News

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), tiny sacs released from myelin-producing cells called oligodendrocytes, may help dampen the immune system’s attack against myelin, whose loss is the hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new mouse study shows. The findings suggest that oligodendrocytes-released EVs could work as an universal immunotherapy for MS…

Adults with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) had fewer new and accumulated lesions, and a lower relapse rate than those treated with Gilenya (fingolimod) for 24 weeks, according to…

A Phase 3 trial is underway in the U.S. to assess the safety and efficacy of Sativex (nabiximols), an oral spray that contains cannabis extracts, in treating spasticity — muscle stiffness or spasms — associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Sativex, by…

Using a two-pronged approach, researchers were able to restore myelin on regenerated nerve fibers in a mouse model of optic nerve injury, which has implications for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases associated with myelin loss, a study reported. The study, “…

A $25,000 contest is inviting entrepreneurs who have multiple sclerosis (MS), or take care of someone with MS, to pitch their non-therapeutic solutions for people with the neurodegenerative disorder. The virtual Innovation Challenge, which takes place in March 2021, is part of a collaboration between patient-powered platform Lyfebulb…

A small protein isolated from beetroot is able to block the activity of an enzyme called prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), which breaks down certain hormones and signaling molecules, and is thought to control the body’s inflammatory responses. According to the researchers, the discovery of this plant-derived protein may make possible…

InnoCare Pharma is preparing to launch a Phase 2 trial to assess the safety and efficacy of orelabrutinib, its investigational Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The trial, which is expected to enroll approximately 160 patients, will be carried out in the U.S.

Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) continues to be the most prescribed treatment for people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) among U.S. neurologists, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights’ report. However, Novartis’ Mayzent (siponimod) “is beginning to close the gap” with Ocrevus among those with active secondary progressive MS…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are invited to submit their artwork to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America‘s (MSAA) annual Art Showcase. The online event aims to share the work of artists with MS and their life stories. Applications are opened till Dec. 14 and are restricted to…

There may be a better way of repairing the insulation surrounding damaged neurons that could lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The data showed that blocking the protein sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2, or nSMase2, could improve the quality of the myelin surrounding…

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders are being recruited to take part in a 12-week clinical trial that aims to assess the health benefits of home-based tele-exercise — performed while seated — led by the Burke Neurological Institute, in New York, according to an…

MD1003, MedDay Pharmaceuticals’ high-dose biotin therapy, failed to significantly improve functional ability or walking speed in people with non-active progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a Phase 3 clinical trial. Besides failing to meet the trial’s goals, the therapy was associated with inaccurate results in…

A recently identified group of immune cells saved damaged nerve cells from death and promoted nervous system repair, a new study suggests. This finding may represent new promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “A new neutrophil…

There is no significant association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and vitiligo, a skin condition in which patches of skin lose their color, a review study has found. The study, “Association of multiple sclerosis with vitiligo: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in the journal…

Eligible people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) now have access to Mavenclad (cladribine) through seven provincial public drug plans in Canada, including the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and the Ontario Drug Benefit Exceptional Access Program. The oral treatment now is available through public drug programs…

Suppressing pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) — an enzyme involved in cellular metabolism — in T-helper (Th) immune cells lessened myelin loss and disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that helps speed transmission of signals between nerve cells, is damaged and lost…

A newly identified population of immune cells contributes to inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The study, “A distinct GM-CSF+ T helper cell subset requires T-bet to adopt a TH1 phenotype and promote neuroinflammation,” was published in Science Immunology. MS is an…

The HLA-DR15 haplotype — a set of gene variants that tend to be inherited together — in the HLA-DRB1 gene plays a role in autoimmune response and, in combination with environmental factors, contributes to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study, “…

Biogen is discontinuing the clinical development of opicinumab, its experimental treatment candidate for multiple sclerosis (MS), based on data from the Phase 2 AFFINITY clinical trial. The announcement, amid a third-quarter report, indicated that the study failed to meet both its main and secondary goals, without further details. The trial,…

The anti-inflammatory medication VX-765, which is delivered through the nose (intranasal), was found to limit disease progression in a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis (MS) by blocking a protein called caspase-1. The medication helped prevent damage to brain cells in mice. Researchers from the University of…

Two genetic variants have been identified by researchers within a genome region previously reported to drive a 1.44-times increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a group of African Americans with European ancestry. Located in genes involved in immune responses, the variants fully explain the reported European ancestry-associated increased…

The European Patent Office granted a patent for IMP761, Immutep‘s experimental antibody to be used in treating inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). IMP761 targets a receptor found on the surface of immune system T-cells called lymphocyte-activation gene 3,…

The presence of a particular gut bacterium widely used in probiotics, called Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), was sufficient to increase disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), but only in genetically susceptible animals, a recent study shows. These findings highlight the complex interactions between…

The nutritional supplement NanoStilbene, developed by Therapeutic Solutions International, worked better to reduce neurological damage and disease symptoms in an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) than the market-leading MS therapy Copaxone, the company announced. NanoStilbene is composed of easily absorbed nano-particles of pterostilbene, a…

Oral administration of trehalose — a sugar molecule found in plants and fungi and reported to have neuroprotective effects — eased symptoms and halted disease progression in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). These benefits were associated with a restoration of the ability of microglia (the brain’s immune cells) to break down…

Aslan Pharmaceuticals announced it will develop Aslan003, a potent and highly selective next-generation modulator of the immune system, as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Aslan003 is a small molecule blocking the human enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). This enzyme is believed to reduce…

In a nationwide survey of caregiver abuse and neglect among Americans with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS), more than half of respondents reported some form of mistreatment, with psychological and financial abuse being the most common. Having a caregiver with a mental illness was the greatest risk factor for mistreatment, the survey…

Eli Lilly has reached an agreement to acquire Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a new class of disease-modifying treatments for patients with axonal degeneration, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS). In its announcement, Lilly committed to advancing Disarm’s prospective therapies, currently in preclinical development.

A genetic variant may make depression more likely in certain people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than others, a genome-wide study in patients indicates. The study, “Depression in multiple sclerosis patients associated with risk variant near NEGR1,” was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Depression is characterized by…

Helius Medical Technologies partnered with Breakthrough Health on a project focused on understanding how people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. evaluate the therapies at their disposal in terms of how well they help their ability to walk. The collaboration will take advantage of an MS companion application, called…