As multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses, the disease may reduce the number of mitochondrial DNA copies, suggesting the number of copies could serve as a biomarker for disease progression and response to treatment. That’s according to a genetic study involving data from thousands of patients of European ancestry. Mitochondria are…
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Quantum Biopharma intends to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this year for permission to start a Phase 2 clinical trial testing Lucid-21-302, its novel therapy for promoting myelin repair, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The company announced that it has completed dosing in a…
Elevated levels of two bacterial strains from the Lachnospiraceae family in the gut may be a key risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The study, “Multiple sclerosis and gut microbiota: Lachnospiraceae from the ileum of MS twins trigger MS-like disease in germfree…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new generic form of glatiramer acetate injection, a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) that was originally approved under the brand name Copaxone. The generic was developed by Zydus Lifesciences in collaboration with Chemi S.p.A.,…
In people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), levels of B-cells can help to predict the risk of progression independent of relapse activity, a new study reports. “Our results unveil a discernible relationship between the degree of B-cell depletion and disease progression in…
Worsening disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with a significantly greater likelihood of losing bone mineral density, which can lead to fractures, a study suggested. “This study provides first evidence for the association of disability worsening and bone density reduction in [people with MS] over a…
Injections of methotrexate into the spinal canal given every three months were safe and well tolerated, and helped adults with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) maintain stable disease levels for up to nine years. That’s according to data from a small, open-label Phase 1 clinical study (NCT02644044)…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) tend to have greater damage to major white matter tracts, or bundles of nerve fibers that connect different regions of the brain, a new study reports. The findings offer some insights into the biological processes that…
A 12-week program based on the Wim Hof method (WHM) — which combines cold exposure, breathing exercises, and mindfulness — was found to significantly ease cognitive fatigue, anxiety, and depression, as well as certain cognitive difficulties, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a pilot clinical study. According to…
Foralumab was well tolerated in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to data from a small, open-label study conducted under an expanded access program. The therapy, being developed by Tiziana Life Sciences, also eased fatigue and lessened disability in some participants. The promising findings formed…
Certain lesions in the spinal cords of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) show damage to nerve fibers despite having normal myelin, according to a study done on postmortem samples using powerful MRI scans paired with detailed tissue analyses. The identification of these lesions “provides a novel opportunity to detect…
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is investing more than $18 million in new grants and fellowships to support multiple sclerosis (MS) research aligned with its Pathways to Cures initiative, which seeks to stop MS progression, restore lost function, and prevent the disease. This latest round of funding…
May marks Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in Canada, and people across the country can take part in advocacy and fundraising activities to support the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. MS Canada‘s nationwide campaign urges people to participate in MS walks, parlay a hobby or passion into a fundraiser, share…
Wider rims of immune cells surrounding multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions in the brain and spinal cord are associated with faster disease progression, a new study shows. Monitoring this type of lesion may help track MS disease progression and measure how the disease is responding to treatment, and the…
Vidofludimus calcium, an experimental oral therapy from Immunic Therapeutics, reduced the risk of confirmed disability worsening and slowed brain shrinkage in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s according to top-line data from CALLIPER (NCT05054140), a Phase 2 clinical trial testing a daily dose of…
The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will host its 11th annual Improving Lives Benefit on May 14 to bring together members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, celebrate achievements, and raise support for the organization’s free programs and services. The fundraising event will take place at…
Octave Bioscience’s Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) test, which uses data from blood biomarkers to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity, is now available across all 50 U.S. states to help guide clinicians’ decisions about care. Octave said the test received certification from the New York State Clinical…
The thyroid hormone thyroxine, or FT4, may play an indirect role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), which seems to be mediated by certain immune cells, a study suggests. “Future investigations should explore how these immune cells modulate MS onset and progression in the context of thyroid…
A new machine learning tool, a form of artificial intelligence (AI), may accurately detect the transition from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) — and may be able to do so even earlier than clinicians can — a new study showed. According to the…
While a four-month progressive resistance training program improved muscle strength in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis  (SPMS) in the Netherlands, it did not significantly change their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a small study showed. Individual cardiovascular risk factors and 10-year risk estimation tools showed no significant changes…
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has awarded the Cleveland Clinic $6.7 million to identify optimal treatment strategies for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The funds will support the extension study of the multicenter DELIVER-MS (NCT03535298) clinical trial. The study is comparing two MS treatment approaches…
Bionxt Solutions is getting ready to launch a pilot clinical trial to test BNT23001, its sublingual (under-the-tongue) version of cladribine to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). The treatment would be an alternative to Mavenclad, the approved tablet form of cladribine. Bionxt‘s thin-film formulation quickly dissolves under the tongue,…
Intimacy and sexuality among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) will be the focus of this year’s Holistic Health and Wellness Forum for MS, presented by Yoga Moves MS — a U.S. program aiming to improve quality of life for those with neuromuscular conditions — on May 21 in Michigan…
Early treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) may help protect the cerebellum, a region of the brain that plays a key role in motor coordination, cognitive function, and emotional regulation, from damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggested. Data from the clinical studies that supported Ocrevus’ approval…
New diagnostic criteria and biomarkers, how to manage MS in older patients and children, and vaccine recommendations are among topics covered in a new set of guidelines for best practices in multiple sclerosis (MS) care. The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, a network of more than 15,000 clinicians…
Exercise programs that are culturally tailored to Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS) may help these patients engage in regular physical activity, according to an interview-based study. The patients surveyed also say they prefer exercise that’s performed three to five days per week, and led by a coach in community…
The healthcare costs of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) are high, according to a real-world study in Spain, and higher still for younger patients and those with severe disability who cannot walk unaided, even for short distances. On average, yearly costs for one patient amount to more than €41,000…
The risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) is significantly higher in people who carry a variant of the HLA gene called HLA-E*01:01 and have a history of infectious mononucleosis (mono), the manifestation of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, according to a study based on U.K. Biobank data. The higher…
An online training program for managing memory and cognitive difficulties may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The program, delivered entirely through virtual sessions, taught participants practical strategies to boost memory then guided them about using the techniques in real-world situations, such as organizing errands, planning…
Assessing multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity using Octave Bioscience’s MS Disease Activity (MSDA) blood biomarker test can help guide clinicians’ decisions about care, a study showed. “Our goal is to empower both providers and patients with precision tools that transform MS care,” Doug Biehn, CEO of Octave, said…