News

New Zealand-based Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) has approved the funding of new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), which are expected not only to reach more patients, but also be more effective in curtailing the disease’s progressive symptoms. The therapies currently funded are meant for the treatment of …

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recently honored several admirable MS advocates and leaders during the annual NMSS Ambassadors Ball, held in Washington, D.C., to benefit local MS patients and research initiatives. The upscale black-tie evening brought together some of the most accomplished industry leaders and celebrities at the Georgetown Ritz…

Germany’s Multiple Sclerosis Association is hosting an event dedicated to recognizing those who have devoted much of their time and effort to supporting and empowering MS patients in spite of their debilitating condition. The Chairman, former president Christian Wulff, will be present on Thursday, October 16, in Berlin to…

A new study entitled “NAD+ protects against EAE by regulating CD4+ T-cell differentiation” published in October issue of Nature Communications reports that NAD+ can be a future therapeutic drug to treat Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a type of autoimmune disease where the inner…

Now more than ever, groundbreaking, new therapies for chronic diseases and infections come with high price tags. Earlier in the year, Gilead Sciences’ drug Sovaldi for Hepatitis C, as well as Vertex’s Kalydeco for Cystic Fibrosis, both raised eyebrows over their cost. Now, a new MS therapy is doing the…

The British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guidelines on the provision of health care for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the United Kingdom, which number approximately 100,000 people. The institute recommends now that every patient who is suspected to suffer from the…

Researchers recently uncovered some curious new insights into environmental factors that may rise or lower the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis. A new study entitled “Environmental exposures and the risk of multiple sclerosis investigated in a Norwegian case–control study” published in October issue of…

A scientist from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is the recipient of 1 of only 5 Multiple Sclerosis Innovation grants from German biopharmaceutical company EMD Serono. Manu Nair, the foundation’s Vice President of Technology Ventures, said that this funding from a new collaborative relationship is a crucial step towards…

New Zealand and Australia-based Innate Immunotherapeutics Limited, a biotechnology company with offices in Sydney and Auckland, has designed and manufactured a unique immunomodulator microparticle pharmaceutical technology. This technology can be used to induce the human immune system designed to fight certain cancers and infections, or modulate certain immune…

A new study entitled “Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction Develops at the Onset of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, and Can Be Induced by Adoptive Transfer of Auto-Reactive T Cells” published in September issue of PloS One, reports that disruption of intestinal homeostasis supports Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, the prototypic…

Approximately 110 multiple genetic variations were previously identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to be associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Now, that number has increased, with more than 159 genetic variants identified, thanks to new research presented by Philip De Jager, M.D., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical…

54 new multiple sclerosis (MS) research and development initiatives are set to receive substantial funding in order to accelerate new therapies. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) announced that it has pledged $19 million to fund these new MS studies as part of their mission to better manage…

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, has announced that the Canadian province of Québec’s Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS) has recommended that the company’s multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) 12 mg be included on the provincial drug formulary under “Médicament d’exception” as a second-line treatment for…

Recent research reveals that placenta-based cell therapy is both safe and effective for treating both Relapsing-Remitting and progressive forms of MS. A new study entitled “Human Placenta-Derived Cells (PDA-001) for the Treatment of Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multiple-Dose Study” and published in August…

A new study, entitled “The Effect of Glatiramer Acetate Therapy on Functional Properties of B Cells From Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis” published online in JAMA Neurology, reports the effect of Glatiramer acetate therapy on B cells in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This first-of-its-kind study could…

San Francisco Bay Area-based Glialogix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), announced yesterday that they have closed a Sponsored Research Agreement with Fast Forward, a non-profit organization that aims to accelerate MS treatment development. Glialogix will receive funding for one of their…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, autoimmune neurodegenerative disease that the biomedical research and pharmaceutical industry has yet to find a cure for. It is a progressively debilitating condition that manifests with a number of unpredictable symptoms that can greatly reduce one’s quality of life. In order…

A new study conducted at the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science of the University of Vermont, reinforces the idea that multiple sclerosis patients can handle exercise regimens, despite their mobility difficulties, in order to improve not only their motor capacities, but also their quality of life. Although over 90% of…

In today’s healthcare environment, it is often not enough that patients are provided with the latest treatments. Good health is not merely the absence of injury or disease, but overall wellness that includes mental, spiritual and social health. A group of investigators from the Kessler Foundation…

With multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence rates still at concerning levels of 90 for every 100,000 Americans, researchers are continuously seeking to learn more about the disease, and are aggressively working to develop novel treatments and interventions for symptom management. This poses an ongoing challenge for healthcare professionals and academics,…

Funding for continued research and development into understanding, treating, and eventually curing Multiple Sclerosis continues to accelerate. Evotec AG, a German company that specializes in providing drug discovery resources to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and learning institutions, has just announced the launch of its line-up of groundbreaking studies into MS — an…

MediciNova, Inc., recently announced that it had surpassed 50% enrollment for the phase 2b clinical trial evaluating MN-166 (ibudilast) in progressive multiple sclerosis patients. As of September 15th, 150 of an expected 250 patients have enrolled for treatment, and the trial is on track to complete enrollment by the…

Deepelling International conferences on multiple sclerosis (MS) typically gather the most accomplished experts and leading biotech companies under one roof to exchange discoveries and celebrate new hope for MS patients all over the world. Quebec is one of North America’s epicenters for MS research and developments. This year, on…

A vaccination against multiple sclerosis is in progress in the laboratory of SangKon Oh, PhD, at the Baylor Institute for Immunology Research. Along with Gerard Zurawski, PhD, and Ted Phillips, MD, Dr. Oh is applying new insights from research in dendritic cell vaccines to a multiple sclerosis vaccine. “Dr.

For the first time, an antisense oligonucleotide has been shown to be effective in treating relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis. A phase 2a clinical trial of Antisense Therapeutics Limited’s ATL1102, a CD49d antisense drug, showed that the treatment quickly reduced brain lesions in RRMS patients following the start of therapy.

Researchers are continuing to make headway in discovering new insights into how MS works, which in turn could lead to next-generation therapies. A new study shows that in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), plasma micro particles act as biomarkers as well as pathological factors that induce endothelial permeability and…

Joy Nabors – The Raw Beauty Project NYC model living with Multiple Sclerosis In a bold movement aimed towards empowering disabled women to stand against social stigmas, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation partnered with innovative visual arts project, Raw Beauty Project NYC, to showcase a series of photographs…

Phase 3 clinical trial results from Biogen Idec and AbbVie presented at the Sixth Triennial Joint Meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS-ECTRMIS) suggest that relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients experience…

The nonprofit organization Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis is going to sponsor the launch of the Optimizing Treatment – Understanding Progression (OPT-UP) study in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company EMD Serono, Inc, a subsidiary of the german Merck KGaA. The study will enroll 2,500 MS…

MuckFest® MS runners getting down and dirty for a cause. One of the more engaging ways to campaign for awareness and fundraising for a disease is hosting a sporting event. Be it a marathon, weight lifting, biking, or even ziplining, adding an element of fun in supporting a serious…