News

Biogen has secured a new patent in Europe covering the use of its oral therapy Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) for multiple sclerosis (MS) through 2028, the company announced. Granted by the European Patent Office, patent EP2653873 covers the composition and use of dimethyl fumarate at a dose of 480…

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) has shown some promise as a treatment option for highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but more clinical evidence is needed to support its use, a team of researchers in the U.K. suggest. “Uncertainty remains as to how aHSCT compares with current…

The risk of erectile dysfunction was about three times greater in men with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with healthy men, according to a recent meta-analysis of published studies. It was identified in nearly half of the 2,760 adult male patients in these studies, highlighting the importance of diagnosing…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada has opened MS Bike, an annual cycling event to raise awareness and funds for research and services that make the difference for the more than 90,000 Canadians living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Conducted in an entirely virtual format due to COVID-19 in 2020…

Alcohol intake is not significantly associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), but specifically drinking beer may elevate the risk, according to a recent meta-analysis. The association, however, was limited by a small number of included studies. “Further large-scale prospective studies should be conducted to verify…

Unusual growth in an immune cell class called myeloid cells is evident in the bone marrow of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and these cells likely contribute to the inflammation that drives the disease, according to a new study. Experiments in mice suggest that myelin-reactive T-cells can migrate to the bone…

Cionic‘s leg-worn Neural Sleeve, recently authorized in the U.S. to aid walking in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that impair mobility, reduced foot drop in a small clinical trial. Patients in the trial also reported marked reductions in pain and mental health problems, according to…

Cresence AS has sold its epidermal growth factor (EGF) platform comprising investigational therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases to Bioasis Technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, Bioasis will own all intellectual property related to the EGF platform. In exchange, it will issue…

Treatment with the experimental immune-modulating therapy vidofludimus calcium reduced disease activity on MRI scans in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), data from the Phase 2 EMPhASIS clinical trial shows. Top-line results from EMPhASIS were reported by the therapy’s developer Immunic Therapeutics in 2020. Researchers at…

Innovative Trials has selected the MS Society UK as its charity partner for the next year, and intends to raise at least £3,000 (about $3,600) to support multiple sclerosis (MS) research and the society’s quest for a world without MS. Innovative Trials works with pharmaceutical companies and…

A new tool called signal detection theory (SDT) found a relationship between subjective cognitive fatigue, often experienced by people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the activation of certain brain regions, a study reported. Although the relationship was found in both patients and healthy controls after cognitive fatigue was…

Treatment with foralumab nasal spray resulted in marked clinical improvements after three months in the second secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patient treated under a single-patient access program. The findings were generally consistent with those seen in the first SPMS patient and supported a decision by the U.S. Food…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given Ekso Bionics clearance to market its wearable robotic exoskeleton to aid in rehabilitation programs to improve gait and mobility in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Dubbed EksoNR, the device had been approved by the regulatory agency for stroke and spinal…

Higher numbers of immune cells circulating in the bloodstream may mean a greater likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study based on a large pool of genetic data in people of European ancestry. One particular type of immune cell, called natural killer (NK) cells, was linked…

Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), a form of purified botulinum toxin, has received a positive opinion in Europe for managing urinary incontinence in adults with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), or overactive bladder. The opinion is specifically for those who experience bladder issues due to multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal cord…

Find Therapeutics and SATT Conectus have joined forces to develop a promising therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and optic neuritis based on a new class of compounds that shows the potential to regenerate myelin. Myelin is the fatty protective sheath around nerve fibers that’s progressively lost…

The overall risk of death is about 75% higher for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in the general population, according to a new study. “The association was independent of demographic, socioeconomic variables, lifestyle factors, baseline diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer status,” researchers wrote. The study,…

Erin Stevenson’s doctor laughed when she asked him 13 years ago if the vertigo she felt while training for a first 100-mile bike ride could be related to her mother’s multiple sclerosis (MS). MS isn’t a genetic disease, but Stevenson managed to persuade the doctor to schedule a brain…

Treatment with Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) after COVID-19 vaccination significantly boosted the levels of antibodies against the virus among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were taking B-cell targeted therapies, a small study showed. “This is important as it provides a different strategy for protection against…

Treatment with the approved multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy dimethyl fumarate (DMF) did not affect the function of the thyroid gland, an organ that secretes hormones to regulate metabolism, a medical records study concluded. Screening for thyroid problems is not needed for people with MS considered for DMF therapy, the…

Formal consideration of legislation to establish a Canada Disability Benefit, with the expectation the measure will provide financial support to Canadians who live with multiple sclerosis (MS), is being praised by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. On June 2, the legislation was tabled in Canada’s House of…

Using the portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device during a targeted exercise program significantly improves walking skills in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to recent real-word data. Notably, significant improvements were observed from the second week onward, and more than half of the 42 patients patients experienced clinically meaningful gains…

A protein called nephronectin mediates autoimmunity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), and blocking this protein was found to prevent disease progression and processes that drive T-cells toward an inflammatory state, researchers reported. Study findings support nephronectin, a protein involved in kidney development, as a promising treatment…

A medication currently approved to treat certain kinds of cancer, called topotecan, could be repurposed for treating neuroinflammatory conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) because it reduces the inflammatory activity of immune cells called microglia. That’s according to the study, “Myeloid cell-specific topoisomerase 1 inhibition using DNA origami…

More than half of the people with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with Aubagio (teriflunomide) showed no evidence of disease activity after two years on treatment, according to a study in Italy. The study, “Evolution of teriflunomide use in multiple sclerosis: A real-world experience,” was published in the Journal of…

A blood biomarker test developed by Octave can effectively monitor overall disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), helping to improve the care being given, the company reported. The assay, dubbed the MS Disease Activity (MSDA) test, can also be used to monitor disease activity across…

A Phase 1/2 clinical trial is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of a cutting-edge immunotherapy called extracorporeal photopheresis in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, dubbed PHOMS (NCT05168384), is enrolling up to 45 adults with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) at a…

A single infusion of FibroBiologics‘ investigational cell therapy, CYMS101, was able to inhibit disease activity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), and appeared safe in early MS clinical trials, the company announced in a press release. Data from the mouse and human studies were…

The presence of self-reactive antibodies, typically seen in autoimmune diseases like scleroderma, may be common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). That finding from a small study indicates high levels of these antinuclear antibodies were correlated with relapse status and ongoing inflammation in MS. The study, “Antinuclear…

Lyvispah — a dissolvable granular formulation of baclofen — is now commercially available in the U.S. for adults and adolescents, 12 and older, with spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other spinal cord disorders. In people with MS, the strawberry-flavored formulation is particularly suitable to ease flexor…