News

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has awarded a $2.9 million, five-year grant to a research project that aims to advance a new technology that could improve stem cell therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders. “The work we plan to undertake has significant implications…

Switching to one of the anti-CD20 targeting therapies Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or rituximab may be an effective strategy for discontinuing Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients at risk for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), according to a systematic review. The study, “Switching from natalizumab to an…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have elevated immune responses to more proteins of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) than previously thought, according to a new study. EBV-specific immune T-cells isolated from MS patients could also respond to multiple proteins found in the brain, particularly those associated with myelin,…

Most patients with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who took foralumab nasal spray for at least six months saw a decrease in microglial activity in their brains, according to its developer Tiziana Life Sciences. The results were gleaned from PET imaging data from 10 nonactive SPMS patients…

A three month cognitive rehabilitation program, with or without aerobic exercise, increased tissue volume and activity in brain regions linked to cognition among people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), clinical trial data suggests. The MRI findings offer potential biological explanations about why cognitive rehabilitation leads to cognitive…

England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its guidance on the use of Mavenclad (cladribine) in people with aggressive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in ways that should help eligible patients be able to access the medication sooner. The new guidelines have less stringent…

A large proportion of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience headaches as a result of their condition, and treatment with interferon-based therapies seems to increase the risk of worsening headaches or developing new ones, a study found. In contrast, the CD20 antibody rituximab that’s used off-label in MS…

A large clinical trial to test online programs for treating fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) will launch in the U.S. in the coming months. The study — the largest of its kind — will be funded by a nearly $4.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of…

Dormant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) becomes activated during periods of disease relapse in multiple sclerosis (MS) and triggers inflammatory activity in multiple types of immune cells, a study suggested. Blocking EBV activation can reduce the inflammatory activity of immune cells, supporting the idea that targeting the dormant virus may…

TG Therapeutics is conducting two post-marketing studies to determine how safe Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy) is among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as their babies. The goal is to generate data on the use of Briumvi during pregnancy and lactation…

Resistance training by middle-aged people with multiple sclerosis (MS) was linked with significant improvements in muscle strength in a recent meta-analysis of previous clinical trial data. The analysis indicated the benefits of such training, which is designed to boost strength and endurance, were more variable in fatigue and quality…

MS Australia released a report highlighting the critical need for faster multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnoses. While diagnostic delays have shortened in recent years, MS patients still wait an average of almost four years from the onset of first symptoms to a formal diagnosis, the organization said in…

The Neural Sleeve developed by Cionic significantly reduced foot drop, which is a difficulty lifting the foot that often causes people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to drag their toes when they walk. The lightweight bionic garment is cleared in the U.S. to improve mobility in MS. In…

Helius Medical Technologies said it has a booth at a meeting for multiple sclerosis (MS) professionals to showcase its PoNS device and the progress made over the last year in providing access to the neuromodulation device, which is designed to improve walking ability in people with MS.

Understanding how exercise benefits people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is the aim of a trio of U.S. scientists who has published a new framework to help guide research into the subject. “Our objective is guiding the field toward evidence that facilitates the prescription and promotion of [exercise training] as…

The focus is on diagnosis for this year’s World MS Day, officially “a day of global solidarity, collective action, and hope” for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, according to a campaign webpage boasting information in more than 100 languages. While the event officially occurs on May 30,…

Progentos Therapeutics said it received $65 million in funding to support the development of myelin regeneration medications able to restore function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases marked by myelin loss. The biotech company said it will use the funds to advance its MS program…

Rehabilitation approaches involving virtual reality (VR) may have beneficial effects on cognitive function and anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but more research is needed to better understand its effects, according to a recent meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials. Small gains in certain aspects of cognition, including immediate…

A higher intake of whole grain food is significantly associated with a lower likelihood of developing pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study led by researchers in Canada. Conversely, an overall more pro-inflammatory diet — one containing higher amounts of fats and proteins — was linked to increased…

Scientists in Iran have discovered a new way to convert astrocytes — star-shaped brain cells that support nerve function — into oligodendrocytes, the cells that make and repair myelin in the brain. When the converted cells were transplanted into the brains of mice with myelin damage like that seen in…

Certain biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — around the time of a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis may help predict the time to reaching certain disability milestones among people with a relapsing-remitting (RRMS) disease course, according to findings from…

Homebuilder Jayman Built is donating $10,000 to MS Canada ahead of the nonprofit’s annual MS Walk fundraiser to raise awareness of the disease, thanks to a successful social media campaign. The contribution adds to the nearly $1.5 million the Alberta, Canada, company has provided to the organization over the…

Microscopic connections between brain cells vary based on biological sex, according to a new study that used machine learning to analyze MRI data from hundreds of healthy volunteers. Researchers said the findings may help explain why neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently vary according to sex. “Our…

Cionic is rolling out an update for the software that powers its Neural Sleeve, a wearable device — worn on the leg — that’s designed to aid in mobility for people with neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The new updates include a suite of functional exercises…

A Marquette University team is leading a new project that will combine balance and cardio training with the goal of improving the walking abilities of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Led by Marquette biomedical engineering professor Brian Schmit, PhD, the project — which is supported by a $3.34 million…

An abnormally active metabolism in immune B-cells can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules that drive further inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. Selectively blocking certain metabolic processes with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor normalized B-cell metabolism and shifted their signaling to an anti-inflammatory state.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who start treatment with a mild-to-moderate efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) were more likely to switch to another DMT, an analysis of the German MS Registry finds. Starting a DMT between 2014 and 2017 was also a predictor of switching. Disease activity despite treatment…

Alternative splicing, a biological process that allows a single gene to code for multiple proteins, is extensively disrupted in immune cells isolated from untreated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and long-term treatment with interferon beta-based therapies largely corrects the defects, a study found. “Alternative splicing is a potential biomarker warning…

A small molecule called ESI1 stimulated the repair of the myelin sheath, the fatty coating on nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. In an MS mouse model, this resulted in improved motor function and nerve cell communication, as well as reduced signs…

Alexander Gow, PhD, a professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, has been awarded a grant to study how stressed oligodendrocytes, the cells that produce myelin in the brain and spinal cord, could be at the origin of multiple sclerosis (MS). The three-year, $644,827 grant from…