August 10, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Neuro Night event to raise funds for neurological care, research Neuro Night, a philanthropic event set for October in Scottsdale, Arizona, is raising funds for the Barrow Neurological Institute and its mission of supporting the lifesaving care, medical education, and research for neurological diseases. The star-studded night of music, dancing, and fundraising, hosted by the Barrow Neurological Foundation,…
August 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Physical activity may reduce fatigue in people with RRMS: Trial More daily physical activity, better physical condition, and lower disability were all associated with less fatigue for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a clinical trial in Finland. āThe findings are interesting and support previous studies very well,” Marko Luostarinen, a doctoral researcher at the University of…
August 9, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Ibudilast treatment found to protect tissue integrity in brain in MS Treatment with ibudilast ā an anti-inflammatory being developed to treat people with progressive forms ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) ā significantly preserved tissue integrity in a brain region called the thalamus in patients in a clinical trial, according to new analyses from SPRINT-MS. While the therapy appeared to exert these…
August 9, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New PET imaging approach captures inflammation before lesions evident A new imaging technique was able to detect inflammation in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) before disease symptoms appeared, and to monitor the animals’ responses to treatment, a study reports. “With this new non-invasive imaging approach, we can detect toxic inflammation that could help us better understand…
August 8, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD FDA decision on GA Depot for relapsing MS expected March 2024 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review Viatris and Mapi Pharma‘s application seeking approval of GA Depot for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The medication is a long-acting formulation of glatiramer acetate, the active ingredient in the approved…
August 8, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cognitive health likely to affect person’s sense of sexual satisfaction Estimates of the prevalence of sexual dysfunction with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well of its risk factors, differ depending on the specific cutoffs used to assess sexual health on a standardized test, a study highlights. Regardless of the cutoff given, however, findings suggest that patients with poorer cognition tend…
August 7, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Mavenclad lowers relapse rates, helps RRMS patients reach NEDA-3 Treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine), an approved short-course oral therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly reduced patients’ relapse rates and the development of new lesions while keeping disability stable over two years, according to a real-world study in Kuwait. Among patients who completed the two courses…
August 7, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Cow milk proteins likely trigger of broader immune response with MS A significantly higher immune response against proteins found in cow milk is evident in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), likely because of similarities between milk proteins and proteins in the human central nervous system (CNS, the brain and spinal cord), a study reported. No such differences were seen between…
August 4, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD US neurologists satisfied with current RRMS therapies: Report Neurologists in the U.S. are largely satisfied with current treatment options for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but opportunities remain for therapies in development, according to a new report by Spherix Global Insights. In the report series, called RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (U.S.), an ongoing survey of healthcare…
August 4, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Vitamin D supplement reduces progressive MS disease in rats Vitamin D reduced the signs of inflammation and nerve damage in a rat model of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Low levels of the vitamin have been extensively linked with a higher risk of developing relapsing forms of the disease, but studies of vitamin D supplementation in…
August 3, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New deal grants Neuraxpharm rights to market Briumvi in Europe The specialty pharmaceutical company Neuraxpharm will be responsible for marketing the multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Briumvi (ublituximab) in regions outside the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and certain Asian countries as part of a new collaboration with TG Therapeutics worth $140 million in upfront payments alone. Neuraxpharm is…
August 3, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD NfL blood test may detect neurodegeneration in youngsters Neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein levels can be used to assess neurodegeneration in children and adolescents with neurological disease, including multiple sclerosis (MS), even when they are not experiencing any symptoms, a study has found. The protein already had been established as a biomarker of disease activity and poor…
August 2, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Benefits of ketogenic diet in RRMS may be long lasting: Study Following a ketogenic diet ā one that’s low in carbohydrates and rich in fat ā for six months significantly reduced measures of body fat and fatigue, eased disease symptoms, and improved exercise capacity, cognition, and arm and hand dexterity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study showed.
August 2, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Gilenya generic safe and effective, adherence good: Real-world study A generic equivalent of oral Gilenya (fingolimod) significantly lowers relapse rates, slows disability progression, and works against new lesions developing in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a real-world study in Turkey. Feedback from patients also was favorable, with most being satisfied with the generic treatment…
August 1, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Tecfidera confirmed safe, effective in Black and Hispanic MS patients Treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) provides a similar long-term benefit for Black and Hispanic people with multiple sclerosis (MS) as is found in other racial and ethnic populations, according to five years of data from the real-world ESTEEM study. The study ā which assessed the long-term safety and…
August 1, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Web-based wellness program improves life quality, lowers fatigue A web-based wellness intervention program that educated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on dietary plans, stress management, sleep, and exercise recommendations significantly improved their fatigue and quality of life, according to data from a clinical study. The study, āEvaluation of a web-based program for the adoption of wellness behaviors…
July 31, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Axoltis teaming with InSilicoTrials on MS candidate NX210c NX210c, an investigational therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases from Axoltis Pharma, will have its clinical development boosted as part of a collaboration with InSilicoTrials. The companies will useĀ InSilicoTrials’ simulation platform toĀ replicate the brain and spinal cord characteristics of people with neurological disorders…
July 31, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Relapses found to drive disability worsening in 1st years of MS In people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), relapses that occur in the first few years after the disease develops have a strong impact on rates of disability worsening ā but after about 2.5 years, more relapses don’t consistently result in a greater worsening of disability, according to…
July 28, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gut bacteria may be key to activate immune cells that trigger MS Pro-inflammatory immune cells that can target the brain may be activated in a specific region of the intestine by certain gut bacteria before migrating to the brain, according to a new study done in mice. Researchers say these findings provide a proof of concept for how some immune cells may…
July 28, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Using Copaxone while breastfeeding safe for infants: Study Infants breastfed by mothers on Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) do not experience more adverse events, hospitalizations, or need more antibiotics for the first 1.5 years than those in the general infant population. That conclusion comes from new analyses of data from COBRA,…
July 27, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Octave raises $30M to speed commercialization of care program Octave Bioscience has raised $30 million in financing to help accelerate commercialization efforts for its precision care program for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). āWe have made significant progress in deploying our solution for multiple sclerosis patients,ā William Hagstrom, founder and CEO of Octave, said in a…
July 27, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Three MS therapies listed as WHO essential medicines For the first time, multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies have been added to the World Health Organization (WHO)ās Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML), which names those regarded as meeting the most important needs of healthcare systems worldwide. Glatiramer acetate (sold as CopaxoneĀ with generics available), Mavenclad (cladribine)…
July 26, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Ekiva-MS app’s goal: Give patients stronger voice in care decisions Dawn Health, a Danish digital health company, has developed a smartphone appĀ to support and empower people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they navigate their chronic disease care. Launched this week in Germany, the free Ekiva-MSĀ app is designed to help patients better track their symptoms…
July 26, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS AI model is able to predict MS risk years before disease onset A new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm could help identify people at risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). “Our model’s performance suggests that AI-based prediction models could identify the risk for multiple sclerosis years before neurological symptoms appear,” Raj Gopalan, MD, a scientist at Siemens Healthineers, Tarrytown, New York, said…
July 25, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Genetic risk found similar between RRMS, PPMS in Swedish study The risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) was similar between first- and second-degree family members of people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS). The findings, which were consistent with previous studies suggesting that genetics and environment are relatively equal contributors to disease risk, also…
July 25, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS PB006, biosimilar of Tysabri, favored for approval in European Union The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), an arm of the European Medicines Agency, has recommended that PB006, a biosimilar version of Tysabri (natalizumab), be approved to treat adults with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The recommendation comes about a year after the regulatory agency…
July 24, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Boosting energy production in nerve fibers may help treat MS In multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammation leads to less energy production in nerve fibers by reducing the levels of enzymes in a key molecular pathway, called the TCA cycle, that cells use to generate energy, a new study shows. These findings imply that boosting activity of the TCA cycle might…
July 24, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Primary progressive MS can greatly reduce life quality, ability to work Primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) can greatly reduce quality of life for patients and affect their ability to work, according to real-world data collected from a German MS registry. These results āconfirm the steadily deteriorating course of PPMS accompanied by increasingly limited quality of life,ā researchers wrote. The study,…
July 21, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Childhood diet can influence risk of MS and its clinical course: Study What a person eats in childhood can influence their future risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) and its clinical course, according to a recent Dutch study. A poor diet with more fast food, snacks, and candy as a child tended to be associated with a higher risk of developing…
July 21, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Early disability tied to higher risk of secondary progressive MS: Study Experiencing disability in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), even without relapses, increases the risk of progression to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), a more severe form of the disease, a large study finds. Starting a disease-modifying therapy early on in the disease may decrease the SPMS…