News

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…

Tamoxifen (brand name, Nolvadex), a widely used treatment for breast cancer, can also be used to treat myelin loss in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The finding, by a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge, U.K., was published in a study titled “…

A study exploring the difficulties parents experience when their child develops multiple sclerosis (MS) found that more support and education — from healthcare and school staff, as well as by parents themselves — is key to easing the burden of a child or teenager with this disease. The study, “Parents’…

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced that nominations are now being accepted for the Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research. The award aims to stimulate new and potentially groundbreaking research into progressive multiple sclerosis (MS),  and the Foundation expects to distribute to $4 million in grants over five years, supporting the…

Paralyzed Veterans of America recently held its annual health conference, called 2016 Summit + EXPO, focused on the latest research and discoveries in patient care for diseases that span multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury or disease to  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This year was the sixth such summit, held Aug. 30–Sept. 1 in Orlando, Florida,…

To reach tissues infected with foreign agents, neutrophils, the body’s first line of defense, need to travel through vessel walls — and do so by switching on a class of adhesion receptors, called integrins, that bind to other adhesion molecules at the surface of the capillary walls. Now, in a recent paper published…

More than 900 people biked through the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, late last month, raising money for the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) all-around. The 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike,  the largest cycling-related fundraising event in North America, was an outstanding success —  surpassing…

Multiple sclerosis patients are at risk of developing lymphopenia, or abnormally low levels of immune defense white blood cells, called lymphocytes, according to a study that investigated lymphocyte counts in people with relapsing MS both before and after the start of treatment. The study, “Lymphopenia in treatment-naive relapsing multiple…

Previous studies have pointed toward certain lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sedentary behavior, and stress as possible key determinants in multiple sclerosis (MS) progression but few studies have been dedicated to learning more about the impact of lifestyle risk factors on patient disability and disease progression. A recent study supports the…

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals announced that it has received an Intent to Grant notice from the European Patent Office (EPO) regarding a patent for its proprietary molecule Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a potential therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) designed to promote remyelination. The patent will cover the use of Tβ4 in a composition for treating or reducing…

The European Patent Office has released a Notice of Intention to Grant a new patent to support RHB-104 as a therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). RHB-104 is being developed  by RedHill Biopharma. Patents covering the use of RHB-104 exist in over 25 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, and in…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated TG-1101 (ublituximab), a glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody by TG Therapeutics, an orphan drug to advance its development. The drug is a potential treatment for neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), two relapsing-remitting autoimmune diseases with similarities to multiple sclerosis. Currently, there are…

  Here’s my Pick of the Week’s News, as published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Cell Therapy Promotes Remyelination in Mice Now this is different, using umbilical cord stem cells. A cell therapy product derived from human umbilical cord blood cells may be…

The Government of New Brunswick added  Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), by Sanofi Genzyme, to the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) through special authorization for eligible patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). New Brunswick joins other Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Manitoba, in making this treatment available to RRMS patients, ages 18 and older, who have had…

Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who were treated with BAF312 (siponimod), a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) inhibitor, in a Phase 3 clinical trial showed a  significantly reduced risk for disability progression compared to placebo, Novartis recently announced. BAF312 is a selective modulator of specific types of the S1P receptor. This receptor is…

The Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC)  announced that this year’s 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike, a fundraising bike ride on roads alongside St. Lawrence River, will take place Aug. 27 and 28 in the Mauricie region. A total of 900 cyclists are set to participate in…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society  announced that it has dedicated more than $1 million to support a clinical study at the University of Iowa that will compare two types of diet and their effectiveness in easing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). “The National MS Society is committed to identifying wellness solutions to…

Health Canada has approved Teva Canada Innovation‘s three-time weekly 40 mg/mL injection of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) that allows less frequent dosing for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The approval was grounded primarily on data resulting from the Phase 3 Glatiramer Acetate Low-Frequency Administration (GALA) study, the largest Copaxone clinical…

An innovation in multiple sclerosis (MS) research has been launched by the iConquerMS initiative — a longitudinal, prospective study called “REAL MS,” an acronym for “Research Engagement About Life with Multiple Sclerosis,” with a goal of accelerating research into personalized treatments for MS patients. This type of study collects repeat…

Multiple sclerosis seems to be less severe in people with higher levels of the minor adult hemoglobin variant A2 (HbA2) in their blood, according to a team of Turkish researchers. This could be due to this variant having a higher protective effect on the red blood cell membrane. The authors speculate that HbA2 could therefore be playing a role in reducing long-term neural injury in MS.

People with relapsing multiple sclerosis who use a device called RebiSmart (Merck Serono) to self-inject medications like Rebif (interferon [IFN] beta-1a) are more likely to take their therapies on a regular schedule and adhere to that schedule, resulting in fewer relapses than those not using the device, according to a retrospective study by  researchers…

In the two years following my diagnosis, I had many bouts of chest pain, breathing difficulties, and sharp stomach pains. I worried that some other terrible illness was right around the corner. Four EKGs, three ultrasounds, two pulmonary function tests, and one colonoscopy later I had a surprisingly good bill…

A new video series for multiple sclerosis patients in the U.S. looks to help them better understand the complex legal and planning issues they face. The series, put together by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and Stetson University College of Law, in consultation with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is…

General practitioners (GPs) in England lack confidence in initially assessing and referring onward people with neurological symptoms, especially those with multiple sclerosis, and believe they could benefit from better training in identifying and managing neurological patients. One result, according to a report published by the Neurological Alliance, titled “Neurology and primary care: improving the…