December 18, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD US neurologists favorably view BTK inhibitors as potential MS therapies More than one-third of neurologists in the U.S. believe Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors could be of pivotal significance as a future treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to findings of a recent Spherix Global Insightsā survey. āThrough Spherixās quarterly RealTime Dynamix market tracker, neurologists…
November 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS African American MS patients have high B-cell levels in CSF, study says People with multiple sclerosis (MS) of African descent had higher levels of inflammatory B-cells in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord compared with white MS patients in a small U.S. study. These findings may help to explain why Black people with MS tend to experience a faster…
September 2, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias Researchers Hit a Bump on the BTK Inhibitor Road A little over a year ago, I wrote about whether Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi’s) might be the next big thing in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments. BTKi’s are small molecules that selectively block an enzyme thatās important for the activation of B-cells in the immune system and…
April 22, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Chinese Authorities Approve Trial of SN1011; US Study on Horizon The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has agreed to approve a Phase 2 trial testing the safety and efficacy of the investigational therapy SN1011 in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). SN1011 is being developed by SinoMab Bioscience to treat a range of autoimmune and inflammatory…
March 3, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2022 ā Tolebrutinib More Potent Than Other BTK Blockers Tolebrutinib, an investigative inhibitor of Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK) being developed byĀ SanofiĀ to treat all forms ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), shows the potential to be more potent than other BTK inhibitors also in advanced clinical trials, scientists reported. The findings, based on preclinical data, were shared at the Americas…
February 9, 2022 by BioNews Staff Expert Voices: Current state of MS treatments and cure research In this installment of our āExpert Voicesā series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Tim Coetzee, PhD, some of your questions related to the current state of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment and cure research. Coetzee serves as the National MS Societyās chief advocacy, services, and science officer. In this capacity, he…
November 15, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: NVG-291, Ocrevus, Tolebrutinib, Tecfidera Nerve Repair Therapy NVG-291 Safe, Well-tolerated in Healthy People This experimental therapy has a long way to go before it becomes reality. But it’s encouraging that this first step found NVG-291’s side effects to be mild and short-lasting. NVG-291 is designed to promote remyelination by modulating an enzyme called…
November 12, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Phase 3 Trials of Tolebrutinib in MS Forms to Include Digital Measures Sanofi GenzymeĀ has extended its collaboration with Koneksa to bring digital measures into its Phase 3 trials of tolebrutinib, an investigational therapy for relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Through this joint effort, Koneksaās digital biomarkers were applied to clinical trials of Parkinsonās…
October 6, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ECTRIMS2021 ā Trial Analyses Support Evobrutinib for Relapsing MS Treatment with evobrutinib, an experimental therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reduced the size of inflammation-associated brain lesions in a Phase 2 clinical trial, data show. The oral medication was also found to be generally safe and well tolerated, according to an analysis of trial data in…
July 30, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias Could BTK Inhibitors Be the Next Big MS Treatment? Is orelabrutinib one of the next big MS therapies? Biogen is betting at least $125 million that it is. Orelabrutinib is an experimental oral BTK inhibitor (BTKi). BTKi’s are designed to selectively block an enzyme that’s important for the activation of B-cells and microglia. Some of those immune cells…
July 19, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Orelabrutinib, MS Stress, Selma Blair Biogen Strikes Deal for Orelabrutinib, Now in Phase 2 Trial BTK inhibitors, such as orelabrutinib, are designed to selectively block the activity of an enzyme important for the activation of B-cells and microglia. Some of those cells drive the abnormal immune responses that attack the central nervous systems of…
July 14, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Biogen Strikes Deal for Orelabrutinib, Now in Phase 2 Trial Biogen has signed a deal with InnoCare Pharma to acquire global commercialization and licensing rights to orelabrutinib, anĀ experimental oral BTK inhibitor (BTKi) now being tested in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Under the terms of the agreement, Biogen will have…
December 17, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Progressive MS Patients Urged to Enroll in Phase 3 Trials of Tolebrutinib Investigators are looking for people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) to participate in two Phase 3 clinical trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of tolebrutinib (SAR442168), an oral BTK inhibitor that is being investigated as a potential treatment, the National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ announced…
December 14, 2020 News by Diana Campelo Delgado Sanofi Enrolling for 2 GEMINI Trials Testing Tolebrutinib vs. Aubagio for Relapsing MS Two global Phase 3 clinical trials, both comparing Sanofi Genzymeās investigational tolebrutinib with its approved therapy Aubagio, are enrolling a total of 1,800 people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), the company said. All patients in both studies ā dubbed GEMINI 1 and GEMINI 2 ā will…
November 3, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD InnoCare Cleared to Launch Phase 2 Trial to Test Orelabrutinib in RRMS Patients 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.
September 11, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Tolebrutinib Prevents Myelin Loss in Mouse Model of MS-like Demyelination Tolebrutinib (SAR442168), an investigational oral BTK inhibitorĀ to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), was seen to prevent the loss of myelinĀ when given to a mouse model of demyelination in a preclinical study. The investigative therapy achieves this by preventing…
September 11, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Roche Launches Phase 3 Clinical Program to Test Fenebrutinib Roche has launched a Phase 3 clinical trial program to evaluate fenebrutinib, its investigational oral BTK inhibitor, in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS). Data on fenebrutinibās potency and selectivity, as well as the design of the clinical…
August 19, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Sanofi to Acquire Principia Biopharma in $3.6 Billion Transaction In a $3.68 billion transaction, Sanofi is preparing to acquire Principia Biopharma, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies for disorders caused by dysregulation of the immune system, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision was unanimously approved by the board of directors of…
June 25, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD 1st Relapsing MS Patient Enrolls in Phase 3 Trial of Oral SAR442168 A first person has enrolled inĀ Sanofiās Phase 3 trial evaluatingĀ SAR442168, an oral BTK inhibitorĀ intended to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), Sanofiās partner, Principia Biopharma, announced. āWe are delighted that Sanofi has initiated ā¦ [this] trial in patients with relapsing MS,ā Roy Hardiman, chief…
February 10, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Methionine, MSCT, Spinal Fluid, and BTK Blocker Studies Dietary Changes May Delay Development and Progression of MS, Study Finds Methionine is an amino acid found in meat, eggs, and dairy. It’s absorbed by T-cells that are part of our immune system. Those cells are also believed to be the immune cells that attack our myelin, creating the…
February 7, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mayzent Approved in Europe as First Oral Treatment for Active Secondary Progressive MS The experimental BTK inhibitor SAR442168 showed an acceptable safety profile and met its primary endpoint ā a significant reduction in the number of new lesions visible on a brain imaging scan ā in a Phase 2 trial in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), study results show. SAR442168,…