News

On September 16, 2015, Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche announced that ocrelizumab, a drug originally designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis that saw its development stopped due to an association with infections, could potentially treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as well as primary progressive MS (PPMS) with minimal sides effects compared…

Results from a recent Brazilian study, published in the journal Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, revealed that natalizumab is an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study is entitled “Natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis: the experience from two Brazilian MS centers“. MS is…

Aphios Corporation, a green biotechnology company based in Massachusetts that uses environmentally sustainable technologies, recently announced it was awarded the Phase II portion of a Fast Track SBIR grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the production of cannabidiol (CBD) from marijuana.

An international research team recently reported that the web-based MSdialog app is being adopted by both multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and healthcare providers. The study is entitled “Patient and Physician Perspectives on MSdialog, an Electronic PRO Diary in Multiple Sclerosis” and was published in the journal…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which damages parts of neurons resulting in inefficient communication within the nervous system. It is believed that autoimmune disorders and environmental factors, such as infections, can cause MS disease development. There is currently no cure for MS, although the disease can be managed by medications…

A new study recently published in the journal PLOS One revealed that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have a microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) in their gut microbiota that is most likely linked to the disease pathogenesis. The study is entitled “Dysbiosis in the Gut Microbiota of…

Merck recently reported its intention to file for European registration of its product candidate for relapsing multiple sclerosis – Cladribine, a synthetic anti-cancer agent able to suppress the immune system. Cladribine causes relatively few side effects and results in very little non-target cell loss. Merck’s decision follows new findings and further characterization of…

Melatonin, the same hormone that helps people fall asleep by regulating the body’s internal clock, may be helpful in treating multiple sclerosis, according to a study from Raúl Carrea Institute for Neurological Research in Buenos Aires. Neurologists Dr. Mauricio Farez and Dr. Francisco Quintana noticed that when melatonin levels are…

In a newly published study in the PLOS One journal entitled “Reliability of Intra-Retinal Layer Thickness Estimates“, researchers from Germany explored the precision and reliability of a medical imaging technique named optical coherence tomography (OCT) in measurements of thickness of different intra-retinal layers in…

Biogen recently announced an agreement with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC), a research-driven pharmaceutical company based in Japan, to exclusively license the company’s experimental product MT-1303. The product is a late stage experimental oral compound developed as a therapy for several autoimmune conditions. MT-1303 is a sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)…

A recently published study in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders found notably higher mortality and comorbidity rates among patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to those without the disease. While past studies have reported similar observations, much remains to be understood about MS patients’ risk…

A new study entitled “Effect of Smoking Cessation on Multiple Sclerosis Prognosis” recently revealed that smoking by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) post diagnosis accelerates their disease progression course. The study was published in the journal JAMA Neurology and was led by researchers at the…

In a new study entitled “Neutrophil trails guide influenza-specific CD8+ T cells in the airways,” researchers uncovered a key mechanism mediated by neutrophils that guides immune system cells to the site of an injury or infection. Moreover, this mechanism is crucial for immune cells to function properly…

A new study published in the journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience revealed that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with relapsing-remitting forms of the disease can improve specific neuropsychological functions through a mental visual imagery strategy. The study was led by researchers at the University of Strasbourg and the…

Two new risk factors for multiple sclerosis have been identified by a research group at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Led by Dr. Loukas Moutsianas, the team discovered that having HLA-DQA1*01:01–HLA-DRB1*15:01 and HLA-DQB1*03:01–HLA-DQB1*03:02 gene allele…

Japanese scientists have discovered new information about how the myelin sheath is repaired following damage. Myelin is a fatty substance that wraps around nerve cells and helps them to conduct impulses. The research could have major implications for how multiple sclerosis is understood and even treated. The study, titled “Inactivation…

According to a press release from Mylan N.V., the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has issued an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding on all claims against a third Copaxone patent for the 40 mg/mL (U.S. Patent No. 8,969,302) formulation by Yeda Research & Development Co., Ltd.

Researchers at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece have found that people with early stage multiple sclerosis (MS) and overactive bladder (OAB) have reductions in brain serotonin and a stress-related hormone, cortisol. Serotonin is a chemical that helps nerve cells to communicate. The study, titled “Neurochemical and…

In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroimaging, a team of researchers from the UCLA have reported the first evidence that obstructive sleep apnea contributes to a breakdown of the blood–brain barrier, which plays an important role in protecting brain tissue. The findings are significant for…

In a new study entitled “Exclusive Breastfeeding and the Effect on Postpartum Multiple Sclerosis Relapses,” researchers investigated how breastfeeding impacts risk for disease relapse in women with multiple sclerosis. The study was published in the journal JAMA Neurology. Around 20 to 30% of women with…

In a new study entitled “Variants of MicroRNA Genes: Gender-Specific Associations with Multiple Sclerosis Risk and Severity,” researchers identified variations in genes coding for microRNAs that influence patients’ susceptibility to develop multiple sclerosis, as well as the disease course. Most importantly, these variations were gender specific, identified only…

Cryoport, Inc., a leader in providing advanced cryogenic logistics solutions for the life sciences industry, has just announced it will be supplying Opexa Therapeutics’ lead personalized T-cell immunotherapy research initiatives for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica (“NMO”). Opexa’s breakthrough immunotherapy drug platform has shown the potential to improve the lives of…

An international team led by researchers at McGill University in Canada recently published in the journal PLOS Medicine data supporting a link between low vitamin D levels and the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is entitled “Vitamin D and Risk of Multiple…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease characterized by the destruction of insulating covers on nerve cells by the immune system. The most common form for the disease, relapsing-remitting MS, is characterized by clearly defined attacks of decreasing neurologic function (relapses) followed by partial or complete recovery…

A new study published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy assessed the cognitive factors affected in multiple sclerosis patients concerning their activity and participation in everyday life. The study is entitled “Factors That Moderate Activity Limitation and Participation Restriction in People With Multiple…

AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM)’s clinical trials testing a new pharmaceutical-grade cannabis chewing gum treatment option for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) pain and spasticity are drawing lots of popular and specialty media attention, with reports in Multiple Sclerosis News Today, Marketwatch, Yahoo! Finance, Wall Street Journal, CNN Money,…

Pharmaceutical giant Novartis recently announced it has signed an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline for exclusive rights to GSK’s investigational CD20-specific monoclonal antibody, Ofatumumab, indicated for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and other autoimmune diseases. Novartis had previously acquired rights to the drug for its indications in oncology, effectively marketing it under brand name Arzerra®.

Omnicare, a Fortune 500 company based in Cincinnati, Ohio that provides comprehensive pharmaceutical services to patients and providers across the United States, recently made a generous donation of $100,000 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s inaugural No Opportunity Wasted (NOW) campaign. The NOW campaign aims to raise $250 million to help boost ongoing research…

A recently published study in the journal Neurology entitled “lower physical activity is associated with higher disease burden in pediatric multiple sclerosis” suggests pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis can benefit from engaging in regular moderate to strenuous activity, in that physical activity was linked to a…

In a new review entitled “Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: a look at the role of poor sleep” author Lauren Strober, PhD explores the link between secondary fatigue and sleep disturbance in multiple sclerosis patients. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.