News

People in a Neural Sleeve gait study were reported to show an “average improvement” of 143% in foot drop, a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that hinder mobility, its developer, Cionic, reports. The wearable “bionic” device — which analyzes, predicts,…

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…

Sanofi Genzyme has extended its collaboration with Koneksa to bring digital measures into its Phase 3 trials of tolebrutinib, an investigational therapy for relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Through this joint effort, Koneksa’s digital biomarkers were applied to clinical trials of Parkinson’s…

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

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) has partnered with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to support a Canadian-led study investigating the earliest predictors of multiple sclerosis (MS) during the so-called prodromal period across diverse groups. A prodrome is a set of signs or symptoms that…

Measuring levels of the protein serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) 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…

Patients’ 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…

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 in Nature Communications. Tecfidera is widely…

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…

It’s been a decade since the opening of the UK MS Register, which sought to gain a better understanding of how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects patients’ everyday lives, with a goal, according to its website, toward fueling campaigns for “fair, relevant policy and improved health care.” Now, the…

Among people with nervous system damage indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS), but who don’t yet have the disease — a condition known as radiologically isolated syndrome or RIS — the risk of progressing to full-fledged MS is higher for those who are younger, have spinal cord lesions, and have…

Using robotic devices during gait training can improve walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among those with severe disability, a review of 17 studies has found. However, the benefits lasted only a few months, suggesting that patients need regular training to maintain the improvements. The study,…

A single dose of NVG-291, a potential nerve repair therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), was safe and well-tolerated among healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 safety trial, and was found to have favorable pharmacological properties, new data show. Given the positive results thus far, a safety committee supervising…

Extracellular vesicles or EVs — tiny sacs of material excreted by cells — that have been coated with protein receptors were found to safely reduce disease progression in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet, in Sweden, coated these vesicles with receptors that block pro-inflammatory…

Numares has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Oxford University Innovation to develop and commercialize a panel of biomarkers that identify disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, the company aims to create a tool that detects early signs of conversion from relapsing remitting…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) was found to be a cost-effective treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing a relapse, according to an economic analysis. Notably, the economic value of Acthar Gel was greater than that of alternative treatments — plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin — from the…

There is no link between serum vitamin D levels and the age at which an individual develops the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new observational study suggests. However, a link was found between cerebrospinal fluid antibody levels, serum vitamin D levels, and the age at first MS…

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) helped people with multiple sclerosis (MS) cope with symptoms, and many said they would recommend these practices to others living with MS, according to a review of published studies related to patients’ experiences. The participants reported the benefits of a shared experience, but stressed the importance…

Not drinking alcohol significantly increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), especially if a person also is a current or former smoker, according to a new study. These findings add to the knowledge, discovered in multiple previous studies, that alcohol decreases the activity of the immune system. According…

The injectable ACTH gel medication Cortrophin Gel (repository corticotropin injection), first introduced in the U.S. in the 1950s, will now be relaunched as a treatment for acute flare-ups in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune conditions, following its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In…

A new podcast series hosted and produced by cultural expert Jess Weiner aims to help girls, non-binary individuals, and women, with their confidence. The target audience includes those with physical disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), that may affect their self-image. Called “Dominant Stories with Jess Weiner,” the 12-episode…

The COVID-19 pandemic brought extra strain to already-stretched neurology services across the U.K., markedly affecting multiple sclerosis (MS) care and patients’ health, according to a report from the MS Society. These findings were consistent with those of a 2020 report from U.K.’s Neurological Alliance showing that the pandemic…

Tri Global Energy, an ongoing supporter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Dallas chapter, will be the title sponsor of one of the society’s premier fundraising events, “Dallas On the Move Luncheon.” The Dallas-based company, which specializes in renewable energy and energy storage, signed the sponsorship with a…

This year’s Women Against Multiple Sclerosis (WAMS) Gala, which aims to raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, will take place Nov. 5. In order to keep participants safe in the setting of the ongoing pandemic, the MS Society of Canada‘s initiative will feature three events held virtually:…

New preclinical data continues to support the potential of Cyxone’s investigational plant-derived peptide T20K for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). In a collaboration with its academic partner, the Medical University of Vienna, Cyxone has shown that a combination of T20K plus an activator of the kappa…

People who contract infectious mononucleosis — colloquially known as “mono” — during childhood or adolescence are at a roughly two to three times greater risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults, a large population-based study suggests. Notably, the study points to mono itself — independent of other factors…

A musical about the life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Italian-born Roman Catholic nun known as Mother Cabrini to the many immigrants in New York she served in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tells Cabrini’s story through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Colder ambient temperatures may ease the inflammation that drives multiple sclerosis (MS), early research in a mouse model suggests. Animals whose environment for two weeks was set at 10 C (about 50 F) had a “pronounced attenuation” of disease severity and other benefits compared with those kept at a…

Owlytics Healthcare, in partnership with Tel-Aviv Medical Center in Israel, has taken its smartwatch — designed to monitor symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) from afar — through a first stage of validation. The smartwatch, worn on the wrist, collects a continuous stream of personal health data that are sent to…

Into-the-vein treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) failed to significantly reduce brain inflammation or improve clinical conditions among adults with active multiple sclerosis (MS) in an international Phase 2 clinical trial, according to final study data. The trial, which used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to assess…