News

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…

Selexis has entered into a commercial arrangement with ImmuNext, providing that company with access to research cell banks from its SURE technology Platform (a best-in-class cell line development technology). ImmuNext will use the cell banks in further developing its anti-CD40 ligand antibody, a potential therapeutic agent for chronic autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis…

I live in a part of the country with beautiful green forests, mountains, abundant freshwater, and saltwater.  If you have seven hours to spare, you can drive across the state and experience desert, orchard, mountain, alpine meadow, rainforest, and the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful land also comes with some…

Columbia Care announced the launch of its line of pills for medical marijuana — calling it the first controlled-dose, pharmaceutical-quality and solid-fill medical cannabinoid capsule available to people with prescriptions for medical marijuana use in the U.S. The New York State Department of Health recently approved the capsule line, in…

Posture control is a complex skill, requiring different areas of the nervous system to work well and to work together — but the damage caused by multiple sclerosis complicates such nervous system multi-tasking, leading to postural problems and the well-established tendency for MS patients to fall. Several neurological systems are known…

CannaCure Florida, a patient-focused producer of medical cannabis and related products, will host physicians and medical professionals for a peer-to-peer medical cannabis educational conference Nov. 18 in Tampa to provide guidance for incorporating medical cannabis into traditional medical practices. The event will be held 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cuban…

The 2016 Fritz Krauth Award was given by the Paralyzed Veterans of America to Dr. Sarah Moyon, a researcher focusing on ways to understand and treat symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and those of the spine. The award ceremony took place at Cleveland, Ohio, at the bi-annual board meeting of…

A study found that the cells responsible for the production of myelin selectively introduce a myelin-insulating layer in a particular set of neuronal axons in the brain’s white matter. This represents a step forward in the basic mechanisms that may underlie neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, a newly developed method…

Researchers have discovered that a type of immune molecule — called “spliced epitopes,” once believed to be very rare  — in fact makes up a large part of the molecules labeling cells as belonging to the body, and those that are invaders. The finding may well change our understanding of multiple…

A genome-wide analysis of over 110,000 people allowed researchers with the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) to discover 200 genetic loci (the position of genes on a chromosome) that are common to people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings were given in the presentation, “200 loci complete the genetic puzzle of multiple sclerosis,” by Dr. Nikolaos…

Damaging immune system defects seen in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be repaired using a simple stem cell approach, according to a new study by researchers in China and the U.S. The study, “Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reversed The Suppressive Deficiency Of T Regulatory Cells From Peripheral Blood Of…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with more advanced disease, as evidenced by disability, and those more frequent relapses or aversion to needles are among the groups of people at higher risk of discontinuing Betaferon (interferon beta-1b) treatment, researchers report. These findings may help to alert clinicians to those least likely to adhere to…