April 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Immune regulation treatment for MS found safe in 1st human study OCH, a molecule designed to have beneficial effects on immune regulation in multiple sclerosis (MS), led to increases in regulatory immune cell subsets and immunomodulatory gene activity in healthy volunteers and MS patients. That’s according to data from a first-in-human study of the compound, which also found the immune…
April 10, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus may enter clinical trial next year EBViously announced that it has developed a candidate vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus and plans to bring it into clinical trials starting in 2024. The company is a spinoff of Helmholtz Munich, part of a German government research network. It is led by scientists with expertise in EBV…
April 7, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD OCS-05 neuroprotective therapy for MS shows good safety profile OCS-05, a neuroprotective treatment candidate being developed by Oculis for multiple sclerosis (MS) or other causes of optic nerve inflammation, demonstrated a favorable safety and pharmacological profile in healthy volunteers, according to Phase 1 trial data. AĀ Phase 2 trial (NCT04762017), called ACUITY, is now evaluating OCS-05’s…
April 7, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Early treatment with Mavenclad, antibodies eased highly active MS Early treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine) or monoclonal antibodies is more likely to control symptoms in people with highly active multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Argentina suggests. Highly active disease usually is considered when frequent relapses occur and there is an increasing burden of brain magnetic resonance imaging…
April 6, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Octopus mega-trial opens to progressive MS patients in the UK The worldās first mega-trial is recruiting people in the U.K. with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) to investigate the effectiveness of several approved therapies ā at the same time. Named Octopus for its various arms, the study, which is expected to enroll at least 1,200 participants over…
April 6, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Women with MS at higher risk of having premature, smaller babies Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) may have a higher risk of giving birth to premature or smaller babies, but it’s unclear if using MS medications during pregnancy has an effect on the babyās health, according to a systematic review. The long-term health outcomes of children whose mothers have…
April 5, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Quitting smoking or moving to snuff may help slow MS progression Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are both associated with significantly faster disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but snuff, a smokeless tobacco product placed behind the upper lip, seems to slow MS progression, a study in Sweden suggests. Findings also linked smoking and secondhand exposure, also…
April 5, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Findings may help optimize therapy for patients considering Ocrevus The way Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) affects immune cell profiles of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) varies depending on what treatments they were on previously, a new study shows. Understanding these differences could help to optimize treatment approaches for MS patients considering Ocrevus, scientists say. The study, “…
April 4, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD CHMP favors Briumvi for approval to treat relapsing forms of MS in EU An arm of the European Medicines Agency favors the approval of Briumvi (ublituximab) to treat adults with active, relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) across theĀ European Union (EU). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinion is based on data from twin Phase 3 trials,…
April 4, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Sensoready Pen easier to use for MS therapy than other devices: Survey Both people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their nurses prefer the Sensoready Pen for administering Kesimpta (ofatumumab) ā an approved MS treatment that’s injected subcutaneously, or under the skin ā mostly because it’s easier to use than other available devices, a survey study found. With this pen āpatients…
April 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS sexual issues associated with fatigue, depression: Study Issues with sexual performance and satisfaction are common with multiple sclerosis (MS), and show significant associations with measures of quality of life, a study shows. Sexual problems tend to be more pronounced among patients with severe fatigue and depression, data suggest. These findings highlight areas where healthcare providers can…
April 3, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Sativex eases MS spasticity and related symptoms in real-life study Real-world use of nabiximols, an oral spray cannabinoid treatment, was associated with a self-reported easing of spasticity and related symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study in Austria. Most patients (87.5%) said they were at least partly satisfied with the therapy ā available…
March 31, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Proactive steps needed to make MS rehab trials racially diverse: Study Clinical trials testing rehabilitation strategies for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) include a disproportionate number of white participants and have generally paid little attention to how race and ethnicity may influence outcomes. Further, few efforts have been undertaken to make MS trials more racially and ethnically diverse. A team…
March 31, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Fujirebio launched 2 automated tests to quantify key protein in blood, CSF Fujirebio has launched two fully automated laboratory tests to measure levels of the neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein, a proposed biomarker of nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), in the blood and spinal fluid. NfL is a structural protein found in nerve cells that gets released into…
March 30, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Bacterial toxin epsilon in gut may be environmental driver of MS A bacterial toxin in the gut ā specifically, the epsilon toxin produced by Clostridium perfringensĀ bacteria in the intestinal tract ā may be a key environmental driver of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. After finding the toxin at a higher abundance in the fecal samples of MS…
March 30, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Tiziana to launch clinical trial for MS therapy foralumab in late 2023 Tiziana Life Sciences plans to launch a Phase 2 clinical trial to investigate its foralumab nasal spray in people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in late 2023, the company announced. The decision follows a Type C meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), wherein…
March 29, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Orelabrutinib reduces brain lesions in RRMS by 90% in Phase 2 trial Treatment with InnoCare Pharma’s orelabrutinib ā an experimental inhibitor of the Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK) enzyme ā led to significant reductions in new active brain lesions among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). That’s according to the results of a 12-week interim analysis of a global Phase 2…
March 29, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Drinking coffee and tea may protect against MS, study says People who drink black and green tea, coffee, and nonalcoholic beer may be significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Iran has found. In contrast, consuming carbonated beverages, milk, and natural fruit juices seems to increase the chances of developing the neurodegenerative condition, according to…
March 28, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Sleep disorders in MS women may be factor in cognitive decline: Study Note: This story was updated March 29, 2023, to correct that cognitive function was assessed via questions about memory and three other cognition outcomes. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and sleepiness may contribute to self-reported cognitive decline in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.
March 28, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Use of cannabis-based products tied to severity of MS disability, pain Cannabis-based products are more likely to be used byĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with higher levels of disability and pain than those with lesser disability or pain,Ā according to a study of findings in Spain and France. This āmay encourage health authorities to consider relaxing the barriers to cannabis use for…
March 27, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS More, earlier damage seen in primary progressive MS vs SPMS People with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) may experience more severe inflammatory activity and nerve damage early on in the course of their disease as compared with individuals who have secondary progressive MS, a new study indicates. The results also suggest that primary progressive MS patients tend to have…
March 27, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Adherence to high-quality MS diet may help ease depression in patients Adherence to a high-quality diet may help alleviate symptoms of depression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study from Australia suggests. The study examined several dietary regimens that have been developed to help manage MS symptoms generally by avoiding foods that might increase inflammation, a key driver…
March 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New wearable microscope can help image cell activity in mice A team of scientists has developed a wearable microscope ā to be carried on the backs of animals in a lab ā that can be used to evaluate cell activity in the spinal cord of living mice with greater clarity than has ever before been possible. The scientists say this…
March 24, 2023 News by Mary Chapman New deal makes HealthTech Connex exclusive provider of PoNS device An agreement with Helius Medical Technologies has made HealthTech Connex (HTC) the exclusive provider, for at least the next five years, of the noninvasive Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) device in the Vancouver area of British Columbia in Canada. The new deal supplants an earlier clinical research and promotions…
March 23, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Itaconate, a common metabolite, shows promise in MS mouse model Itaconate, a metabolite produced during cellular energy production activities, was found to restore the balance of immune T cells and reduce multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in a mouse model of the disease, a study reported. The common metabolite specifically suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory T cells while promoting the…
March 23, 2023 News by Mary Chapman People with MS now eligible for US Foreign Service The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has approved a class settlement overhauling a decades-old medical clearance system that led to illegal discrimination in the U.S. Foreign Service against people with mental health conditions or other disabilities, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The class settlement, signed in December,…
March 22, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Greater MS disability reported in patients with COVID-19 infection Infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 significantly accelerates neurological disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), at least in the first months after infection, a study from Belgium reported. A more severe case of COVID-19, one requiring hospitalization, also significantly associated with a faster worsening of MS…
March 22, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Experts call for testing for PML risk genes to guide MS treatments A pair of experts are calling for genetic tests to be developed to identify people at higher risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection that can occur as a side effect of certain multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments. “The availability of a simple, relatively inexpensive test…
March 21, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Early MS MRI markers linked to worse disability in 10 years time MRI scans of the brain acquired early on after the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) may help predict disease severity and disability accumulation after 10 years, a new study found. In particular, there were two MRI biomarkers ā inter-caudate diameter (ICD) and third ventricular width (TVW) ā detected…
March 21, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Adult diagnostic criteria lacking at predicting future MS in children Predicting whether an asymptomatic child or adolescent with signs of demyelination on imaging scans will develop multiple sclerosis (MS) is difficult using adult diagnostic criteria, a small study found. The findings highlight the need for more suitable criteria for pediatric patients, which could let them begin treatment…