November 25, 2022 News by Patricia Valerio, PhD More Inflammation Biomarkers in Spinal Fluid of PPMS Patients: Study Individuals with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) have significantly higher concentrations of specific inflammation biomarkers in their spinal fluid than healthy people, an exploratory study shows. For most biomarkers, levels in PPMS patients were comparable to or lower than those seen in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
September 2, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Combining Biomarkers May Help to Predict Cognitive Impairment in MS Combining blood and imaging biomarkers might help clinicians better predict cognitive impairment in people with early multiple sclerosis (MS) than using either one alone, a new study suggests. Researchers found that using the two together worked better to predict information processing speed than did either blood or MRI biomarkers…
July 20, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Study Aims for Better Way of Marking Myelination in MS Patients Rune Labs has partnered with Coastal Research Institute (CRI) to identify new and noninvasive biomarkers of the loss of myelin, the fatty sheath surrounding nerve fibers that is progressively damaged byĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The collaboration involves a patient study that will take advantage of Rune Labsā…
April 12, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD New Blood Biomarker Technology May Help to Predict MS Activity Simoa, a technology that detects relevant molecules in samples with up to 1,000 times greater sensitivity than conventional methods, has helped to advance research into a blood biomarker expected to predict future disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Specifically, Quanterix‘s ultra-sensitive technology allowed an international team…
March 22, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Smell Test Might Help Predict if MS Treatments Are Working A measure of the nose’s sensitivity to smell could be used to detect whether treatments for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) are working or not, a new study indicates. The scientists noted that their results need to be validated through further study, but said the findings suggest that a smell…
February 17, 2022 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD UPenn Neurologist Wins Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research A neurology professor at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has received the 2021 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research for his work in understanding how the immune system causes multiple sclerosis (MS). The international $100,000 prize, administered by the National MS Society, was awarded to Amit…
November 4, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Numares to Develop Multi-biomarker Test of SPMS Transition 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…
September 2, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Combo of Biomarkers Predict Future Disease Activity In people with early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS), the presence of high levels of neurofilament light chain (sNfL) protein in the bloodstream combined with thinning of the retina is a strong indicator of future disease activity, a recent study demonstrates. āOur findings encourage the application of both sNfL and retinal…
August 11, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD Nurse With MS Wins Grant to Find Severity, Progression Biomarkers A nurse and PhD candidate with multiple sclerosis (MS) is looking for disease biomarkers that can help healthcare providers better estimate how individual cases of MS will progress. The goal of Stephanie Buxhoeveden’s research, now supported by a grant from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), is…
April 12, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Predicting Progression, DMT Costs, MS Rates Retinal Layer Thickness May Predict MS Progression, Relapses We all know how unpredictable MS is. For some, it progresses very quickly, while for others, it follows a slow progression over many years. Wouldn’t it be nice if we knew the course our disease is likely to follow, right from…
March 4, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD #ACTRIMS2021 – Benign Versus Aggressive MS ā the Hunt for Clues Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. While researchers make progress in pinpointing markers of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), identifying those that signal…
February 16, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD 2 Biomarkers Found to Predict MS Onset in People with Optic Neuritis An antibody analysis has identified two biomarkers that can be used to predict the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in people with optic neuritis, a study reports.Ā Further research is, however, required to validate these findings…
January 7, 2021 News by Diana Campelo Delgado CXCL13, Inflammatory Marker, May Be Good at Predicting Likely MS Activity CXCL13, an inflammatory biomarker, may be a good marker of likely future disease activity in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), a study suggests. The study, āIntrathecally produced CXCL13: A predictive biomarker in multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal ā Experimental, Translational and Clinical. Clinicians caring…
September 23, 2020 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Siemens Healthineers, Novartis Partner to Develop NfL Diagnostic Test The development of a diagnostic test using neurofilament light chain (NfL) ā a biomarker for nerve cell damage ā for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) will be part of a collaboration program between Siemens HealthineersĀ and Novartis. The goal of this new collaboration is to design, develop,…
September 4, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #MSVirtual2020 ā Meeting Focus Is on Advances in MS Research, Diagnostics, and Technology The upcoming MSVirtual2020 meeting, the largest international conference dedicated to multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) research, will focus on advances and breakthroughs made in MS causes and risk factors, diagnostic tools, treatment response biomarkers, technology, and therapies and interventions. The 8th joint meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and…
June 19, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Immune B-cell Subsets Correlate with MS Progression, Study Finds Australian scientists have discovered subsets of immune cells that differ between people who have multiple sclerosis (MS) and those who donāt. Because the prevalence of these cells correlates with autoimmune attacks, they represent potential targets for MS therapies. The study, āIgG3Ā +Ā B…
May 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Progressive MS Linked to Faster Retinal Atrophy, Study Shows People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) have faster and disease-modifying therapy (DMT)-resistant retinal atrophy (thinning), compared to those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a study shows. Data also highlighted that the thickness of deeper layers of the retina could be used as potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration in…
May 6, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Immune Cell microRNAs Are Potential MS Biomarkers, Study Suggests Altered levels of molecules important for cell regulation ā called microRNAs ā have been found in specific immune cells isolated from the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reveals. These immune cells, called monocytes, transform into macrophage cells,…
January 31, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Harvard Scientist Awarded National MS Society’s Barancik Prize for Work in MS Harvard professor and scientist Francisco Quintana, PhD, has been awarded the 2019 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research for his work in understanding what causes multiple sclerosis (MS), and how to stop its development. Quintana has developed innovative research programs that use cutting-edge technology to help…
November 7, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Siemens Healthineers Joins with Quanterix to Develop Blood Tests for NfL Levels Siemens Healthineers has signed a license and supply agreement with Quanterix that helps it in developing blood tests for neurofilament light chain (NfL) to aid in early disease detection, evidence of progression, and measuring treatment response in people with neurological disorders such asĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Siemens Healthineers…
November 6, 2019 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc European 3TR Project Unites Experts in Effort to Make Treatment More Personal and Effective A new public-private initiative brings academic and industry researchers from 15Ā European countries together in a large-scale effort to understand differences and commonalities in seven immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis, so to better predict a patient’s likely response to treatment and likely disease progression. The project, called 3TR…
October 28, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Cognitive Impairment, Genetic Variant Risk Factor, Protein Biomarkers, Gilenya Study Higher Intellectual Ability, Early-life Physical Activity May Protect Against Cognitive Impairment in MS, Study Suggests The finding that physical activity provides a protective effect for cognitive abilities makes sense to me. I recently listened to a webinar discussing brain atrophy, which has a direct relationship with cognitive impairment, and…
October 23, 2019 News by Alejandra Viviescas, PhD NfL and CHI3L1 Work as Biomarkers of Disease Activity and Progression in MS, Study Says The levels ofĀ neurofilament light chainĀ (NfL) and chitinase3-like1 (CHI3L1) in the cerebrospinal fluid ā the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord ā serve as respective biomarkers of disease activity and progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. Measuring levels of both proteins also helps to…
October 16, 2019 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc NMSS Awards $339K to Phase 2 Trial of Potential Remyelination Agent, Clene Nanomedicine Announces The National Multiple Sclerosis Society awarded more than $339,000 to Clene Nanomedicine to support clinical tests into its lead candidate CNM-Au8Ā in treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) by protecting nerve cells and restoring myelin. The grant was awarded under the National MS Societyās Fast Forward program, which aims…
September 16, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 ā Glia Score May Differentiate Progressive MS from RRMS, Study Suggests Patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) have higher levels of protein markers of activated glial cells than those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or patients with other neurological disorders, according to a new study. The findings also indicated that scoring the extent of glial involvement in relation to nerve…
July 11, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD UK Researchers Pursuing Breath Test to Diagnose MS Scientists at the University of Huddersfield, U.K., are trying to develop a breath test to detect volatile molecules exhaled only by people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Doing so mightĀ offer a non-invasive and simple way to diagnose the disease. The research team now plans to undertake…
May 20, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: MS Biomarker, Best RRMS Early Treatment, Ocrevus Study, Out-of-Pocket Costs #AANAM ā Biogen Offers Update on Development Plans for MS Therapies The pharma company that brought you Tysabri (natalizumab) is investigating a new process for treating multiple sclerosis. The treatment looks for something called neurofilament light chain (NfL), a potential biomarker that’s released from damaged neurons.
March 4, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – Two MRI Biomarkers Can Potentially Distinguish RIS from Other Disorders Two new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers ā called central vein sign and paramagnetic rim sign ā could be useful for differentiating true radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) patients from those with mimicking features, new research shows. The findings were presented at theĀ Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple…
March 1, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – RRMS Conversion to SPMS Is Preceded by Spinal Cord Atrophy The rate of spinal cord tissue loss is a strong indicator of conversion fromĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to a finding presented at theĀ fourth annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2019. The forum…
November 8, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Blocking Protein Called SARM1 Seen to Protect Nerve Cells from Damage Linked to MS Blocking SARM1, a protein identified as a central mediator of nerve cell degeneration, works to prevent damage to axons ā nerve cell fibers essential in cell-to-cell communication ā and may be a way of treating neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), data from Disarm Therapeutics shows. Specially, genetically deleting…