News

In stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), higher physical disability scores and brain volume loss on MRI are stronger indicators of cognitive impairment than common blood biomarkers. A new study found that while blood tests often fail to reflect mental decline, MRI scans and standard disability tests can successfully identify…

28bio has developed miniature brain models to help evaluate potential treatments that aim to repair myelin, the fatty coating around nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions. The CNS-3D Myelinated Organoids contain multiple brain cell types, including nerve cells and myelin-producing oligodendrocytes.

Two commonly used disease-modifying treatments seem to be equally effective for most people with late-onset multiple sclerosis (LOMS), according to a real-world analysis. Anti-CD20 therapies, designed to reduce immune cells that produce disease-driving antibodies, and S1P receptor modulators, which work by preventing pro-inflammatory immune cells from reaching the brain,…

A new type of MRI scan may be able to distinguish active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions from chronic lesions — without the need for injected contrast dye — while also offering clues about how lesions may evolve over time, a new study reports. By combining artificial intelligence with…

Decode Health and Circular Genomics are partnering to use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify patterns in circular RNA — stable genetic molecules able to signal disease — that may help diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) earlier and monitor its progression over time. The collaboration brings together Circular Genomics’…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has formally agreed that the design and planned analysis of an upcoming Phase 3 trial testing privosegtor in people with optic neuritis could support a future application seeking the therapy’s approval if the trial succeeds. Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the infusion therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for treating children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who are ages 10 and older and weigh at least 55 pounds (25 kg). The approval makes Ocrevus the second-ever therapy to win formal FDA approval…

Menstrual fluid collected from tampons could one day provide a simple, noninvasive way to measure a biomarker of nerve damage and potentially track disease activity in neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at Nextgen Jane, in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers…

The first participant has been dosed in an investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial testing Neuraly‘s experimental medication pegsebrenatide as a potential treatment for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Called TAG-MS (NCT07497399), the study is being led by Ellen Mowry, MD, at…

A pilot clinical trial in the U.S. is enrolling people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to test Setpoint Medical’s implantable nerve stimulation device, which is designed to reduce inflammation and promote myelin repair. The trial (NCT06796504) is enrolling up to 60 people, ages 22-50, and will evaluate…

People in the U.S. with commercial insurance wait nearly 50 days on average for a first visit to neurologist, and average wait times are significantly longer, by about four days, for those with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The number of neurologists in a given area didn’t influence…

Having a second autoimmune disease does not accelerate disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large single-center study. Among 1,230 MS patients followed over time, those living with an additional autoimmune condition that doesn’t affect the nervous system reached disability milestones at the same rate…

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will host its 12th annual Improving Lives Benefit on May 7, bringing the multiple sclerosis (MS) community together to raise funds and recognize advocates and innovators working to improve care and support. The fundraiser will take place at the Switch…

The amount of sugar in the brain plays a key role in governing the activity of oligodendrocytes, the brain cells responsible for making the protective myelin coating around nerve fibers, according to a study done in mice and cell models. The findings could have important implications for understanding diseases…

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), delivered in person, online, or by telephone, can ease depression in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) within about two months, but diminishing benefits over time show that follow-up sessions may be needed, according to a meta-analysis of multiple studies. “This recommendation aims to serve as…

Eating greater amounts of ultra-processed foods is significantly linked to a higher likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in childhood or adolescence, a new study that used data from Canada and the U.S. has found. In fact, according to the researchers, each additional 10% consumption of such foods —…

May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in Canada, and MS Canada is preparing a range of initiatives that let Canadians show support and raise awareness for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The awareness month represents an opportunity to increase understanding of the neurological disease, highlight the realities of…

Among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and highly active disease, Mavenclad (cladribine) treatment resulted in stable or better cognitive function over two years. That’s according to new data from the Phase 4 CLARIFY-MS study (NCT03369665), which also demonstrated that Mavenclad can stabilize employment status for…

National Football League player Fernando Mendoza and his family are partnering with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to fund research and support programs for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Mendoza Family Fund builds on the efforts of Mendoza and his family to raise funds and…

Medthera has launched WalkPort, a supported walking station designed to help people with mobility difficulties, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS), safely stand and practice walking at home and in clinical settings. The device is now open for reservations, with initial shipments expected to start in August,…

Brain inflammation is often viewed as harmful in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), but a new animal study suggests that certain short-lived forms of inflammation may be needed to help the brain repair myelin. This finding may have important implications for understanding the biology of MS…

Regulators in the European Union are recommendeding that tolebrutinib be approved as a treatment for people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who have not experienced a relapse in the last two years. That new positive opinion was issued by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products…

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) delayed disability progression and worsening hand function among a large group of people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), including those who were older and had more advanced disease. The data, which come from the Phase 3 ORATORIO-HAND trial (NCT04035005), were presented by Jiwon Oh,…

The experimental drug fenebrutinib was shown to significantly outperform Aubagio (teriflunomide), an approved therapy, in reducing relapses and MRI markers of disease activity in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s according to new data from a pair of largely identical Phase 3 clinical trials…

A team of scientists in China, attempting to understand the function of a genetic mutation commonly found in animals living at high altitudes, discovered a previously unknown mechanism key to myelin repair. The discovery could have important implications for diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), which is marked…

Mapi Pharma’s long-acting formulation of glatiramer acetate, GA Depot, may help stabilize disability scores over time in people with both relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS). That’s according to new analyses of data from an…

Medicaid coverage of highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) varies across the U.S., with some states offering no access at all, a study reported. The research suggests that where a person lives could influence whether they receive high-efficacy therapies, which are known to better control…

A new method called target trial emulation (TTE) used real-world data to successfully replicate the findings of a previous clinical trial of Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) involving people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a study report. The approach also generated new evidence showing that Tecfidera outperformed glatiramer…