News

A ketogenic diet — which involves eating a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat — may help ease fatigue, improve neurological function, and boost life quality in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis. Researchers stressed that available data on the effects…

People genetically prone to a higher body mass index (BMI) are also more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study finds. The findings confirm an association between being overweight or obese and a higher likelihood of developing MS, and suggest that lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight…

While certain autoimmune diseases are linked to an increased risk of digestive system cancers, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be less likely to develop some of these malignancies, according to an analysis of published studies. Researchers found that MS patients are at lower risk of developing pancreatic, esophageal,…

High doses of vitamin D provide clinically modest but statistically significant benefits for adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a meta-analysis of published clinical trials. The study found patients who took the supplement saw reductions in disability scores, relapses, and new lesion formation. Those who took vitamin D for…

Researchers have identified a genetic biomarker that predicts whether people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) will respond to glatiramer acetate (sold as Copaxone, among others) therapy. A study based on an analysis of more than 3,000 MS patients showed that those who carry a form of…

Enrollment is complete for a Phase 2 trial testing Zenas Biopharma’s obexelimab in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial, MoonStone (NCT06564311), is investigating how safe obexelimab is when given as weekly under-the-skin (subcutaneous) injections, and how well it works in approximately 93 participants…

Having better physical performance is associated with higher cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among those with more disability, a study finds. Disability levels, in turn, correlate negatively with cognition and physical performance, with patients with moderate disability having worse scores on assessments than those with…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be significantly more likely to have relapses if their Medicare insurance covers fewer disease-modifying therapies, a study shows. The findings suggest that plans with narrower MS treatment coverage may be linked to worse health outcomes, possibly because the therapeutic response to complex diseases…

An oral treatment that could repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a step closer to a Phase 2 clinical trial. Quantum Biopharma signed a manufacturing agreement covering an oral formulation of its investigational small molecule Lucid-21-302, also known as Lucid-MS, as it prepares for the Phase 2…

A new positron emission tomography (PET) tracer may help determine the extent of nerve fiber loss in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, something that can’t be identified with conventional MRI imaging, according to a new study. Researchers think the new imaging tech could help track the efficacy of experimental therapies…

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) begin using healthcare services more frequently up to 15 years before their first MS symptoms appear, a study from the University of British Columbia (UBC) suggests. The findings add to evidence that early signs of MS may go unnoticed for many years.

A person with multiple sclerosis (MS) has for the first time been treated with an “off-the-shelf” CAR T-cell therapy called azercabtagene zapreleucel (azer-cel), a donor-derived approach that’s never before been tested in the disease. The experimental treatment was given at Nebraska Medicine’s Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center…

Lucid-MS, an oral small-molecule being developed by Quantum Biopharma for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), was found to be safe and well tolerated in healthy adult volunteers when given daily in a clinical study, according to the company’s latest CSR, or clinical study report. An earlier Phase 1…

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) — a protein that gets released when nerve cells are damaged — is found at high levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting its potential as a biomarker of the disease, a study has found. CSF is…

Switching between CD20-targeting antibodies Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Kesimpta (ofatumumab) doesn’t affect either’s effectiveness at lowering disease activity and slowing disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a real-world study in Germany shows. Researchers did see a link between switching and a faster, continuous decrease of immunoglobulin…

Despite evidence supporting the safety of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) during pregnancy, women with multiple sclerosis (MS) in their childbearing years are significantly less likely than men in the same age range to receive these typically most effective treatments, according to a study from France. The researchers found what they…

Medications that can promote the repair of the myelin sheath — the protective coating around nerve cells in the body — may also help limit nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis of data from a small clinical trial testing an anticancer therapy called bexarotene…

Three self-reported prevalent symptoms among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) – fatigue, mobility issues, and cognitive impairment – are generally not associated with lower engagement in healthy lifestyle factors, a study in Australia shows. However, in the long term, mobility difficulties may significantly reduce adherence to physical activity, a…

In progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), treatment with estrogen hormones such as estradiol may help reduce inflammation and nerve damage — especially among patients for whom the disease may be triggered or worsened by viral infections — a mouse study has found. U.S. researchers investigating the impact of sex…

More people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are using diet modifications to boost well-being and to manage symptoms, but there’s a lack of data on how these changes influence the course of the disease, a review study found. There’s also no standardized set of dietary recommendations for patients, the researchers…

A research project to explore the genetic connection between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been awarded a $24,400 incubator grant by the nonprofit MS Australia. Titled “A novel use of human genetics to recruit participants for MS research,” the…

A type of imaging finding called iron rim lesions are associated with more severe disability and a greater extent of brain damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis suggests. This specific imaging finding may help guide discussions about individualized treatments for MS, the study’s researchers said.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) could slow disease progression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a study tracking MS patients in Sweden. The procedure was associated with sustained reductions in biomarkers linked to progressive MS. The results also showed that a significant portion of patients…

Over the past three decades, the number of adults worldwide being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) has increased, but globally, rates of death related to complications of MS have declined, a new study shows. “The period from 1990 to 2021 has witnessed important shifts in the global landscape of…

About 62% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) before and during pregnancy, and the medications don’t appear to harm their health or their babies’ health, recently reported data from an international registry show. Most pregnancies resulted in live, full-term births, and these births generally occurred…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are significantly more likely to visit an emergency department if they have other health problems, aren’t on disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), or have public or no insurance, according to a study at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Although ED [emergency department] visits for MS…

Experts are calling for tailored strategies to enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of older people with multiple sclerosis (MS). As people with MS live longer, age-related biological changes increasingly complicate diagnosing and managing the disease in older adults. No universal framework currently guides how to address these unique…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new analysis of genetic data. The findings indicate genetic changes that influence the activity of immune T-cells may play a role in both MS and Alzheimer’s. The study, “Multiple sclerosis…

A&W Canada’s annual Burgers to Beat MS Day is returning for its 17th year to raise funds for MS Canada and its efforts to improve the lives of people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). As part of the fundraiser, A&W will donate CA$2 (about $1.45) to MS…

Fumarate-based therapies like Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) are equally effective among Black, Hispanic, Asian, and white adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S., the largest real-world study of its kind shows. “The findings of this study suggest that fumarate medicines…