and Effective

News

A new public-private initiative brings academic and industry researchers from 15 European countries together in a large-scale effort to understand differences and commonalities in seven immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, including ... Read more

November 5, 2019November 5, 2019

Employed MS Patients Have Lower Productivity, Reduced Health-related Quality of Life, Study Shows

News

Employed individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have lower work productivity, reduced health-related quality of life, and use more healthcare resources than individuals who do not have multiple sclerosis ... Read more

November 5, 2019November 5, 2019

EMA Safety Group Advises Lemtrada Be Limited to ‘Highly Active’ RRMS Patients at Hospitals with ICUs

News

Seven months after starting a safety review of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) that oversees the safety of medicines approved in the European Union has issued ... Read more

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019

Teva-Fingolimod, Generic and Bioequivalent Version of Gilenya, Available in Canada

News

Teva Canada announced that Teva-Fingolimod 0.5 mg capsules, a bioequivalent generic version of Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod), are now available in Canada and approved by the country’s national health system called Health ... Read more

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019

Mutations in 3 Genes Linked to Vision Loss and MS Severity in Hopkins Study

News

Mutations in genes related to the immune system’s first line of defense are associated with a greater likelihood of more severe forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) linked to faster ... Read more

November 1, 2019November 8, 2019

Study: 40% of SPMS Patients in Italy and Germany Unaware of Diagnosis

News, SPMS

A new study shows that 40% of patients in Italy and Germany who have  secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) are not aware of their diagnosis, indicating a need for ... Read more

November 1, 2019November 13, 2019

Interferons Superior to Glatiramer Acetate, and Tysabri More Effective than Gilenya for RRMS, Real-world Study Finds

News

Interferon therapy (brand names Avonex, Betaseron, and others) is more effective than glatiramer acetate (sold as Copaxone, Glatopa and other generics) for reducing relapses and disease activity, and delaying ... Read more

October 31, 2019October 31, 2019

Medicinal Cannabinoids Not Effective for Mental Disorders, Small Relief on MS Anxiety, Analysis Suggests

News

A joint analysis of 83 studies, involving 3,000 people, concluded that there is “scarce evidence” to say that the use of medicinal cannabinoids — chemical compounds in the cannabis ... Read more

October 31, 2019October 31, 2019

Brain Bank at Harvard Gets Potential $12.8M from NIH to Support Brain Donations for MS and Other Research

News

The Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center at McLean Hospital, also known as the Brain Bank, has signed a new, potentially $12.8 million contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that allows ... Read more

October 30, 2019November 1, 2019

Vumerity Approved in US as Treatment for RRMS and Active SPMS

News, SPMS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administrationhas approved Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS , and active secondary progressive ... Read more

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019

First Relapsing MS Patient Enrolled in Phase 3 Trial of Mapi Pharma’s Once-monthly Glatiramer Formulation

News

A new Phase 3 clinical trial to explore the safety and efficacy of Mapi Pharma’s once-a-month injectable formulation of glatiramer acetate — named GA Depot — has started enrolling ... Read more

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019

Unemployment Risk Factors in MS Vary with Age, Study Suggests

News

Physical symptoms and poorer coping mechanisms are major risk factors for unemployment in younger and older people with multiple sclerosis (MS), while psychological problems have the greatest impact in ... Read more

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

UV-B Light Prevents MS Symptoms in Mice Independently of Vitamin D, Study Finds

News

Exposure to UV-B light prevented multiple sclerosis (MS)-like symptoms in a mouse model regardless of the presence of vitamin D or the vitamin D receptor, a new study discovered.  ... Read more

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

Levels of Infection-fighting Antibodies Low in Blood of People with MS, Study Finds

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have low levels in their blood serum of certain antibodies that can protect against infection, regardless of whether they are using a ... Read more

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

AP-1 Transcription Factor Family is Critical for Healthy T-cell Development, Study Says

News

The transcription factor family AP-1 is crucial for the proper activation of immune T-cells, a new study shows, and this finding may have important implications for autoimmune diseases such ... Read more

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

Altered Fear Response, Changes in Brain Chemistry Seen in Mice with Poor Gut Microbiota

News

Depleting microbes in the gut of mice led to an altered fear response, changes in gene expression in brain immune cells and changes in brain chemistry — returning to ... Read more

October 25, 2019October 25, 2019

Higher Intellectual Ability, Early-life Physical Activity May Protect Against Cognitive Impairment in MS, Study Suggests

News

Higher intellectual ability and physical activity during childhood and adolescence may help protect against the development of cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study suggests. ... Read more

October 25, 2019October 25, 2019

Twice Daily Dosing and Side Effects Top Reasons Patients Seen to Stop Tecfidera in Small Study

News

A twice-daily dosing schedule and side effects like nausea and flushing are key reasons why more than 10% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients followed for a year stopped using Tecfidera (dimethyl ... Read more

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019

SARM1 Inhibitors Protect Neurons from Damage in Mice and Cell Cultures, Results Presented at Neuroscience 2019 Show

News

SARM1 inhibitors are a potential oral treatment to slow disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to preclinical results that show the inhibitors protect nerve cells from damage ... Read more

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019

Potential RRMS Fumarate Treatment Free of ‘Flush’ Effect to Enter Trial in 2020, Vitalis Says

News

Vitalis is planning to open a pivotal clinical trial into its new formulation of fumarate, called VTS-72, that has shown promise in easing flushing — a common and troublesome side-effect of ... Read more

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

NfL and CHI3L1 Work as Biomarkers of Disease Activity and Progression in MS, Study Says

News, SPMS

The levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and chitinase3-like1 (CHI3L1) in the cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord — serve as respective biomarkers of disease ... Read more

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

MS Among Research and Discussion Topics at 24th World Congress of Neurology

News

Some 4,000 science experts from 126 countries will gather at the 24th World Congress of Neurology (WCN 2019) to discuss cutting-edge research, including advances in diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). ... Read more

October 22, 2019October 22, 2019

Endothelin-1 a Potential Biomarker of Severity and Recovery from Optic Neuritis in MS, Study Suggests

News

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) — a molecule with potent blood vessel-narrowing (vasoconstrictive) properties — may be used as a biomarker of severity for optic neuritis in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more

October 22, 2019October 28, 2019

Long-term Gilenya Treatment Safe and Effective for Relapsing MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Long-term treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is safe and effective, results from a Phase 3 trial show. Trial findings were reported ... Read more

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

GAL Gene Variant May Put MS Patients at Risk for Rapidly Progressive Disease, Study Suggests

News

A genetic variant in the galanin gene (GAL) appears to be a risk factor for more severe multiple sclerosis (MS), nearly doubling the risk of rapidly progressive disease, particularly in ... Read more

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

National MS Society Awards $14.6M Supporting 43 New Research Projects

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) awarded $14.6 million in grants supporting 43 new and multiyear research projects into multiple sclerosis (MS), part of a projected $36 million investment in disease research for 2019, the ... Read more

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Are Injectables Inappropriate for Active Relapsing MS Treatment?

News

With more high-efficacy therapies becoming available, is it now inappropriate to prescribe older injectables — interferon beta and glatiramer acetate — to people with active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS)? ... Read more