National MS Society Pledges $19 Million Dollars to Fund 54 New Studies

54 new multiple sclerosis (MS) research and development initiatives are set to receive substantial funding in order to accelerate new therapies. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) announced that it has pledged $19 million to fund these new MS studies as part of their mission to better manage and eradicate this debilitating disease. These investments add to the society’s total of $50 million worth of support for 380 international studies this year alone. Each of these studies focus on one of three NMSS priority areas: wellness and lifestyle, progressive MS, and neuronal damage repair.

The society receives hundreds of research proposals annually. In order to select only the most promising concepts, NMSS calls on over 130 of the most accomplished MS experts from all over the world to stringently evaluate the research proposals.

One of the novel studies receiving NMSS funding comes from Stanford University, which will explore the possibility of using skin cells to restore nerve cells’ myelin sheath. Another interesting research project comes from the Mayo Clinic, which seeks to determine if gut normal flora can treat MS. A third example comes from the University of Illinois, which will study the effects of a regular exercise regimen on MS patients’ strength and balance issues.

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The NMSS Executive Vice President, Bruce Bebo, Ph.D., said that the society is excited to back these promising and comprehensive research ventures. The society is geared towards curing the disease, but at the same time, they value developments that could make living with this disease easier for everyone as well.

Another NMSS funded study is one from Glialogix for one of their pipeline products for neuroprotection, GLX1112, which has shown efficacy in slowing disability progression and potentially repairing neuronal damage.