News

The world’s largest generic medicines manufacturer, Teva Pharmaceutical, is at the 31st European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Congress currently ongoing in Barcelona, from October 7-10, 2015. Teva will be presenting the latest findings on its relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy COPAXONE® (glatiramer acetate injection), and product candidate for…

A number of studies have previously suggested a negative effect of high cholesterol levels on the development of brain lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), however, little is known about the effect of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, or “good” cholesterol, on MS. A team of scientists from the University…

The 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) begins today, October 7, 2015 at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. The first day of the Congress will focus heavily on Teaching Courses in several topics related to multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Genzyme recently announced a novel worldwide initiative called vs.MS, whose goal is to increase awareness of the psychical and emotional toll of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) on patients and their caregivers. To enhance the comprehension of the full burden of RMS, Genzyme conducted a large-scale survey of more than 1,500 individuals…

The 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) will start today, 7 October 2015 at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. The first day of the Congress is heavily focused on Teaching Courses in several topics related to multiple…

Icometrix, a leader in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers for multiple sclerosis (MS), has recently announced a collaboration agreement with Novartis Pharma AG regarding MSmetrix – a measurement tool especially designed to assess brain volume and atrophy, as well as existing, new or enlarging brain lesions in MS patients. Monitoring…

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors recently approved an $83 million grant to support 26 patient-centered, comparative effectiveness clinical research (CER) studies on a range of diseases and patient groups. Two of these grants, totaling $29.5 million, will fund research into the care of patients infected with hepatitis…

A new study recently published in the journal PLOS ONE revealed that high intensity exercise is safe and offers clinical benefits for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is entitled “High Intensity Exercise in Multiple Sclerosis: Effects on Muscle Contractile Characteristics and Exercise…

The 31st meeting of the Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (#ECTRIMS2015) is being held this week from October 7 to 10 in Barcelona, Spain. The conference was last held in the Catalonian capital in 1992. Multiple Sclerosis News Today…

Biogen, a biotechnology company focused on innovative therapies for autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and hematological conditions, recently announced that it will present new data on its multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio of therapeutic agents at the upcoming 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis…

Osmotica Pharmaceutical Corp. recently announced that the FDA accepted its New Drug Application (NDA) for OntinuaTM ER.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), a high priority for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is to achieve an overall feeling of well-being, or “wellness.” Increasingly, people with the disease want to know how can they feel their best, and if lifestyle interventions can affect the course of their…

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., a leading global pharmaceutical company that delivers high-quality, patient-centric healthcare solutions, recently announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approved the once per day 20 mg injection of COPAXONE® as prophylaxis for relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). Glatiramer acetate, the active…

A new study recently published in the journal BMC Neurology revealed that natalizumab (TYSABRI) is a safe and effective medication for pediatric cases of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is entitled “Natalizumab in the pediatric MS population: results of the Italian registry” and was…

Bayer HealthCare is pleased to announce the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the approval of BETACONNECT, a first-of-its-kind electronic autoinjector indicated as a treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). For now, the drug delivery device is only compatible with BETASERON® (interferon beta-1b), and will soon be available come early 2016.  While…

Genentech, a leading biotechnology company and member of the Roche Group, recently announced promising results on a pivotal Phase III clinical trial (ORATORIO) assessing its investigational therapy ocrelizumab as a treatment for patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that results from…

EMD Serono, the subsidiary of Merck KGaA in the United States, recently announced that it will present new data on Rebif®, an interferon beta-1a therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), at the upcoming 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), to be…

Kessler Foundation researchers recently reported that the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) is able to predict the performance of normal daily activities. According to the researchers, the BICAMS is a promising tool to predict actual functional performance in participants with multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a progressive…

Medical Need Europe, a privately held pharmaceutical company headquartered in Sweden and focused on registration, distribution, marketing and sale of orphan drugs and niche speciality pharmaceuticals for treatment of rare diseases, has appointed London, U.K. based Durbin PLC, a leading global supplier and distributor of pharmaceuticals, to manage…

Two studies recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, revealed a possible new vaccine treatment for JC virus with important implications for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. The studies are entitled “JC polyomavirus mutants escape antibody-mediated neutralization” and “Broadly neutralizing human…

Cannabis is a plant that can be used in a wide range of settings such as medical purposes, a source of fiber and oils, or as a recreational drug. Growing evidence has been reported on the clinical benefits of medical marijuana (herbal form) for treating chronic pain. Currently, several countries in the…

In a new study entitled “The brain antigen-specific B cell response correlates with glatiramer acetate responsiveness in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients,” a team of scientists discovered that differences in response to glatiramer acetate therapy among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is potentially dependent on the presence of reactive brain-specific B…

A study led by researchers from the University of Buffalo recently reported the development of a new method to study brain cell interaction more precisely. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications and entitled “Spatial mapping of juxtacrine axo-glial interactions identifies novel molecules in peripheral…

In a new study entitled “LINGO-1 antibody ameliorates myelin impairment and spatial memory deficits in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice”, a team of scientists report that the loss of myelin in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ brains contributes to their cognitive impairment. They showed that inhibiting protein LINGO-1 can…

A review study recently published in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Review (CDSR) focused on the clinical benefit of different therapies available for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study is entitled “Immunomodulators and immunosuppressants for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a network meta-analysis” and was led…

In a recent review published in the European Journal of Neurology, A. P. Lysandropoulos from the University of Brussels and E. Havrdova, from the University of Prague described some ‘hidden’ issues that influence the quality of life (QoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In the review,…

An encouraging new analysis reveals that fingolimod is an effective multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy for a treatment period of up to three years. The results were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Consortium of MS Centers. MS is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is the result of an attack on the central nervous system…

Non-profit, MS News and Views (MSVN), which works nationally to increase education and knowledge about multiple sclerosis (MS), has announced the organization of two events during the month of October. For the first time, the organization will host two events with the exact same structure and theme,…

A study recently published in the European Journal of Neurology reviewed some of the issues associated with pregnancy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study is entitled “An overview of pregnancy-related issues in patients with multiple sclerosis” and was developed by researchers at Sapienza…

A review recently published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics focused on teriflunomide as a treatment for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), taking into account its reported clinical efficacy and safety. The study is entitled “Teriflunomide: A Once-Daily Oral Medication for the Treatment of…