News

Natalizumab, Other Biogen Idec MS Therapies Featured at Medical Congresses; Company Joins Sailing Sclerosis Foundation Oceans of Hope Project

Biogen Idec, a U.S. biotechnology company specializing in therapies for neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders and cancer, has announced that more than 60 company-sponsored presentations highlighting key data from its extensive portfolio of marketed and investigational multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies were featured during two 2014 neurology conferences. The company…

Researcher Recommends Brain Imaging To Treat MS-Related Depression

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict responses to depression treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to Anthony Feinstein, Professor at the Department of Psychiatry of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre & the University of Toronto. In the presentation ā€œDepression in MS: Is brain imaging helpful?ā€ at this…

Biogen Idec Investigates Tysabri in Secondary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Biogen Idec is currently sponsoring a clinical trial evaluating its therapy Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Although relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis is more common and well-researched, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates approximately half of relapse-remitting patients will transition to secondary-progressive within 19 years of diagnosis. The…

Novartis And Tictrac Raise Awareness For MS With Health Tracking Challenge

Pharmaceutical company Novartis and health tracking and analytics platform TictracĀ recently partnered up to supportĀ World Multiple Sclerosis Day and raise awareness for this disease by launching the campaign The 7-Day Challenge to Live Like You. The challenge, one of the first integrations of emerging technological trends by a pharmaceutical…

Study Finds MS Drug Gilenya May Point To Development Of New PTSD Therapy

A new study on mice published in Nature Neuroscience finds that fingolimod (Novartis brand name Gilenya) a first-in-class sphingosine-1-phosphate-receptor modulator currently used in treating persons with severe relapsing remitting MS, may also have therapeutic value in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Nature Neuroscience study is titled…

Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use Adopts Positive Opinion For Plegridy As a Treatment for MS In The European Union

TheĀ CommitteeĀ for Medicinal Products for Human UseĀ (CHMP) of the European Medicines AgencyĀ recently offered a positive opinion for the marketing authorization of Biogen Idec’s Plegridy therapy, a pegylated interferon administered subcutaneously for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The positive opinion will now be sent to the European Commission, which grants…

Benefits of Cognitive Reserve in Multiple Sclerosis May Also Benefit TBI Patients

Researchers from theĀ Kessler FoundationĀ have found that higher educational achievement reduces the negative impact ofĀ traumatic brain injuryĀ (TBI) on cognitive status. The study appeared inĀ Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. It was reported in the study that cognitiveĀ ability after experiencing TBI differs in individuals even when their injury levelsĀ were comparable. As…