MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Stem Cell Trial, Young PWMS and DMTs, Exoskeleton, Tests for Kids

Stem Cell Transplant Trial Enrolls First Patient in Minnesota

It looks as if we’re moving closer to the day when stem cell transplants become an approved MS treatment in the U.S., at least I hope so.

A trial is enrolling subjects to test the stem cells against several high efficacy DMTs: Tysabri (natalizumab); alemtuzumab (sold as Campath and Lemtrada); Ocrevus (ocrelizumab); Mavenclad (cladribine); Kesimpta (ofatumumab); and rituximab (an experimental therapy used off-label in MS). Up to 156 patients will be enrolled and then followed for six years.

A clinical trial investigating patient-derived stem cell transplants for the treatment of people with severe relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) has enrolled a patient in Minnesota.

The patient was enrolled at the University of Minnesota Medical School, one of two trial sites in the state. An additional 18 sites in the U.S. and one in the U.K. also are, or soon will be, recruiting participants for the BEAT-MS Phase 3 trial (NCT04047628). More information is available here.

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DMTs Underutilized in Younger Patients, Study Indicates

Everything I’ve read about MS indicates the earlier that treatment is started, the more effective it is at slowing or stopping disease progression. So, I have to wonder why DMTs are underutilized in younger people with MS. Unfortunately, this study only gives us half a loaf; it doesn’t look at what the reason for this might be.

Nearly a third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are younger than 40 are not being treated with disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), even though younger individuals are expected to get the most benefit from DMTs, according to a new study.

“DMTs for MS are more frequently used at younger ages when there is likely higher disease activity, yet a substantial proportion of younger PwMS [people with MS] remains untreated,” researchers wrote.

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Robotic Exoskeleton Intervention Improves Motor, Cognitive Function

It’s well known that exercise helps both body and mind of people with MS. But patients with severe walking problems are often unable to participate in the kind of intensive exercise needed to get good results. It’s great that an exoskeleton can help obtain this. My question, however, is where can someone be treated with this robotic tool and, if you can find it, will insurance cover it?

Four weeks of robotic exoskeleton-assisted exercise rehabilitation, called REAER, worked better than conventional gait training in improving mobility and cognitive function in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with substantial walking difficulties, according to a small trial.

A robotic exoskeleton consists of an externally worn device that encases a user’s hips, back, and legs during rehab, providing greater physical performance.

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Meaningful Cognitive Gains in Pediatric MS Captured Using Pencil-Paper Test

You may have seen this paper-and-pencil test. It requires someone to substitute numbers for symbols and, recently, it’s been available in some MS apps as well as in healthcare offices. It’s useful for assessing adults as well as children with MS.

A computer-based training program that exercises distinct components of attention and working memory can improve cognition in young people with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), a new study indicates.

Findings also support a common pencil-and-paper measure of cognition, called the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), in detecting clinically meaningful changes in thinking abilities and concentration among these children.

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