February 22, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD New Compound, BIIB074, May Ease Trigeminal Neuralgia Pain with Fewer Side Effects, Study Says Treatment with a compound called BIIB074 shows promise in reducing pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia ā a Ā condition that occasionallyĀ affects multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ā with few side effects, a new clinical trial finds. The Swiss study, āSafety and efficacy of a Nav1.7 selective sodium channel blockerĀ in Titrigeminal neuralgia:…
February 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ACTRIMS2017 – Phase 2 Trial Data Shows Better Walking Speeds in MS Patients Using ADS-5102 Results from aĀ Phase 2 proof-of-concept studyĀ ofĀ ADS-5102Ā (amantadineĀ HCl), showing that multiple sclerosis patients givenĀ the extended-release oral treatment improved their walking speed, will be presentedĀ at ACTRIMS 2017Ā this week. Findings in theĀ poster, āA Phase 2 Study of ADS-5102 (amantadine hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules in Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Walking Impairment,ā…
February 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Stem Cell Transplants of Greatest Benefit to RMS Patients at Earlier Disease Stages, Study Says Stem cell transplants are most effectiveĀ if doneĀ in young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in early disease stages, who have not gone through several rounds of other treatments, according to a large study that followed transplant patients for more than five years. Study results alsoĀ found that people with relapsing MS are much…
February 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ozanimod Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Rate, Phase 3 Trial Shows A Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of ozanimod (RPC-1063) in patients withĀ relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS)Ā shows treatment reduced the disease’s annualized relapse rate (ARR), researchers reported. The Phase 3 SUNBEAM trial (NCT02294058)Ā testedĀ ozanimod, anĀ oral, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 (S1PR1) and 5 (S1PR5) receptor modulator designed to…
February 20, 2017 News by Charles Moore #ACTRIMS2017 – Forum for MS Research and Treatment Opens Feb. 23 in Orlando The second annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), aĀ forumĀ for clinicians, researchers and other MS specialists to network and discussĀ theĀ Ā latest advances in MS research and treatment is set forĀ Feb. 23ā25. This year’s meeting takes placeĀ at theĀ Omni ChampionsGateĀ resort hotel in Orlando, Florida.Ā Multiple Sclerosis News…
February 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Fitness Trainer and MS Patient, Dolly Stokes, Launch BFitLifestyles Website with Husband Dolly Stokes, a fitness trainer andĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patient,Ā and her husband, Jeff Stokes, have launched the website for their fitness and wellness company,Ā BFitLifestyles, providing information on how to live an active and healthy life. The Stokes, owners of three fitness-related companies in Fairhope, Alabama ā DollyBFitness, BFitLifestyles, and Stokes…
February 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD BpiFrance Awards PathMaker Grant to Develop MyoRegulator, Device to Treat Spasticity The French economic promotionĀ agencyĀ BpifranceĀ has awarded Boston-basedĀ PathMaker NeurosystemsĀ a grant to finance theĀ development of itsĀ MyoRegulator, a noninvasiveĀ neurotherapy technology to treatĀ conditions linked toĀ neural pathway disruption, includingĀ neuromotor spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Through the Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir (PIA-1), an investment program offered by Bpifrance, the Ā grant ā whose…
February 16, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Researchers Test Medical Cannabis as Treatment for MS-Linked Neuropathic Pain Canadian researchers are testing mice to see if cannabinoid oil products ā a common medical marijuana treatment ā could help alleviate the neuropathic painĀ thatĀ often afflictsĀ patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The preclinical study, āIdentifying the molecular mechanisms involved in supressing multiple sclerosis induced neuropathic pain following cannabinoid treatment in…
February 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AARDA Launches Registry to Help Link MS Patients, Researchers The world’s first registry for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā and other autoimmune diseases (ADs) has gone online, to honorĀ National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month in March. The Autoimmune Research Network (ARNet) is a creation of the Michigan-based American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA),Ā which isĀ collaborating with the National Coalition of…
February 15, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA OKs Bioness’ Electrical-stimulation Rehabilitation Device for Gait Impairment The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use ofĀ Bionessā L300 Go System electrical-stimulation rehabilitation device for multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients and others with walking impairment. It is the first electrical stimulation deviceĀ to offer 3D motion detection of gait and muscle activation, the company says. The L300…
February 15, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Gilenya Could Help Treat SPMS by Countering Astrocytes, Study Says Gilenya (fingolimod)Ā a multiple sclerosis (MS) drug developed to target the immune system and control inflammation, can also reduce the negative action of astrocytes, further controlling inflammation, says a new study. The article, āSphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor Modulation Suppresses Pathogenic Astrocyte Activation and Chronic Progressive CNS Inflammation,ā appeared in the…
February 14, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Compound, ST266, May Prevent Optic Neuritis Linked to Multiple Sclerosis Researchers have tested a new compound called ST266 in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) and found that itsĀ anti-inflammatory properties prevent the loss of cells related toĀ optic neuritis ā a condition that leads to vision loss. The study, āIntranasal Delivery of aĀ Novel Amnion Cell Secretome Prevents…
February 14, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cladribine Tablets Reduce Brain Atrophy in MS Patients, Merck Study Finds EMD SorenoĀ has recently published Phase 3 clinical data showing that CladribineĀ tablets reduced the annualized rate of brain volume loss (BVL, brain atrophy) compared toĀ placebo in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study, āReduced brain atrophy rates are associated with lower risk of disability progression…
February 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Tongue Stimulation Could Give MS Patients Better Rehabilitation Outcomes, Study Suggests Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients given gentleĀ electrical stimulation to their tongues during physical and cognitive rehabilitation training benefited more than those who did not have the stimulation,Ā a small pilot study demonstrated. Those who received the weak stimulation had significant improvements in balance and better scores than controls in cognition and other…
February 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD LiveWiseMS: A New Online Resource for People Living with MS AĀ new online resource, LiveWiseMS.org, aims toĀ raise awareness about multiple sclerosis (MS) and provide patients and caregivers information about the disease’sĀ symptoms and conditions.Ā The platform, developed by the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses (IOMSN), hopes toĀ promote healthy living and improve quality of life for MS patients and their families.
February 10, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD People with Chronic Diseases Support Obamacare More Than General Public, Survey Finds PeopleĀ with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other chronic diseases value the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) more than the general public, concludesĀ a poll conducted by PatientsLikeMe. These patients are also less inclined to repeal Obamacare, and they are more likely to believe Obamacare needs fewĀ changes to…
February 10, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Regular Massage Therapy Eases Pain and Fatigue of MS, Small Study Reports Regular massage therapy given peopleĀ withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā significantly reduced their pain and fatigue, and helped to ease spasticity, a small pilot studyĀ reports. The results further support previousĀ findingsĀ as to the benefits of massage in treatingĀ MS symptoms and improving patients’ quality of life. The study, āImpact of Massage Therapy on Fatigue,…
February 9, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Component of Traditional Medicinal Herb Improves Symptoms in MS Mouse Model, Study Shows Paeoniflorin (PF), a herb component used in Chinese medicine, improved symptoms and reduced inflammation in a mouse model that recapitulates the human features of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, āPaeoniflorin Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis via Inhibition of Dendritic Cell Function and Th17 Cell Differentiationā, appearedĀ in the journal…
February 9, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Shoe Insoles Meant to Make Walking Easier for MS Patients to Be Tested in Australia A specialty shoe insole that mayĀ helpĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients walk and go about their daily lives with more assurance and ease was developedĀ by an Australian-led research team, which is now seeking 176 patientsĀ to test the insoleĀ in a three-month trial. The study is led by Anna Hatton, a physiotherapy professor…
February 8, 2017 News by admin Obesity and Early Start of Puberty Linked to Greater Likelihood of MS in Study of Teens Obesity in early adolescence poses a risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) regardless of sex, and an earlier age at puberty also contributes to MS onset at younger ages, especially inĀ overweight teenagers, a study reports. These findings were in the study, āDistinct…
February 8, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD First Multiple Sclerosis Blood Biomarker Discovered; Test May Soon Be Available Scientists have discovered the first blood biomarkerĀ for multiple sclerosis (MS) āĀ a chemical identifier in the blood. The discovery should lead to a simple blood test that makes it quicker and easier to follow the course of MS, a debilitating disease of the central nervous system affecting aroundĀ 2.3 million people…
February 7, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD 95% of MS Patients Open to Marijuana Treatment, 73% Have Tried It Ninety-five percent ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients believe medical marijuana should be a treatment option, according to aĀ GeneFoĀ online survey. The survey also showed that almost 73 percent had tried it, even though about half said they hadn’t received information from a doctor about its benefits and risks. A National…
February 7, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Natural Variations in Interleukin-16 Gene Linked to MS Risk in Small Study Small natural variations within the DNA sequence of the gene for interleukin-16 (IL-16) wereĀ linked toĀ anĀ increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) in a small group of Iranian patients. The study, āThe Association of Interleukin-16 Gene Polymorphisms with IL-16 Serum Levels and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis,ā was published in…
February 6, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Researchers Identify Gene Regions with High Levels of Proteins Linked to MS A genome-wide study has identified DNA regions associated with higher levels of circulating cytokines, small proteins that pay aĀ role in inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Alterations in the levels and interplay of cytokines and growth factors play a key role in several inflammatory diseases, including MS.Ā Cytokines help regulate…
February 6, 2017 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD Switching From Gilenya to Lemtrada Seen to Trigger Disease Activity in Some MS Patients Switching from Gilenya (fingolimod) to Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) triggers significant and unexpected disease activity in some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in the scientific journal Neurology Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation.
February 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD How MS Patients Judge Their Treatments Differs from Doctors’ Views, Study Reports Considerable differences exist in how multiple sclerosis patients, healthcare providers and insurance companies assess the value of current MS treatments, according to a literature review study by the data analysis firmĀ Real Endpoints. ForĀ the study, a team of clinicians and researchers looked at more thanĀ 300 research articles, covering topics like…
February 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Clinical Trial Supports Stem Cell Transplants to Treat RMS Patients with High Disease Activity A newly concluded clinical trialĀ gives scientificĀ evidence of the benefits that a stem cell transplantĀ holds forĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who fail to respond toĀ medicationsĀ ā withĀ researchers calling the procedureĀ a reasonable option for thoseĀ with high disease activity. Five years after the treatment ā high-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed byĀ autologous hematopoietic cell transplant ā furtherĀ disease…
February 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New tDCS Devices May Boost Cognition in MS ā But Don’t Use One at Home Without Guidance Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) while playing brain-training video games improved their learning and understanding skillsĀ to a greater extent than those who only brain-trained. Researchers atĀ NYU Langone’s Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center underscored that while more research is needed to explore the procedure’s…
February 2, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Computer-assisted Therapy Found to Benefit MS Patients with Cognitive Difficulties Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are showing signs of cognitive impairment mayĀ benefit from computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation programs, according to a new study. Difficulties with short-term memory, or withĀ processing informationĀ and concentrating, are believed toĀ affect 40% to 65% of MS patients.Ā Studies have suggested that cognitive rehabilitation may help, and thatĀ computer-assisted therapy used…
February 2, 2017 News by admin Long-term Treatment with Gilenya Found to Limit Lesions, Relapses in Japanese MS Patients Continuous treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod)Ā helps limit relapses and detectable lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a three-year, follow-upĀ studyĀ in Japan. The results confirmĀ the findings of trials conducted in predominantly Caucasian populations. The findings were reported in the study, āLong-term efficacy and safety of fingolimod in…