News

A case report of a woman with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), who developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) after natalizumab therapy, found that the immune-boosting molecule interleukin-2 (IL-2) might be a viable therapeutic option to fight this life-threatening complication although further study is needed. The case report, “Use of interleukin-2 for…

Children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) differ from others in the composition of their gut flora, with higher levels of inflammation-causing bacteria and lower levels of anti-inflammatory bacteria, according to a study from  the University of British Columbia, Canada. The findings, supporting previous hypotheses that the composition of the gut microbial community could influence the development…

Sanofi Genzyme announced that it entered into a research collaboration with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to better understand the underlying causes of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Sanofi Genzyme has a number of research partnerships with MS academic medical centers, focused on exploring the pathogenesis of MS and potential new…

The first U.K. clinical trials of robotic legs that might allow people with mobility impairment to move — hands-free — are underway at the University of Kent. Clinicians and engineers at Kent are carrying out the study in a partnership with the East Kent Hospital’s University Foundation Trust…

Researchers investigating immune B-cell response to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) found that it may correlate with the amount of brain-specific B-cells in the blood — a marker of multiple sclerosis (MS) — and with higher disease activity. The findings were published in the journal Viruses, in…

Mitoxantrone,  a multiple sclerosis (MS)  drug that is already associated with a higher risk for leukemia and heart damage, may also raise a person’s risk of colorectal cancer, researchers at the University of Würzburg, in Germany, reported. If confirmed in larger studies, the findings indicate that colonoscopies should be conducted on MS patients after…

With an interest multiple sclerosis (MS) before even starting college, Dr. Ellen Mowry has spent her entire research career investigating the disease. Her epidemiological studies led her to indications that vitamin D might be particularly important for people with MS, and she now dedicates her research to the topic — knowledge she will share at the…

A new study suggests a strong association in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients between high levels of fatigue and mental health, quality of life (QoL), and the ability to move about and participate in daily activities, although disability is not related to fatigue levels.  These findings are of importance and highlight the…

A commonly prescribed multiple sclerosis (MS) medication may act to modulate the immune system. The finding is described in the article “Dimethyl fumarate treatment induces adaptive and innate immune modulation independent of Nrf2,“ published in  the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MS develops due to an…

LyondellBasell, an established name in the plastics, chemical and refining industry, has been honored with the Circle of Distinction Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for raising $1.4 million to benefit the society and the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. Since 1998, the company has participated in the MS Society’s annual fundraiser in…

The United Spinal Association, a nonprofit focused on improving the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D), a group of conditions that include multiple sclerosis (MS), announced it will have an exhibit booth at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers‘ (CMSC) 30th Annual Meeting, to be held at the…

A substance called fluorosamine was seen to boost remyelination in mice by preventing the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans and by promoting oligodendrocyte function. The findings showed that targeting molecules that block remyelination may be a promising therapeutic approach in multiple sclerosis (MS). Upregulation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans — large molecules…

Dietary habits and the composition of the gut flora can influence neuroinflammation and affect the outcome of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine and titled “Type I interferons and microbial metabolites of tryptophan modulate astrocyte activity and central nervous…

Rebound symptoms after stopping fingolimod (Gilenya) treatment affect a “clinically relevant” number of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a study by University of California, San Francisco, researchers reported. The study called attention to the need for determining the best method of sequencing or stopping MS treatments, and highlighted the need to identify factors…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other lawmakers met with members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) at the start of May, MS Awareness Month, to discuss issues of importance to those living with the disease. From left: Hedy Fry, a member of Parliament;…

The evolution of the myelin sheath throughout childhood has been visualized in vivo for a first time, according to findings reported in the study “Mapping an index of the myelin g-ratio in infants using magnetic resonance imaging,” published in the journal NeuroImage. To function well, nerve cells in the brain rely on…

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in their brains, lowering the levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) — a process that likely leads to the loss of brain volume. The findings indicate that glutamate might be a driver of neuronal cell death and disease progression in MS,…

The Canadian Association of Optometrists is urging people to have their eyes examined regularly as a part of their preventive care routine. The plea, an education initiative for May — which is Vision Health Month — stresses that comprehensive eye exams are important even for people with good vision, because they…

Exercises like yoga and aquatic programs can help ease some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), especially fatigue, depression and paresthesia, researchers report in a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and titled “Exercising Impacts on Fatigue, Depression, and Paresthesia in Female Patients with Multiple…

Scientists discovered two key players — TBK1 and ICOS — that control the effective production of antibodies and may offer new insights into potential therapies for autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. The study, “A TRAF-like motif of the inducible costimulator ICOS controls development of germinal center TFH cells via the…

TG Therapeutics recently announced the opening of a new clinical trial evaluating TG-1101, its glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The Phase 2 clinical trial, titled “A Placebo-Controlled Multi-Center Phase 2 Dose Finding Study of Ublituximab, a Third-Generation Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients…

Clinical results presented at the recent Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)‘s 2016 annual meeting in San Francisco showed that the use of H.P. Acthar Gel during multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses is associated with beneficial outcomes. The gel, according to its producer, is also available at a lower price than other frequently used…

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently recommended marketing authorization to Zinbryta (daclizumab) for the treatment of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Zinbryta (daclizumab HYP) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that is injected every four weeks, and being developed by…

Opexa Therapeutics, Inc., announced that its president and chief executive officer, Neil K. Warma, recently gave a presentation on immunotherapy and its potential for treating autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis, at the recent Cellular Horizons: The Third International Conference on the Progress of Regenerative Medicine and its Cultural Impact held at the Vatican. Neil…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has awarded Dr. Bart Rypma, an associate professor at the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas, a more than $490,000 grant to study how changes in blood flow in the brain might affect cognition in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The grant builds on previous research…

A major new European research program to develop ways of monitoring three main central nervous system diseases —multiple sclerosis (MS), depressive disorder, and epilepsy — using wearable devices and smartphones was launched on April 26. The RADAR-CNS (Remote assessment of disease and relapse Central Nervous System) project, supported by the Innovative…

Dr. Fred Lublin, a neuroimmunologist with a specialty in experimental therapies, will open this year’s annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers on June 1 with an address questioning the continuing importance of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). But the question raised by the title of the…

A gift worth $185 million from Joan and Sanford I. Weill to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) will allow the university to expand its neurosciences programs and facilities, advancing its research work into psychiatric, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The gift, the largest single donation in UCSF history, is…

Researchers at Purdue University have developed a method of identifying subtle oscillations in a person’s posture that mirror an excessive delay in neuromuscular responses, indicating a neurologic deficit. The oscillations, which differ from the normal tendency of a standing person to sway, may aid in diagnosing neuromuscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

The Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Assessments Consortium (MSOAC) is making available to qualified researchers a new database containing almost 2,500 records of patients who were part of the placebo groups of nine multiple sclerosis (MS) studies. The MSOAC is a large-scale partnership, launched by the National MS Society and Critical…