News

Deal Brings AI-powered MRI to Care of Patients With Brain Disorders

A new collaboration between Arterys and Combinostics seeks to bring comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) imaging solutions to the diagnosis and care of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. Under the partnership, Arterys will include Combinosticsā€™ AI-powered cNeuro on its medical imaging cloud AI platform…

Some Cell Therapies Work by Dying, New Research Shows

Certain cell therapies that hold promise for treating autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis might work not because of the way the cells live in the body during treatment, but because of how they die. A better understanding of how these cell therapies work “is important in designing treatment protocols…

Mynd Tests MAP, Blood Biomarker for MS Diagnosis

Mynd Diagnostics is launching a clinical study to test the ability of a blood biomarker, which the company coined Mynd anti-inflammatory peptide (MAP), to help in the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). Starting in the first quarter of 2022, the company will collect blood samples from diagnosed patients…

1st Patient Enrolled in ENSURE Trials of IMU-838 in RRMS

Immunic TherapeuticsĀ has enrolled the first participant in its Phase 3 ENSURE clinical trial program, which is testing the company’s investigational treatment IMU-838 (vidofludimus calcium) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). “Enrollment of the first patient in ENSURE … marks an important inflection point for Immunic as we…

First Patient Dosed in Phase 1 Trial of IMS001 Therapy

ImStem Biotechnology announced that the first patient in its Phase 1 clinical trial for IMS001, an investigational treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), has been dosed at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. The trial (NCT04956744) is recruiting participants with an MS diagnosis ages 18 to 65. More information…

Autoimmune Patients Want Clearer COVID-19 Vaccine Info

Patients with autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), are uncertain about how to protect themselves against COVID-19, especially with regards to booster shots of the vaccine. According to a national survey by the nonprofit Alliance for Patient Access, these patients are confused due to conflicting information from the…

Lesser Right-hand Dominance May Be Linked to More Severe MS

Inconsistently switching between hands for most common manual activities ā€” or naturally choosing the left rather than the right hand ā€” may be associated with more severe multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), either in the form of younger age at diagnosis or progressive type, particularly in women, a small study suggests. These…

COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects With MS Similar to Public at Large

Side effects upon receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) are similar to those reported in the general population, and patients on certain disease-modifying therapies are less likely to have vaccine reactions,Ā a survey-based study found. The findings provide ā€œa reassuring pictureā€ for those who feel hesitant about…

MS Society of Canada Urges Consistent Access to COVID-19 Boosters

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is urging that all provinces and territories in Canada offer COVID-19Ā booster vaccines to at-risk populations, including people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In letters sent earlier this month, in collaboration with 11 other health charities, the…

Cholesterol Made by Nerve Cells Repairs Myelin Damage in Mice

Cholesterol made by neurons is crucial for repairing long-term damage to the myelin sheath, the fatty coating around nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new report based on experiments done on mice. The finding suggests that increasing neuronal cholesterol synthesis may be helpful…

NIH Grant Boosts Delpor’s Plans for Tizanidine Implant

The development ofĀ Delpor‘s DLP-208 implant for the treatment of moderate-to-severe spasticity, a symptom that commonly affects people with multiple sclerosis (MS), has been boosted by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. The $2.5 million grant will help the company advance DLP-208 into clinical testing, which…

Long-term Supplement Use May Improve Gait, Strength in RRMS

Long-term use of a high-dose nutritional supplement containing specific antioxidant vitamins and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may boost walking performance and other measures of functional capacity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new study found. The study, ā€œThe Effects of Specific Omega-3 and…

Vumerity Approved for RRMS in European Union

The oral medication Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) has been approved by the European Commission to treat adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). “This approval is a significant step forward in improving treatment adherence for people living with relapsing MS, which can make a meaningful difference on treatment…

Cerebellar Lesions in RRMS Linked to Worsening Manual Dexterity

The number of lesions affecting the cerebellum ā€” a brain region responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and motor skills such as balance, coordination, and posture ā€” predicts manual dexterity getting worse in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a retrospective analysis. The study, ā€œCerebellar pathology and…

Ocrevus Benefited RRMS Patients Who Responded Poorly to DMTs

Most relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients switching to Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) following suboptimal responses to other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) show no evidence of disease activity, according to final two-year data from the European-based CASTING Phase 3b trial. These clinical benefits, which entail no relapses or disease progression and no…

Longer Breastfeeding May Damage Brain By Delaying DMT Use

Having at least one pregnancy may lower disability scores in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), but breastfeeding for longer than six months may worsen damage to the brain, an observational study in patients has found. Findings support the need for careful pregnancy planning, counseling, and treatment management to ensure…

Ponvory Now Available in Scotland at Low or No Cost Through NHS

TheĀ Scottish Medicines ConsortiumĀ (SMC)Ā has recommended thatĀ Ponvory (ponesimod) be offered through the National Health Service (NHS) Scotland to people with active, relapsing forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). The decision means that the oral therapy will be available at low or no cost to patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS),…

sNfL Levels Linked to Relapse-free Disability Progression, Move to SPMS

Measuring levels of the protein serum neurofilament light chain (NfL)Ā can help to identify people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at higher risk of relapse-free disability progression or conversion to secondary-progressive disease, according to a study from Germany. The study, “NfL predicts relapse-free progression in a longitudinal…

AI Proposed to Help Thwart MS Treatment Delays, Discontinuation

Patientsā€™ underestimation of their own disease and the cost and side effects of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are among the main causes of delayed treatment initiation and non-adherence in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a report from OptimizeRx. These findings help uncover areas for improvement, which the health…

Study Sheds Light on How Tecfidera Kills Immune Cells

The multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) triggers immune cell death by interacting with a protein called Keap-1, a new study reveals. The study, “Wdr1 and cofilin are necessary mediators of immune-cell-specific apoptosis triggered by Tecfidera,” was published inĀ Nature Communications. Tecfidera is widely…

Ocrevus Still Top Therapy for Progressive MS Forms, Report Finds

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) continues to be the most commonly prescribed therapy for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to an analysis from the market intelligence firm Spherix Global Insights. However, other therapies are “gaining traction” among…