News

Advancing key medicinal treatments like TECFIDERA (dimethyl fumarate), the most prescribed oral treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), is a key focus of a company-wide restructuring recently announced by Biogen, Inc. TECFIDERA has been shown to reduce relapse rates, slow disability progression and the number of brain lesions in patients with relapsing forms…

Flex Pharma, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on therapies for muscle cramps and spasms associated with neuromuscular conditions, recently announced that it will present new data on its therapeutic agent FLX-787 at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, currently taking place in Chicago (October 17–21).

In a recent study published in the International Journal of MS Care, a team of researchers determined that among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), fatigue was the most common symptom associated with the decision to leave work or reduce the employment status. According to the researchers, comprehensive…

In a recent study entitled “Equivalent Gene Expression Profiles between Glatopa™ and Copaxone®,” authors determined potential differences in treatment responses by investigating the gene expression profile of two approved treatments for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis – Copaxone and Glatopa. Both of these MS therapies are glatiramer…

A recently published study in the journal PLOS One reported a new tool to assess risk knowledge in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study was conducted by an international team led by researchers at the University Medical Center Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, and is entitled “…

As of October 15, 2015, Croatia has been added to the list of European Union (EU) countries that now allow marijuana for medical purposes. Other countries within the EU that permit some degree of marijuana use include Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. The legalization of the sale…

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., a leading global pharmaceutical company that delivers high-quality, patient-centric healthcare solutions to millions of patients every day, recently announced the approval of a Marketing Authorization license (MA) by the Russian Ministry of Health for three-times-per-week COPAXONE®(glatiramer acetate injection) 40 mg/mL, a new dose of COPAXONE®,…

The Glatiramer Acetate Clinical Trial to Assess Equivalence With Copaxone  (GATE) seems to be the first phase 3 clinical trial to test a generic disease-modifying medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. The data showed that glatiramer acetate, the generic drug, was equivalent to the trademark drug Copaxone for the…

A new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry revealed novel potential inhibitors of specific proteins involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and autoimmune disorders, like multiple sclerosis. The study is entitled “Dual Targeting of the Chemokine Receptors CXCR4 and ACKR3 with Novel…

EMD Serono, the U.S. biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, recently announced that the results of the 15 year follow-up trial PRISMS-15 (Prevention of Relapses and Disability by Interferon beta-1a Subcutaneously in Multiple Sclerosis) evaluating Rebif® (interferon beta-1a), a high-dose, high-frequency interferon beta for the treatment of…

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on chronic conditions that affect the central nervous system, recently announced results from two non-clinical studies showing that the company’s product candidate ADS-5102 can be potentially applied as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. MS is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative autoimmune…

Among the different therapeutic approaches being explored for treating MS, adult stem cell therapy continues to be one of the most discussed and anticipated in the MS community. “Stem cells” — the common term for undifferentiated, self-renewing proliferating cells — are currently being investigated for their ability to treat patients in a wide range of disease…

Researchers from the Gladstone Institutes have shown in a new study that fibrinogen, an important blood coagulation protein, can induce an autoimmune response in the central nervous system when the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is disrupted and blood proteins enter the brain. The study, entitled “Blood coagulation protein fibrinogen promotes…

A recent study of people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) found that high-dose oral vitamin D3 supplementation did not influence markers of inflammation. Inflammation is a reaction to bodily injury that may be over-activated in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The article, titled “Vitamin D supplementation and systemic inflammation in…

A session titled “Late Breaking News” was featured at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 7-10, 2015, in Barcelona, Spain. At this session, Prof. Xavier Montalban from the Hospital Vall d’Hebron University in Barcelona presented data on the promising Genentech/Roche…

Three parallel sessions concerning multiple sclerosis (MS) prevention, clinical phenotypes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were featured at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), recently held in Barcelona, Spain (October 7 – 10, 2015). The first parallel session was entitled “Will…

Three parallel sessions concerning multiple sclerosis (MS) prevention, clinical phenotypes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were featured at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), recently held in Barcelona, Spain (October 7 – 10, 2015). The first parallel session was entitled “Will MS…

Multiple Sclerosis News Today recently attended the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) held in Barcelona, Spain, October 7 to 10, 2015. On Friday, October 9, three parallel sessions entitled “Free Communications” took place. In the first session, several topics related to multiple…

Dr. Peter Chin, a renowned neurologist and Principal Medical Director of Global Neuroscience Development at Genentech, a leading biotechnology company and member of the Roche Group, participated in an exclusive interview with Multiple Sclerosis News Today correspondent Dr. Ana de Barros on the company’s promising multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy…

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ECTRIMS-Podcast-2-091015-8.32-pm.mp3   Read the articles mentioned in the podcast: #ECTRIMS2015 – Another Attendee Record #ECTRIMS2015 – “Vitamin D plays important role in MS inflammation.” – Jorge Correale #ECTRIMS2015 – “When you stop smoking you can decrease the risk of disease progression.” – Jorge Correale Discovering a New World in…

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, recently announced novel positive 5-year experimental data from the extension study of Lemtrada® (alemtuzumab) in individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The findings were presented today, October 9, at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Barcelona, Spain. Lemtrada® (alemtuzumab), developed by Genzyme, is…

Lead scientists representing Biogen and AbbVie presented new data on clinical results from the Phase 3 study DECIDE on the compound ZINBRYTA TM at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS) in Barcelona, Spain. The full results of the 2 to 3-year long…

Biometrica MS, a technology that provides an easy to use service for neurologists to quantify lesion load as well as brain volume measures in clinical practice, is a web-based image analysis tool that was recently launched at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple…

On October 8, 2015, data on two Phase III clinical trials called FREEDOMS and FREEDOMS II on Gilenya (fingolimod), a drug developed by Novartis, were presented at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), currently being held in Barcelona, Spain (October 7-10).

A top MS researcher for Biogen Idec answered questions in an exclusive interview with Multiple Sclerosis News Today correspondent Dr. Ana de Barros at a Satellite Symposia entitled “MS developments: transitioning evidence into clinical practice” presented by the company this morning at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and…

A Satellite Symposia entitled “Discovering a new world in MS” presented by Teva Neuroscience was held yesterday, October 8 at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) currently taking place in Barcelona, Spain, October 7 – 10, 2015. Dr. Omar Khan from the…

A new study recently published in the journal Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation revealed that the drug Cladribine does not increase the risk of cancer in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) as previously thought. The study was led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)…

A Satellite Symposia entitled “Discovering a new world in MS” supported by Teva Neuroscience was held yesterday, October 8, at the 31st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), currently taking place in Barcelona, Spain, October 7 – 10, 2015. Prof. David Brassat…

Roche announced positive results for three pivotal Phase III studies of experimental MS therapy ocrelizumab in relapsing multiple sclerosis and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) patients at this year’s ECTRIMS 2015 conference. The results, particularly for treating PPMS, indicate that the novel therapy may represent…

“Overall fat intake not significantly associated with MS risk.” – Kjetil L. Bjornevik Dr. Kjetil Bjørnevik is a professor of Neurology, Epidemiology at University of Bergen. For full coverage on social media for #ECTRIMS2015 go to https://bit.ly/ECTRIMS2015…