News

A virus known to cause respiratory infections in people — the human coronavirus (HCoV) — may also be the source of neurological diseases that strike patients, seemingly out of the blue, a new study reported. Results obtained in the study, “Human Coronavirus OC43 Associated with Fatal Encephalitis,” support the idea that diseases…

A researcher at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s School of Nursing and Midwifery found that the practice of mindfulness helps people with long-term medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, to manage their diagnosis. The study, “Starting where I am: a grounded theory exploration of mindfulness as a facilitator…

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the health authority for England and Wales, has decided not to recommend Zinbryta (daclizumab) be made available to multiple sclerosis (MS) patients through the country’s health service. The decision came in a first stage of the drug’s review process, and NICE is welcoming…

In a large prospective study with validated measures of physical activity, researchers found no evidence that exercise reduced a woman’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Although physical activity is known to have numerous health benefits, it seems unlikely to protect a person against the likelihood of developing MS, the study concludes. The study, published…

Actelion announced that it will investigate the therapeutic potential of a new, oral combination therapy with ponesimod and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) as a treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The Phase 3 clinical study, being conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aims to find…

A study published in the BMC Neurology journal emphasized that clear and regular communication between physicians and patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is essential for patient satisfaction with a given treatment, which could result in therapy persistence. Uwe Zettl and colleagues conducted the study, “Comparative evaluation of patients’…

In multiple sclerosis (MS), scientists have long believed that the body’s own immune system attacked myelin sheaths, the “insulating tape” that surrounds neurons, causing the disease. But researchers at Tel Aviv University are challenging that view, in a study reporting that MS may in fact be triggered by an instability inherent in the myelin membranes. The…

Exposure to heavy metals and being female are associated with a higher incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study conducted by Maria Cristina Monti and colleagues from two Italian universities. The study, “Is Geo-Environmental Exposure a Risk Factor for Multiple Sclerosis? A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study in South-Western Sardinia,” was…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has launched an initiative, called Make MS Medications Accessible, calling for change in the pricing of multiple sclerosis (MS) medications in the U.S., which the group said need to be more affordable, and ways of acquiring them more simple and transparent. The initiative asks leaders of all…

A new study shows that an enzyme called hyaluronidase may be effective in reducing muscle spasticity resulting from neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The results were published in a study titled “Human Recombinant Hyaluronidase Injections For Upper Limb Muscle Stiffness in Individuals With Cerebral Injury: A Case Series,”…

In its effort to end progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), the International Progressive MS Alliance (PMSA) has awarded a $6.1 million grant to fund a research project led by Dr. Douglas Arnold with the Montreal Neurological Institute Hospital (MNI) at McGill University. The multiyear grant is one of three…

Antioxidant-filled nanoparticles injected under the skin may become a future multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment that comes with a perk or a drawback, depending on how a patient sees it.  The injection leaves a temporary dark spot on the skin, resembling a tattoo. The tattoo might be a small issue considering…

How the multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) works on a molecular level has finally been uncovered, using a new method that can map a drug’s protein targets. The insights gained may open up new avenues for the development of more specific drugs, based on the same mechanisms, but with fewer side effects. The study,…

Active Biotech acknowledged in an update on laquinimod, the oral small molecule being developed by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington’s disease (HD), that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rescinded the special protocol assessment given to a Phase 3 study of the treatment in…

In a presentation at a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public hearing earlier this month, the chief scientific officer of StemGenex Medical Group, Steven A. Brody, MD, PhD, said succinctly: “Stem cells have arrived and have captivated the scientific and medical communities. With this excitement comes responsibility and with this…

Results from the ORATORIO trial, exploring Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for the treatment of primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), showed that the drug stopped disease progression for more than two years in more patients than a placebo. The findings, a highlight at the European Committee for Treatment and Research…

The International Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Alliance, a worldwide group of MS organizations that support research efforts, has awarded three, four-year grants — called Collaborative Network Awards, and worth $6 million each — to speed work into potential treatments for progressive MS. Found in about 15 percent of all initially diagnosed…

A newly discovered potential biomarker of multiple sclerosis (MS) may help to distinguish between people who will go on to have less severe disease and those in whom the disease will progress, researchers at Linköping University in Sweden report. The biomarker’s discovery came through an investigation into the immune system of MS…

Results from the extension period of a Phase 2 trial, assessing ozanimod as a potential treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, showed that the drug can effectively and safely improve clinical measures of RRMS after two years of treatment. The announcement was made by Celgene International Sàrl, a subsidiary of Celgene Corporation,…

Researchers showed that it could be possible to treat and cure inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) by injecting a single dose of biodegradable polymer particles containing myelin self-antigen into the lymph nodes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced policy changes designed to make information about clinical trials of investigational drugs, biologics and products more widely available to the public, issuing amended rules that specify the requirements for registering clinical trials and for submitting summary results to its ClinicalTrials.gov website. The…

A presentation at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress gave patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) a reason for optimism, as Novartis reported that siponimod (BAF312) reduced the risk of disability progression in a Phase 3 study of patients with secondary progressive (SP) MS.

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) as a first treatment option for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reduced relapse rates and disability progression throughout a study period of six years — although most patients received treatment only in the first two years. The study showed that Lemtrada has the potential to harness disease activity…

Autoimmune side effects during five years of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatment were generally not serious and mainly affected the thyroid, according to an analysis of patients in three large, Phase 3 clinical trials of the therapy. The data were presented at the Free Communications 1 session of the European Committee…

A recent study showed that after one year, the majority of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking oral Gilenya (fingolimod) therapy stuck with their treatment, while a large proportion of those using injectable disease-modifying drugs did not. The data, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016…

Accelerated Cure Project is still recruiting for its iConquerMS project, REAL MS, an already 3,000-strong patient-powered research network for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). REAL MS (Research Engagement About Life with Multiple Sclerosis) is a longitudinal research study, designed partly by MS patients themselves, intending to answer critical questions about individual experiences of living with MS from among a large and heterogeneous group…

Novartis recently announced positive results from the ACROSS study, which is assessing the clinical effect of Gilenya (fingolimod) in 10-year disability outcomes in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The results were presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Sept. 14-17 in London. The ACROSS study…

GeNeuro announced that it has reached — more quickly than expected — the halfway mark for patient enrollment in its Phase 2b study, CHANGE-MS, assessing GNbAC1 as a therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Patient recruitment is continuing at sites across Europe. The company also reported on the trial’s design in a poster presentation, “A placebo…

A recent study showed that the clinical benefits offered by Ampyra (fampridine) in improving mobility among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has clinical significance. The results were shown in an oral presentation, “Sustained clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability with prolonged-release fampridine: results from the placebo-controlled ENHANCE study,” at the European Committee for…

A five-year study comparing the efficacy of different treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) found that, in general, Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) and Tysabri (natalizumab) are more effective as therapies than Gilenya (fingolimod) and interferon β. Study results were presented in an oral presentation, “Comparison of 5-year treatment outcomes between alemtuzumab versus natalizumab, fingolimod and interferon β-1a,”…