News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial clinical hold on ongoing trials of evobrutinib, Merck KGaA’s experimental BTK inhibitor for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision was based on two cases of patients in Phase 3 clinical trials of evobrutinib who were…

Cariloop has teamed up with Walgreens to provide support services at select neurology-specialty pharmacies to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers. Through its caregiver platform, Cariloop offers services such as professional counseling and cloud-based tools to help families manage challenges and plan for caregiving-associated activities.

Training of the pelvic muscles, provided alongside lifestyle advice via telerehabilitation — tailored exercise instruction delivered via an online video call — significantly reduced urinary symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a controlled study showed. The use of pelvic floor muscle training or PFMT, which are exercises…

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is holding its ninth annual Improving Lives Benefit to spotlight inspirational members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. This year’s fundraisers feature an in-person reception in Philadelphia on May 3 and a “Together at Home” virtual reception on May 18,…

The benefits of Mavenclad (cladribine) were sustained for up to 15 years after its last treatment course in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to real-world data from the CLASSIC-MS study. More than half of those who received the oral therapy in the clinical trials that supported…

One year of treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) significantly improved cognitive abilities, particularly with processing speed, and eased depression in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a small real-world study reported. Most of the 39 patients (92%) evaluated after that treatment year showed either stable or improved…

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…

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…

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. A Phase 2 trial (NCT04762017), called ACUITY, is now evaluating OCS-05’s…

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…

The world’s 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 — at the same time. Named Octopus for its various arms, the study, which is expected to enroll at least 1,200 participants over…

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 baby’s health, according to a systematic review. The long-term health outcomes of children whose mothers have…

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…

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, “…

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 the European Union (EU). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinion is based on data from twin Phase 3 trials,…

Both people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their nurses prefer the Sensoready Pen for administering Kesimpta (ofatumumab) — an approved MS treatment that’s injected subcutaneously, or under the skin — mostly because it’s easier to use than other available devices, a survey study found. With this pen “patients…

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…

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 — available…

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…

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…

A bacterial toxin in the gut — specifically, the epsilon toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens bacteria in the intestinal tract — 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…

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…

Treatment with InnoCare Pharma’s orelabrutinib — an experimental inhibitor of the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) enzyme — 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…

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…

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.

Cannabis-based products are more likely to be used by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with higher levels of disability and pain than those with lesser disability or pain, according to a study of findings in Spain and France. This “may encourage health authorities to consider relaxing the barriers to cannabis use for…

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…

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…

A team of scientists has developed a wearable microscope — to be carried on the backs of animals in a lab — 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…

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…