News

Long-term observations together with mathematical modeling present a way of predicting the likely disability trajectory of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The approach was outlined in a presentation, titled “Long-term disability trajectories in primary progressive MS patients – a latent class growth analysis,” given at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), held in London…

A high fraction of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who underwent a transplant with their own bone marrow stem cells after immunosupression therapy, show no signs of disease activity after treatment, according to a new study. The results were presented in a talk, “Clinical experience in aggressive multiple sclerosis treatment with…

On the second day of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress Sept. 14-17 in London, researchers shared their views on bone marrow transplants for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The debate, “Bone marrow transplantation is a justifiable treatment for active relapsing…

Interventions that aim to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ participation in physical activities need to take into account psychosocial constructs, such as their belief in their abilities and their expectations as to outcomes, in order to succeed. The finding, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS)…

Researchers found that blocking a protein, known as integrin alpha 8, may work to prevent inflammation in the central nervous system of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The results were revealed in an oral presentation, “Integrin alpha8 is a novel mediator of T lymphocyte migration across the CNS barriers,” at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee…

Immune activity in brain membranes may be the key to determining inflammatory profiles in the brain. These profiles, in turn, are linked to levels of brain gray matter damage, and to disability, in both early and later stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers behind the study, which was presented during the Parallel…

Two presentations at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress, now underway in London, underscored the value of measures of neurodegeneration in the eye in predicting a patient’s future disability. Peter Calabresi with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine opened the session with the presentation, “Tools for…

Immune cells, believed to drive autoimmunity, are selectively increased in the gut of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), along with lower numbers of cells controlling inflammation, suggesting that immune processes in the gut impact MS disease mechanisms. The study, “The role of gut immunity in multiple sclerosis patients,”…

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other demyelinating conditions experience psychiatric disorders more often than other kids, and  mental health professionals need to be involved early in their care so that those with these disorders are identified and treated early, a new study reported. Data from the study, “Risks of…

Leustatin (cladribine) tablets, an investigational drug, were shown to be effective at reducing annual relapse rates, not only in MS patients, but also in patients with a first demyelinating event who later converted to a clinically defined multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The results were shared in a presentation titled “Cladribine tablets in the ORACLE-MS…

Montel Williams, a Naval Academy graduate diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1999 , recently announced the launch of a line of high-quality medical cannabis products under the brand name LenitivLabs by Lenitiv Scientific. The former television host and wellness advocate has been particularly vocal when it comes to support the use of medical…

Two renowned multiple sclerosis (MS) specialists shared their opposing views regarding the use of escalation or induction treatment for newly diagnosed MS patients. The debate was at the Hot Topic 1 Session of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress, now taking place in London through…

Positive new data from Phase 3 clinical trials assessing Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) as a treatment for both relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) were recently announced by Roche, the company responsible for marketing and developing this investigational therapy. The results are being presented at the 32nd Congress of the…

Scientists recently reported additional mechanisms of action that may underlie Gilenya (fingolimod) beneficial effects in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The results were in an oral presentation, “Fingolimod therapy modulates B cell functions: reduces CXCR4-mediated migration and increases B cell -mediated anti-inflammatory cytokine profile,” given at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment…

In a recent talk, titled “Income and cognitive impairment among multiple sclerosis patients,” scientists investigated how cognitive impairment impacts the life of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and reported significant differences in income that correlated with levels of MS-cognitive deficit. These findings were recently presented at the 32nd Congress of the European Committee for…

Genes that encode what are called “complement” immune factors are linked to the breakdown of the retina in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients — a measure that, in turn, predicts brain damage and loss of eyesight. The study, a joint effort between researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,…

In a session titled “Challenges for care and research in MS outside Europe and North America” at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress Sept. 14-17 in London, researchers from Latin America shared the obstacles of scientists and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) care and research is lagging behind in the Middle East compared to countries in Europe and North America, according to research presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress taking place in London through Sept. 17. Two presentations in a session titled “…

Researchers from Oryzon will present efficacy data on the company’s oral epigenetic drug ORY-2001, a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress taking place this week in London. The poster presentation, “LSD1 inhibition, a potential epigenetic therapeutic approach for the…

Danish children of parents with multiple sclerosis (MS) are not hampered in their educational efforts by illness in the home, according to a study finding these children earned higher grades than their peers through elementary and into their high school years. The study, “Children of parents with multiple sclerosis attain higher…

Katerina Akassoglou, PhD, a Gladstone Institutes senior investigator, has been awarded a multiyear, $5.8 million career grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) for her work on neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The Gladstone Institutes is a nonprofit community of scientists, affiliated with the…

A new study from France delves further into the life of multiple sclerosis (MS) caregivers and how they are perceived by MS patients, physicians, and the caregivers themselves. The report, “EVASEP: A Noninterventional Study Describing the Perception of Neurologists, Patients, and Caregivers on Caregivers’ Role in the Support…

Here is my Pick of the Week’s News, as published in Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Breast Cancer Therapy, Tamoxifen, May Promote Myelin Repair in MS Remyelination could be a new role in MS therapy for a drug that has been used to treat breast cancer for some…

At the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress, taking place in London on Sept. 14–17, Biogen will present the Multiple Sclerosis Cost of Illness study, based on research into more than 16,000 MS patients throughout Europe. The study builds on data from a leading 2005 study that…

MicroRNAs present in the blood show promise as potential biomarkers of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The study, titled “Comprehensive Evaluation Of Serum MicroRNAs As Biomarkers In Multiple Sclerosis,” was published by Keren Regev, MD, and colleagues in the journal Neurology. Human DNA contains…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) recently announced that five university students — either diagnosed with or affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) — were the 2016 recipients of scholarships worth up to $350,000 in tuition and other school-related expenses. All five winners will receive the support throughout the four years of their undergraduate degrees, which are…

Alvogen recently announced the launch of Remurel (glatiramer acetate) in Central and Eastern Europe, making it the first generic equivalent of Copaxone  to be clinically validated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Europe. European health authorities determined that Remurel 20 mg was the therapeutic equivalent…

Patients with a number of common conditions — some neurological and some autoimmune, but others not — are being mistakenly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) because of difficulties in correctly determining this disease and, possibly, pressure to begin treatment early in the disease’s course, according to a recent study published in the…

The 32nd annual congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, widely referred to as ECTRIMS, will kick off on Wednesday, Sept. 14, in London. The four-day event is partnering this year with the Annual Conference of Rehabilitation in MS  (RIMS), the European network for best…

Scientists at Russia’s Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) and Siberian State Medical University (SSMU), both in Tomsk, have developed a diagnosis system for neurodegenerative diseases in the early stages. The system uses virtual reality (VR) technology to immerse a subject in a virtual environment during functional tests designed to detect early symptoms of…