News

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

Metabolic Enzyme PKM2 a Potential Therapeutic Target for MS, Preclinical Study Suggests

News

Suppressing pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) — an enzyme involved in cellular metabolism — in T-helper (Th) immune cells lessened myelin loss and disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin, the ... Read more

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

Recently Identified Subset of Immune Cells Plays Role in MS, Study Suggests

News

A newly identified population of immune cells contributes to inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The study, “A distinct GM-CSF+ T helper cell subset requires T-bet ... Read more

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020

Variants in Key Gene Interact With Insults Like EBV to Cause MS, Study Suggests

News

The HLA-DR15 haplotype — a set of gene variants that tend to be inherited together — in the HLA-DRB1 gene plays a role in autoimmune response and, in combination ... Read more

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020

Biogen Discontinues Development of Opicinumab for MS

News

Biogen is discontinuing the clinical development of opicinumab, its experimental treatment candidate for multiple sclerosis (MS), based on data from the Phase 2 AFFINITY clinical trial. The announcement, amid a third-quarter report, indicated ... Read more

October 23, 2020October 26, 2020

VX-765 Therapy, Given Through Nose, Limits MS Progression in Early Study

News

The anti-inflammatory medication VX-765, which is delivered through the nose (intranasal), was found to limit disease progression in a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis (MS) by blocking a protein ... Read more

October 23, 2020October 26, 2020

New Genetic Variants Found in African Americans of European Ancestry at Higher MS Risk

News

Two genetic variants have been identified by researchers within a genome region previously reported to drive a 1.44-times increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a group of African ... Read more

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

European Patent Given to IMP761, Antibody Aiming to Treat MS

News

The European Patent Office granted a patent for IMP761, Immutep‘s experimental antibody to be used in treating inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). IMP761 targets a receptor ... Read more

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

Impact of Gut Microbiota in MS More Complex Than Thought, Study Shows

News

The presence of a particular gut bacterium widely used in probiotics, called Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), was sufficient to increase disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis ... Read more

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

NanoStilbene Better Than Copaxone at Reducing MS Symptoms in Mouse Model

News

The nutritional supplement NanoStilbene, developed by Therapeutic Solutions International, worked better to reduce neurological damage and disease symptoms in an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) than the market-leading ... Read more

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

Immune Cells’ Ability to Clear Myelin Debris Is Potential Therapeutic Approach for MS, Mouse Study Shows

News

Oral administration of trehalose — a sugar molecule found in plants and fungi and reported to have neuroprotective effects — eased symptoms and halted disease progression in a mouse ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

Aslan Pharmaceuticals to Develop Aslan003 for Autoimmune Conditions

News

Aslan Pharmaceuticals announced it will develop Aslan003, a potent and highly selective next-generation modulator of the immune system, as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

Majority of MS Patients in US Report Mistreatment by Caregivers in Survey

News

In a nationwide survey of caregiver abuse and neglect among Americans with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS), more than half of respondents reported some form of mistreatment, with psychological and financial abuse ... Read more

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020

Eli Lilly Aquires Disarm, Will Develop SARM1 Program for Axonal Degeneration

News

Eli Lilly has reached an agreement to acquire Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a new class of disease-modifying treatments for patients with axonal degeneration, including those with multiple ... Read more

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020

Variation in Given Gene May Raise Depression Risk Among MS Patients

News

A genetic variant may make depression more likely in certain people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than others, a genome-wide study in patients indicates. The study, “Depression in multiple sclerosis patients associated with ... Read more

October 16, 2020October 16, 2020

Helius to Survey MS Users of Emilyn App in US With Gait Problems for PoNS Device

News

Helius Medical Technologies partnered with Breakthrough Health on a project focused on understanding how people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. evaluate the therapies at their disposal in terms of how ... Read more

October 16, 2020October 16, 2020

Mayzent Approved for Active SPMS Patients in England and Wales

News

Mayzent (siponimod) has become the first oral medication to be approved for people with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in England and Wales. Following this decision by England’s ... Read more

October 15, 2020October 16, 2020

New Immune Cells Therapy Found to Suppress MS Symptoms in EAE Mice

News

Scientists developed a new therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) that prevents immune cells from exiting the lymph nodes and entering the spinal cord of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis ... Read more

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

Mayzent Approved for Active Secondary Progressive MS in Scotland

News

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved Mayzent (siponimod) for the treatment of active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in Scotland. Mayzent, developed by Novartis, is a tablet taken ... Read more

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020

Aubagio’s Long-term Benefits Not Influenced by Prior Treatments, Review Finds

News

Prior treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) does not affect the long-term benefits of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The ... Read more

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020

Caregivers of Youth With MS, Other Ills Invited to Survey on Mental Health

News

Access to mental health services for children with a rare disease or other medical or mental health disorder is the focus of an online survey by therapists at Children’s ... Read more

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020

Risk Factors for Unemployment in People With MS Identified in Study

News

Factors related to disease and personality, as well as specific health-related behaviors, are among the main determinants that can put people with multiple sclerosis (MS) at risk of unemployment, ... Read more

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020

Human Placental Extract Effectively Treats MS Symptoms in Mouse Study

News

Human placental extract eased clinical symptoms, inflammation, and weight and myelin loss in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported.  Its researchers proposed that placental extracts ... Read more

October 12, 2020October 12, 2020

Metabolic Changes Relating to MS Onset, Progression Focus of Study

News

A $957,000 grant will support research at the University at Buffalo into events that precede the onset of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, the funding by the U.S. Army Medical Research and ... Read more

October 12, 2020October 12, 2020

Compounds Targeting Inflammatory C-reactive Protein Under Study in Australia

News

A search is on for an anti-inflammatory treatment targeting the C-reactive protein — CRP, a biomarker of inflammation produced by the liver — of possible use in a wide variety of conditions, including ... Read more

October 9, 2020October 20, 2020

Almost Half of US MS Patients Surveyed Report Using Cannabis for Nerve Pain, Sleep

News

In a nationwide survey of cannabis-based therapy use among Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS), almost half of respondents endorsed such products, primarily for nerve-based pain and sleep disturbances, and ... Read more

October 9, 2020October 19, 2020

Simple Sugar Molecule May Be Potential Myelin-repairing Therapy for MS

News

Oral administration of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) — a natural simple sugar sold as a dietary supplement — prevents myelin degeneration and loss of motor function in a mouse model of multiple ... Read more

October 8, 2020October 8, 2020

Health Canada Approves Oral Zeposia for Adults With RRMS

News, Zeposia

Health Canada has approved Zeposia (ozanimod), an oral daily treatment for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in the country. Approval does not assure that Zeposia will be available to ... Read more

October 8, 2020October 9, 2020

FDA Approves Lupin’s Generic Form of Tecfidera for MS Treatment

News

Lupin‘s generic equivalent of Tecfidera has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced in a press release. The ... Read more

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Differences Found in Brain Connectivity in RRMS Patients During Visual Task

News

Connectivity between parts of the brain related to vision and attention is altered in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), both during rest and while actively engaged in a ... Read more

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Rituximab Seen to Affect How B-cells Return After Treatment Stops

News

Rituximab, an investigational B-cell depletion therapy that target CD20 to treat people with multiple sclerosis (MS), has significant effects on the characteristics of B-cells that return after treatment is stopped, ... Read more

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020

Hypertension Quite Common Among MS Patients in US, Study Finds

News

Hypertension is considerably more common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States than among those without the disease, a large data study reported. High blood pressure ... Read more

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020

Pathway and Its Proteins Found to Control Myelin Repair, Renewal

News

A pathway controlled by three proteins — Daam2, Nedd4, and VHL — was identified by researchers as a key regulator of myelin production during central nervous system development and regeneration ... Read more

October 5, 2020October 5, 2020

Gilenya and Tecfidera Similarly Effective at Treating RRMS, Real-world Study Says

News

Gilenya (fingolimod) and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) are similarly effective at lowering the frequency of relapses and delaying disability progression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a real-world study ... Read more

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020

Children With MS Do Well at School Despite Challenges, Danish Study Finds

News

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) perform as well at school as healthy peers, but are more challenged in their mental health and make greater use of healthcare services, according ... Read more

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020

MS Patients Should Avoid ‘Silver’ Tooth Fillings Due to Mercury, FDA Advises

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are among the high-risk groups advised to avoid dental amalgams — silver-colored fillings that are 50% mercury — under new recommendations issued by the U.S. Food and Drug ... Read more

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

$373K Grant to Support Discovery of Remyelinating Compounds for MS

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has awarded a two-year, $373,000 Fast Forward grant to researchers at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine to identify compounds best able to replace ... Read more

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

#MSVirtual2020 – Disability Level and DMT Use Don’t Raise COVID-19 Risk, UK Study Finds

Covid-19, News

When safety measures like isolation are in place, neither disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use nor greater physical disability appear to heighten the risk of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) contracting ... Read more

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

Iron Deficiency May Be Linked to Depression and Poorer Life Quality

News

Low blood levels of ferritin — the main form of iron stored in cells — are significantly associated with more severe depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life in ... Read more

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

#MSVirtual2020 – Rituximab, Ocrevus Linked to Higher Risk of Worse COVID-19 Outcomes

Covid-19, News

The use of certain disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) such as rituximab and Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), which lower the number of a patient’s immune B-cells, may increase the odds of developing a more severe COVID-19 disease course ... Read more

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020

FDA Approves Generic of Tecfidera for Adults With Relapsing MS

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cipla’s dimethyl fumarate capsules, a generic version of Biogen’s Tecfidera, to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more