Columns The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: Foralumab, ATA188, Precision Care, PoNS Trial MS News Notes: Foralumab, ATA188, Precision Care, PoNS Trial Columnist Ed Tobias comments on the week's top MS news by Ed Tobias | November 14, 2022 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Here’s a look at what’s happening: Could a nasal spray join the MS treatment arsenal? Shots, pills, and infusions are approved in the U.S. as disease-modifying therapies for MS, but so far, there isn’t an approved nasal spray that serves this purpose. However, one nasal spray treatment is in the clinical trial stage: foralumab, which is aimed at people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). As MS News Today‘s Lindsey Shapiro reports in her story “Tiziana Planning 2023 Launch of Phase 2 Foralumab Trial in SPMS,” after being sprayed into the nose, foralumab enters the lymph nodes, where it activates regulatory T-cells. According to Shapiro, “These cells act to regulate the activation of other immune cells, then travel into the brain, where they work to prevent activation of microglia ā the brainās resident immune cells ā and dampen inflammation.” Two patients have been treated with foralumab under a single-access program, and four more are currently enrolled. Tiziana Life Sciences, the developer of foralumab, hopes to receive approval from the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a Phase 2, multicenter clinical trial of foralumab in mid-2023. Recommended Reading November 11, 2022 Columns by John Connor Someone in My Family Has Medical Problems, and It Aināt Me Will ATA188 become a ‘game-changing’ MS treatment? ATA188 is an experimental treatment that selectively identifies and destroys immune system cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus. Researchers think that eliminating those cells could halt the attacks they mount against the myelin sheaths of people with MS. In turn, that could slow or halt MS progression. In an interview with MS News Today, AJ Joshi, the chief medical officer of ATA188 developer Atara Biotherapeutics, called it “transformational” and “game-changing.” I hope he’s right, but I have to wonder if that is a bit of an exaggeration. Read the story “#ECTRIMS2022 ā ATA188 Could Be āGame Changingā for Progressive MS” and see what you think. Providing precision care for people with MS Precision care is a relatively new method of treating people with multiple sclerosis and other illnesses. Your genetics, environment, and behavior are all taken into account to plan treatment targeted specifically to you, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. The biomedical company Octave has created tools to help healthcare providers use this approach, including blood biomarkers, MRI scans, and an app. MS News Today‘s Vanda Pinto reports about it in her story “Octaveās Precision Care Solution Aims to Better Tailor MS Treatment.” These tools are being used at various MS centers in the U.S. According to Martin Belkin, medical director at one of those centers, the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders, the MS Precision Care Solution program “provides those of us who have been working to treat this disease with more comprehensive and scientific tools and information than we have seen to date.ā Neuromodulation stimulator trial looking for volunteers in several states A portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) is a device that can be used in a clinic as a short-term treatment for adults who have difficulty walking due to mild to moderate MS symptoms. It stimulates the tongue with a light electrical current to promote neuroplasticity, the process of the brain rewiring itself. PoNS devices are approved for use in the U.S. under the supervision of a physical therapist. But, as Margarida Maia writes in “Trial to Assess Adherence to PoNS Therapy for MS With at-Home Use,” an observational clinical trial is planned to see if the device can be used at home. Helius Medical Technologies, the deviceās developer, is expected to begin recruiting patients later this year for the study. Would you use a treatment that involved electrically stimulating your tongue? Please share your thoughts on this and other MS news stories in the comments below. Note:Ā Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those ofĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author Ed Tobias People say to write what you know and Ed Tobias knows about MS. He's lived with the illness since 1980, when he was 32 years old. Ed's a retired, award-winning broadcast journalist and his column combines his four decades of MS experiences with news and comments about the latest in the MS community. In addition to writing his column, Ed is one of the patient moderators on the MS News Today Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites. Heās also the author of āThe Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox: Hints and Tips for Living with M.S.ā Ed and his wife split their time between the Washington, D.C. suburbs and Floridaās Gulf Coast, trying to follow the sun. Tags MS News Comments Brian OāNeill Helloāelectrically stimulating the tongue is no problem. If it helps with a persons msāno problem at ALL!!! Reply Ed Tobias Hi Brian, I don't think this would be much different from the sensation I get on my leg from my Bioness Functional Electrical Stimulator, but the thought of it being on my tongue just doesn't seem very appealing. :-) Ed Reply Elizabeth Cate Hi, Ed. I have tried both Bioness and PONs, and just FYI they are nothing alike. The PONs stimulation is not strong or unpleasant. And you can adjust the stimulation to your preferred setting. Reply Ed Tobias Hi Elizabeth, That's great to know. Thanks for sharing. Ed Reply Elizabeth Cate I can vouch for the PONs device. It has helped me tremendously. Faster walking, less fatigue, and better balance. It is expensive and a time commitment but so worth it. Reply Steve Pryer Anything that helps. I say bring it on Reply Susan Morrow Wharton Yes, without a doubt if it helps me walk. Reply Jen I would sign up for this trial today -- hopefully there will be one in Australia soon. Reply Ed Tobias I hope so too, Jen. Ed Reply Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
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