News

A new under-the-skin formulation of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) — administered in 10 minutes — is at least as effective as the approved intravenous, or into-the-vein, formulation among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new clinical trial data. Most people given either the new subcutaneous formulation or the intravenous…

Vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), an investigational oral therapy being developed by Immunic Therapeutics for all types of multiple sclerosis (MS), has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in people with progressive forms of the disease, interim clinical trial data show. The experimental therapy was associated with reductions in neurofilament light chain (NfL)…

Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may prime the immune system to accidentally attack a brain protein called ANO2, new research shows. The findings may explain how EBV infection can lead to developing multiple sclerosis (MS), at least in some patients. Daniel Jons, PhD, a scientist at the…

Socioeconomic factors, specifically income and education levels, and marital status, were identified as risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS) severity in a new study in Sweden. In fact, the study found that earning a higher income and having more years of education before being diagnosed with MS are associated with…

Six months of treatment with the experimental oral therapy vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838) led to significant reductions in a marker of nerve damage among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a new analysis of data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Previous data indicated the therapy significantly reduced…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who switch between more than two disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have a higher risk of relapses compared with those who never switch, regardless of how well these patients adhere to their prescribed medications, according to real-world study in Canada. These findings are consistent with…

MS Bike‘s cycling fundraiser events have raised at least $4.3 million over the last four months to support MS Canada and people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a country with one of the highest rates of the progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The organization predicts up to $4.6 million…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who develop progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) as a side effect of Tysabri (natalizumab) often see their neurological symptoms worsen severely during the infection and their disability gradually accumulate over time. That’s according to a study in Austria, which also showed that most disability progression…

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are nearly twice as common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the five years preceding disease onset than they are in the general public, a study reports. These findings add to growing evidence that people with MS often go through a…

Most disability worsening events happen independent of relapse activity across all types of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and early relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a new study reports. The findings challenge the idea that relapses are the main driver of disability worsening in early relapsing…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experience a greater number of more severe flare-ups, also known as relapses, are more likely to take their medications regularly, but less likely to keep taking them over time, a review study has found. Other factors associated with better treatment adherence and persistence…

Assessing a person’s daily walking patterns using the Google Maps Timeline tool may help doctors remotely monitor fatigue, walking ability, and disease severity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The digital tool is built in the smartphone application Google Maps and records daily walking distance and…

Problems with sexual dysfunction are a concern for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients of all ages, but the issues tend to have distinct causes as people age, a new study highlights. The study, “Age-Related Differences in the Severity of Sexual Dysfunction Symptoms and Psychological Distress in Individuals with…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United Kingdom are less likely to be on disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) compared with MS patients in other countries in Europe, a new study reports. “We know that getting early treatment with disease-modifying MS therapies can improve long term health and wellbeing.

The Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis and the Arab Board for Clinical Research have partnered with the Association of Diversity in Clinical Trials (AOD) to drive diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, including in those of multiple sclerosis (MS). The intent of the collaboration is to build…

Heligenics has discovered a number of variations in the interferon beta 1 (IFNB1) gene that may markedly improve the effectiveness of medications containing the interferon beta protein — a protein widely used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The discovery was made using the biotechnology company’s…

A cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program delivered virtually — using self-paced remote modules — significantly eased depressive symptoms and improved life quality in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with depression, according to new research. A Phase 3 trial testing the remote program had aimed to determine if an internet-delivered platform…

The expression of a viral protein known as W-Env leads to the inflammatory activation of brain cells and impairs myelin repair in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. “Our study shows that the presence of W-Env in the brains of MS patients appears to generate a…

Among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), most of the disability worsening they experience is not associated with any relapse activity, according to an analysis of real-world data. “We present real-world data from our multiple sclerosis center underlining that in a typical population of relapsing MS…

Nearly three-quarters of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) showed no signs of disease activity five years after receiving a stem cell transplant, according to a recent Swedish study. Moreover, about half of patients with at least minimal disability saw improvements after the transplant and about one-third remained stable.

Tiziana Life Sciences has started to recruit clinical sites for a Phase 2a clinical trial that will investigate its foralumab nasal spray in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The announcement follows a meeting with the principal investigators of the trial at Brigham and Women’s…

The European Commission has approved Tyruko (natalizumab), the first biosimilar of Tysabri, for the treatment of adults with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The approval makes Tyruko available in the European Union for the same indication as its reference medicine. It also marks the first approval…

Over more than a decade of treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), relapse rates were low and about half of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) remained free of confirmed disability worsening, according to final results from the open-label TOPAZ clinical trial. “To our knowledge, this report represents the longest…

The rate of brain atrophy, or volume loss, may help in determining whether disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are slowing disability progression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a review of data from 12 published studies found. The analysis, “Brain Atrophy as an Outcome of Disease-Modifying Therapy for…

For older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have highly active disease, most neurologists recommend starting treatment with a high-efficacy therapy, according to a survey study. Neurologists also generally agreed that patients with MS should continue on treatment into the latter decades of life, and that older MS patients…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) under treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) commonly experience fluctuations in the severity of their symptoms — but these changes aren’t related to the timing of Ocrevus infusions, a study reports. Although many patients on Ocrevus report a ‘wearing off’ effect between infusions, findings suggest…

Certain COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to worsen the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and may provide protection for at least six months after a booster dose, according to a study in Spain. The study specifically examined mRNA vaccines, or those that use a piece of RNA to teach…

FSD Pharma’s Lucid-21-302 — an oral treatment candidate known as Lucid-MS, for all types of multiple sclerosis (MS) — was found safe and well tolerated across multiple doses in healthy volunteers, according to interim data from a Phase 1 clinical trial. The newly released data are from the…

Researchers have identified nearly two dozen genes that help to control the movement of immune cells into the brain and spinal cord during multiple sclerosis (MS). Findings may form the basis for the further development of MS treatments that aim to reduce disease activity by blocking the infiltration…

Using disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) doesn’t reduce fatigue levels in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Norway suggests. Anxiety and depression were both associated with fatigue, suggesting “there are other underlying causes of fatigue than focal inflammation, on which DMTs have an effect,” the study’s researchers wrote…