News

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

GAL Gene Variant May Put MS Patients at Risk for Rapidly Progressive Disease, Study Suggests

News

A genetic variant in the galanin gene (GAL) appears to be a risk factor for more severe multiple sclerosis (MS), nearly doubling the risk of rapidly progressive disease, particularly in ... Read more

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

National MS Society Awards $14.6M Supporting 43 New Research Projects

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) awarded $14.6 million in grants supporting 43 new and multiyear research projects into multiple sclerosis (MS), part of a projected $36 million investment in disease research for 2019, the ... Read more

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Are Injectables Inappropriate for Active Relapsing MS Treatment?

News

With more high-efficacy therapies becoming available, is it now inappropriate to prescribe older injectables — interferon beta and glatiramer acetate — to people with active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS)? ... Read more

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

MS Mindshift Brings Brain Health Effort, ‘Brain Bulb’ Hot Air Balloon to Atlanta Area Festival

News

The MS MindShift: A New View of MS initiative is continuing its travels to raise awareness and educate people about brain health in multiple sclerosis (MS), with the next stop ... Read more

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

Interleukin-22 May Be Biomarker to Monitor How Well RRMS Patients Respond to Therapy

News

The levels of the inflammatory molecule interleukin-22 (IL-22) may be used as a potential biomarker to evaluate disease severity and the effectiveness of treatments in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple ... Read more

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

Rituximab Linked to Greater Risk of Infections in MS Patients in Real-world Swedish Study

News

Newer disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) are effective but also known to carry a greater risk of infections in a patient group already more likely to be troubled ... Read more

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

Tysabri Treatment Leads to Disease Activity-free Status in Patients with Pediatric-onset MS

News

Early treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) of patients with aggressive pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis is highly effective at achieving disease activity-free status and preventing cognitive decline, a new study shows. The ... Read more

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

NMSS Awards $339K to Phase 2 Trial of Potential Remyelination Agent, Clene Nanomedicine Announces

News

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society awarded more than $339,000 to Clene Nanomedicine to support clinical tests into its lead candidate CNM-Au8 in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) by protecting nerve cells and ... Read more

October 15, 2019November 8, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Ofatumumab Part of ‘Magnificent Success Story’ for MS, ASCLEPIOS Trial Investigator Says

News

Ofatumumab, an investigational B-cell therapy being developed by Novartis, demonstrated encouraging results in lowering relapse rates and active brain lesions in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) enrolled in the ... Read more

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019

Immunic Therapeutics Fully Enrolls Phase 2 Trial of Oral IMU-838, Potential RRMS Treatment

News

Immunic Therapeutics announced that a Phase 2 clinical trial of IMU-838, its experimental oral therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), is fully enrolled ahead of schedule. The trial, called EMPhASIS, also exceeded ... Read more

October 14, 2019October 14, 2019

Decades of Night Work Tied to Nearly 3 Times Higher MS Risk, Studies in Nurses Suggest

News

Occasional, or rotating, night shift work, even if done over a decade, does not seem to be directly linked to a higher risk of multiple sclerosis. But working nights ... Read more

October 14, 2019February 18, 2020

Metformin Works to Promote Remyelination in Ways Similar to Fasting, Study Says

News

Metformin, a common diabetes treatment that works to mimic dietary fasting, was seen to promote remyelination in the stem cells of elderly rats, suggesting it may be useful in ... Read more

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019

Mavenclad, Ocrevus Use Rising in EU as Injectables and Tysabri Decline, Spherix Reports

News

Prescriptions of two multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments —  Merck KGaA‘s Mavenclad (cladribine) and Roche‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) — have been rising in Europe over the past six months, bolstered by greater ... Read more

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019

MS Society in UK Opens ‘Stop MS Appeal,’ £100M Fundraiser to Better Treat Disease

News

Through its Stop MS Appeal campaign, the United Kingdom’s MS Society seeks to raise £100 million (almost $125 million) within the next decade to advance research and treatments that will ... Read more

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019

Blocking LRP1 May Halt Inflammation, Promote Remyelination, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Blocking production of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) — involved in inflammatory and immune responses — specifically in myelin repair cells halts neuroinflammation and promotes myelin repair, a ... Read more

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019

Ills Like Depression, Hypertension More Common in MS Patients Than Others in US, Blue Cross Report Finds

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. are three times more likely to have mental or behavioral health issues, including depression and substance abuse (substance use disorder), than the general population, ... Read more

October 9, 2019October 9, 2019

US Supreme Court Denies Acorda Appeal on Ampyra Patents, Supporting Generic Versions

News

The U.S. Supreme Court gave a green light to generic versions of Ampyra this week, declining to hear Acorda Therapeutics‘ appeal of a lower court ruling that allowed generics of ... Read more

October 9, 2019October 9, 2019

CMSC Grant to Support Kessler Foundation Study of Low-risk Exercise in MS

News

The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) has awarded a grant to Kessler Foundation researchers, supporting a pilot study into how well different low-risk exercise regimens ease multiple sclerosis ... Read more

October 8, 2019October 8, 2019

Targeting Toxic T Helper Cells – Those with CXCR6 Receptor – Seen to Prevent MS in Mouse Model

News

Targeting the chemokine receptor CXCR6, a protein at the surface of a certain group of T helper cells, prevented the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model of ... Read more

October 8, 2019October 8, 2019

Structure and Workings of Receptor Tied to Inflammation and Cell Death Seen for First Time

News

Scientists observed for the first time the molecular structure of the P2X 7 receptor, a protein that plays a key role in cell death, inflammation, and cancer progression. This breakthrough ... Read more

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

RRMS Patients Not Using DMTs More Likely to Have Been Misdiagnosed, Cite Poorer Relationships with Doctors, Survey Says

News

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who don’t use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are more likely to have been misdiagnosed previously, and to have poorer relationships with their healthcare providers, ... Read more

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

Tests of Cognitive Abilities Very Useful in Judging Everyday Life Skills, But Study Advises Pairing with Other Tests

News

Testing cognitive abilities — like learning and memory, processing speed, and verbal fluency — can give valuable clues as to how well people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are able ... Read more

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Is Rituximab a Reasonable Option for MS Patients? No, Researcher Says

News

Editor’s note: This is the third story in a three-part report examining the question, “Is rituximab a reasonable alternative treatment for MS?”, which was a topic discussed at this ... Read more

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Is Rituximab a Reasonable Option for MS Patients? Yes, Researcher Says

News

Editor’s note: This is the second story in a three-part report examining the question, “Is rituximab a reasonable alternative treatment for MS?”, which was a topic discussed at this ... Read more

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Is Rituximab a Reasonable Option for MS Patients?

News

Editor’s note: This is the first story in a three-part report examining the question, “Is rituximab a reasonable alternative treatment for MS?”, which was a topic discussed at this ... Read more

October 3, 2019October 3, 2019

Bowel, Bladder Problems Linked to Higher Levels of Fatigue and Disability, Study Reports

News

Bladder and bowel problems, such as constipation and fecal incontinence, are associated with a higher level of fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in ... Read more

October 3, 2019October 3, 2019

Acthar Gel Eases MS Flare-up Symptoms After Two Months of Treatment, Observational Study Shows

News

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) eased flare-up symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing relapses, top-line data from an observational registry study shows. Acthar Gel, a medication developed ... Read more

October 2, 2019October 2, 2019

Profiling Inflammatory Markers in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Importance in Active MS, Case Study Finds

News

Careful profiling of inflammatory markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of multiple sclerosis patients, coupled with standard exams and scans, helps in understanding disease evolution and treatment response, a case ... Read more

October 2, 2019October 2, 2019

NFIA Protein Essential to Astrocytes, Brain Cells Active in Spinal Cord Repair and Remyelination, Study Suggests

News

A protein known as nuclear factor I-A (NFIA) is key for spinal cord repair and timely remyelination by astrocytes — the most abundant cells in the brain and first ... Read more

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019

FeetMe Raises €9.4M to Advance Gait and Posture Technology for Patients with Movement Disorders

News

FeetMe, a medical device company dedicated to the development of devices and digital health services to improve patients’ mobility, has raised €9.4 million ($10.25 million) in Series A funding to ... Read more

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019

Detailed Genetic Map Implicates Broad Immune Cell Involvement in MS, Reports Risk Variant in X Chromosome

News

A new large-scale genetic map implicates broad immune system dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggests a key role of brain immune cells called microglia, and indicates an ... Read more

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019

Trigger for MS and Other Immune Diseases May Be T-cells in Early Activation State, Study Reports

News

A specific type of immune cell in a particular activation state is linked to such immune diseases as multiple sclerosis (MS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a collaborative research ... Read more

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Mollii Suit Can Ease Muscle Stiffness and Improve Movement, Reports State

News

Mollii, an electrostimulation suit, can help reduce muscle stiffness, or spasticity, and its associated pain, as well as improve muscle activation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy, ... Read more

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019

ExeGi Pharma’s Probiotic Visbiome Will Be Tested in MS Clinical Trial

News

ExeGi Pharma announced a new clinical trial testing its probiotic Visbiome in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will further evaluate whether changing bacteria in the gut could ... Read more

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019

Michigan’s Memorial Healthcare First in US to Test NfL in MS Patients

News

Memorial Healthcare Institute for Neurosciences and Multiple Sclerosis announced it will become the first U.S. hospital to test a nerve cell-derived component known as neurofilament light chain (NfL) in multiple ... Read more

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019

New App May Help Measure Cognitive Function in MS Patients, Study Reports

News

A new app might make it easier for healthcare providers to assess cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The app was described in the study, “iCAMS: Assessing ... Read more

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019

MRI Marker May Be Better at Predicting MS Disease Progression, Study Finds

News, SPMS

The volume of atrophied (shrunken) regions in the brain, as visible through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, can predict disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research ... Read more

September 25, 2019September 25, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Should Vitamin D Supplements Be Recommended for MS? No, Researcher Says

News

Editor’s note: This is the third story in a three-part report examining the question “Should vitamin D supplements be recommended for MS patients?”, which was a topic discussed at ... Read more

September 25, 2019September 25, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Should Vitamin D Supplements Be Recommended for MS? Yes, Researchers Say

News

Editor’s note: This is the second story in a three-part report examining experts’ answers to the question “Should vitamin D supplements be recommended for MS patients?”, which was a ... Read more

September 25, 2019September 25, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Should Vitamin D Supplements Be Recommended for MS?

News

Editor’s note: This is the first story in a three-part report examining the question “Should vitamin D supplements be recommended for MS patients?”, which was a topic discussed at ... Read more