News

In a cross-sectional study, researchers found that sexual dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to fatigue and depression. Treating these factors and identifying their causes is a potential strategy to treat the problem. The study, “Sexual function in multiple sclerosis and associations with demographic, disease…

Voters in four U.S. states on Nov. 8 chose to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and those in three other states approved the medicinal use of cannabis — all gains for pharmaceutical and other companies designing cannabis-based therapies for people with long-term chronic ills whose symptoms might be helped with these…

Researchers have discovered that glial cells can also participate in pain sensation and enhance it in several disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “Gliogenic LTP spreads widely in nociceptive pathways,” was published in the journal Science. Our sensation of pain is processed in the brain…

Advances in brain imaging are making it possible to visualize early and ongoing events in multiple sclerosis (MS) — beginning with the first signs of inflammation caused by immune cells entering the brain. Should the new technique become available to physicians, it likely will not only allow for more precise diagnoses, but…

Chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) not only impact patients, they also inspire fear among healthy people who may be at risk of the disease. In a new study, researchers found that the availability of multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies provides “peace of mind” value to currently healthy individuals, particularly when…

In general, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) choose their disease-modifying drug (DMD) treatment based on considerations of effectiveness and potential side effects. But the weight they assign to these considerations can differ widely, making it important they are part of treatment decisions, especially regarding DMDs. These findings are in the report, “Identification and…

Despite recent studies showing that treatment with Ampyra (Fampyra in Europe; fampridine) improves both walking speed and ability, and offers psychological benefits to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently decided to not recommend the drug for use on the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland.

People with late-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to more rapidly rise in disability scores than younger patients with early onset MS, according to study in MS patients in Kuwait that compared their scores during follow-up consultations. Typically, the first symptoms of  multiple sclerosis occur between the ages of 18 and 40, with…

Researchers in Russia found for a first time an association between variants in GAL, a gene that codes for the galanin protein, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Importantly, they also found that this association is sex specific. The study, “Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs948854 in human galanin gene and multiple sclerosis: a…

B-Temia announced the launch of its “b-Klinic Mobility” business unit, offering clinical services, information, training, and ongoing support to patients and healthcare professionals who use the company’s Keeogo walking assistive device. Keeogo is B-Temia’s first product in the class of dermoskeletons, designed to assist persons with mobility-related challenges that limit…

The British government announced on Oct. 31 that a new Personal Support Package will be available for people with health disabilities, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), ensuring they receive personalized health and employment support. A Green Paper – a government document for consultation – is available online to open…

In multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who do not respond to interferon-beta treatment, autoimmunity may depend on processes that differ from patients helped by this treatment— a finding that could lead both to better therapies and tests that predict a patient’s likely response. The study, “An interferon-β-resistant and NLRP3…

Researchers at McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Canada developed a new tool to diagnose cachexia — also called wasting syndrome. It’s characterized by weight loss, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and a significant loss of appetite in someone who is not trying to lose weight, mainly in cancer patients. The tool may also…

A cost-effectiveness analysis of reimbursement recommendations for four relatively new multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments made by agencies in four countries — Australia, Canada, Sweden, and the U.K. — found overwhelming support (88 percent) for either full or restricted reimbursement for each therapy. The analysis, performed by the Decision Resources Group, is…

Medical Marijuana announced that Axim Biotechnologies, a cannabinoid-based product developer in which it owns a strategic interest, has released a product pipeline chart highlighting development timelines for its cannabinoid-based therapeutics, including those for  multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The  chart illustrates the stage each drug is in, from preclinical testing to, eventually, applications for regulatory…

A variant in the TYK2 gene, which encodes an immune system protein, may work to protect people from autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), without overly depressing the body’s ability to fight opportunistic infections, researchers at the University of Oxford report. Their study, “Resolving TYK2 Locus Genotype-To-Phenotype Differences In Autoimmunity,” was published…

A large international research effort concluded that the geographical area where a person lives affects how early they will start showing symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and that people living in the more northern regions having the earliest disease onset. The age at which a person fell ill also was…

Dr. Daniel Reich, a researcher with the National Institutes of Health (NIH),  has been recognized for his pioneering work on brain imaging to advance both the treatment of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and scientific understanding of the disease. Reich, a neurologist, neuro-radiologist and neuroscientist, was awarded the 2016 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS…

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), a humanized monoclonal antibody, is able to remodel the immune responses of innate immune cells in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a recent study. This previously unreported phenotype may contribute to the benefits of the drug for RRMS patients. The study, “Alemtuzumab…

Immunization with molecules present specifically in myelin may be a new approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study that found that the mouse version of such molecules could stop ongoing disease processes in an MS mouse model. The study, “Targeting Non-classical Myelin Epitopes to Treat…

AXIM Biotech has closed on a private funding round that will enable it to continue clinical trials for a variety of conditions, including its pharmaceutical candidate MedChew Rx, a patented cannabinoid release chewing gum for treating pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS). According to a press release from SECFilings.com,…

Results from a Phase 2 clinical trial showed that treatment with Ampyra (prolonged-release fampridine) brought both physical and psychological benefits to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). These findings, from the MOBILE study (NCT01597297), were published under the title, “Prolonged-Release Fampridine Treatment Improved Subject-Reported Impact Of Multiple Sclerosis: Item-Level Analysis Of The…

The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, celebrating its 30th anniversary of serving the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, will host the Bourbon and Blues black tie gala on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.   Cocktail hour will start at 6:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. brings the…

Multiple sclerosis (MS), especially in premenopausal women, does  not seem to be associated with breast cancer, as suggested in previous studies, researchers reported. And, they argue, the higher incidences of this cancer in postmenopausal women with MS may be due more to surveillance bias than true risk. These findings were detailed in the study, “…

This is my Pick of the Week’s News, as published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Study of Myelin-producing Cells a Step Forward for MS, Other Neurological Disorders Isn’t it strange how often in the world of science, something of importance is found in an unconnected study? Here,…

GNS Healthcare is presenting a data-driven causal machine learning solution, called Efficacy to Effectiveness, designed to predict how potential therapies will actually perform in distinct populations. The data, being released today at ISPOR 2016, used pre-launch data from a study comparing Gilenya (fingolimod) and other multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies to build and validate causal models…

Helius Medical Technologies‘s Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS), a device being developed to treat neuroplasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases, has been recommended for ISO 13485 certification, an international standard of quality management for medical devices, after a positive evaluation by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA). This…

Changes in the composition of certain immune system cells may be associated with relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients being treated with Gilenya (fingolimod), according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study, “Altered T Cell Phenotypes Associated With Clinical Relapse Of Multiple Sclerosis Patients Receiving…

AXIM Biotechnologies  announced it has secured financing from private sources to continue its testing of medical cannabinoid products as potential treatments for multiple indications, including pain and spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, AXIM  is testing pharmaceutical delivery systems and active ingredients for its medical marijuana line. “This financing provides us with…

Getting more African-Americans and other minority groups to take part in clinical research into treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), and identifying and tackling continuing disparities in efforts that affect patient care, will be the focus of a project led by the nonprofit group Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis (ACP) and supported…