May 31, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mayzent and Kesimpta Gaining Ground as MS Treatments in Canada Novartisā Mayzent (siponimod) and Kesimpta (ofatumumab) are gaining ground among multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) therapies in Canada, according to the latest Spherix Global Insightsā report. āFollowing an eventful 2021 that included the launch of two new brands ā Novartisā Kesimpta and BMS’ Zeposia ā and generic versions of Biogenās…
March 15, 2022 News by Mary Chapman MS Read-a-Thon in Canada Extended to Meet Goal The MS Society of Canada‘s virtual MS Read-a-Thon event has been extended to March 20, giving children and families throughout Canada extra time to enjoy reading while raising funds for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. The event, which began Jan. 27, seeks to generate $110,000 to…
December 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Report: Tecfidera, Aubagio Preferred RRMS Treatments in Canada Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Aubagio (teriflunomide) are the preferred disease-modifying treatments for managing relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Canada, according to a report from Spherix Global Insights. The report was part of SpherixāsĀ RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (Canada) service, which collects data on market trends of MS…
November 11, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD North American MS Societies Targeting Earliest MS Predictors The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) has partnered with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to support a Canadian-led study investigating the earliest predictors of multiple sclerosis (MS) during the so-called prodromal period across diverse groups. A prodrome is a set of signs or symptoms that…
October 29, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Canadians Prepare for 2021 Women Against MS Gala This year’s Women Against Multiple Sclerosis (WAMS) Gala, which aims to raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, will take place Nov. 5. In order to keep participants safe in the setting of the ongoing pandemic, the MS Society of Canada‘s initiative will feature three events held virtually:…
September 22, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Tied to Increased Risk After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis People who develop colon cancer are more likely to die in the first year, from that cancer or other causes, if they also have multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study indicates. MS disability seems to contribute to this association. “These results warrant further investigation to determine what factors may…
August 5, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Canadian Patients Say Their Top Concern Is Access to MS Providers Accessing healthcare providers knowledgeable about multiple sclerosis (MS) and being able to afford additional services to improve overall health were the most pressing healthcare concerns among Canadians with the condition, a survey suggests. āThese findings provide healthcare planners prioritized concerns and a profile of [people with MS] that have…
June 3, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD BelongMS App Now Includes French Language Option Belong.Life, a developer of a networking platforms that help patients navigate and manage their disease, has added a French language option in its BelongMS app for the French-speaking Canadian community. BelongMS is a free mobile app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to support the multiple sclerosis (MS)…
May 27, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mayzent, Zeposia May Lose Ground in Canada, Report Finds Mayzent (siponimod) and Zeposia (ozanimod), the two sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators most recently approved in Canada for treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), showed strong launches in the country, according to the latest Spherix Global Insightsā report. However, due to several internal and external factors, sustained relevance of these…
May 24, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MS May Not Affect Breast Cancer Survival, Study Suggests Women with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā diagnosed with breast cancer are not at a higher risk of dying from cancer than women without the neurodegenerative disorder, according to a Canadian population-based study. However, 10 years after their breast cancer diagnosis, women with MS were 28% more likely to die from any…
December 1, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MS Patients at Higher Risk of Bladder Cancer, But Not Breast, Colorectal Cancer People with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) are at a higher risk of developing and dying from bladder cancer than people without the neurodegenerative disorder, according to a Canadian population-based study. However, no differences were found between MS patients and unaffected individuals in terms of their risk of breast and…
October 28, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mavenclad for RRMS Now Available Through Seven Provincial Public Drugs Plans in Canada Eligible people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) now have access toĀ MavencladĀ (cladribine) through seven provincial public drug plans in Canada, including the RĆ©gie de l’assurance maladie du QuĆ©bec (RAMQ) and the Ontario Drug Benefit Exceptional Access Program. The oral treatment now is available through public drug programs…
October 8, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Health Canada Approves Oral Zeposia for Adults With RRMS Health Canada has approvedĀ Zeposia (ozanimod), an oral daily treatment for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in the country. Approval does not assure that Zeposia will be available to Canadian patients at no or low cost, as publicly funded prescription plans are largely administered by each…
August 3, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Healthcare Access for Immigrants With MS in Ontario ‘Reassuring,’ Study Finds Immigrants with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Ontario use public health services as much as long-term residents, but are more likely to be hospitalized during the year in which they are diagnosed, according to a recent study. While reasons for that year’s higher hospitalization rates are not clear, evidence supports…
April 28, 2020 News by Mary Chapman Collaborative Program in Canada Offers Exercise and Social Sessions During Pandemic During the COVID-19Ā pandemic, a University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine initiative is offering a free virtual exercise and social connection program to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions, according toĀ a press release. Called NeuroSask, the initiative is in collaboration with…
March 31, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Canada Rules EHP-101, Potential Cannabidiol Treatment, Not Controlled Substance EHP-101, a cannabidiol-derived investigational therapy being developed by Emerald Health PharmaceuticalsĀ (EHP)Ā to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), is not a controlled substance in Canada, the company announced. The active ingredient in EHP-101 is a derivative of cannabidiol, abbreviated CBD. This is one of the most well-known active compounds in…
March 26, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Helius Medical Technologies Authorized by Health Canada to Market PoNS Device The neurotechnology company Helius Medical TechnologiesĀ has received authorization from Health CanadaĀ to market its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficit in patients with mild-to-moderate multiple sclerosis…
March 19, 2020 News by Ana Pena PhD Canadian Study Reports Fewer MS-related Hospital Admissions as Patients Age and Among Women Older age, a greater number of health conditions, and prior hospital admissions are associated with more hospitalizations due to all causes among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, MS-related hospitalizations decrease as patients age, and are less frequent among women, according to a study analyzing more than two decades…
March 6, 2020 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Health Canada Approves Mayzent to Treat Active SPMS Health Canada has approved Novartis‘sĀ MayzentĀ (siponimod)Ā for the treatment of adults with activeĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosisĀ (SPMS) to delay the progression of physical disability. Active disease is determined either by the presence of relapses or magnetic resonance imaging features characteristic of inflammatory activity. Multiple sclerosis (MS)…
February 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mavenclad May Be Added to RRMS Treatments on Quebec’s Public Health Plan The agency in charge of health and social services for Quebec, known as theĀ Institut national d’excellence en santĆ© et en services sociaux (INESSS), is recommending thatĀ Mavenclad (cladribine) be offered at discount to adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) enrolled in the province’s health system. INESSS’ opinions…
February 5, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Having Other Health Conditions Does Not Raise Risk of MS-related Hospitalization, Study Finds Having other health conditions, or comorbidities, along with multiple sclerosis (MS) does not increase a person’s risk of being hospitalized due to MS-specific symptoms, although it does raise the rate of all-cause hospital admissions, a study found.Ā The finding was described…
January 3, 2020 News by Alejandra Viviescas, PhD DMT Use Linked to Fewer Hospitalizations Among Adults with MS in Canadian Province The growing reliance on disease-modifying therapies (DMTs)Ā to treat people with multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā has led to fewer hospitalizations but not a drop in the number of physician visits, a population study of DMTs and their impact on healthcare use in Canada reports. The study, “Association between…
December 13, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc EMD Serono, Canada Sign Agreement for Public Health Plan Funding of Mavenclad for RRMS People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) across Canada are a major step closer to having access to EMD Seronoās Mavenclad (cladribine). EMD Serono, known as Merck KGaA outside of North America, has finish negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA)Ā that oversees new drugs coming in,…
December 12, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc CanProCo, Canadian Study into MS Progression, Given $1M in Support by Alberta The Government of Alberta is investing CA$1 million into a research project that will follow for years a group of people withĀ multiple sclerosisĀ ā with varying disease types and at differing stages ā to better understand progression in MS. The province’s contribution brings to more than CA$10 million (about…
November 7, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Generic Version of Gilenya, pms-Fingolimod, Now Available for RRMS Patients in Canada PharmascienceĀ recently launched pms-Fingolimod, a generic version of NovartisāĀ GilenyaĀ (fingolimod),Ā to treat adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS) in Canada. The new generic is now available in that country, and has demonstrated efficacy and safety similar to Gilenya. GenericĀ medicines are chemically identical to the original branded therapy, but carry a…
November 4, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Teva-Fingolimod, Generic and Bioequivalent Version of Gilenya, Available in Canada Teva Canada announced that Teva-Fingolimod 0.5 mg capsules, a bioequivalent generic version ofĀ Novartisā Gilenya (fingolimod), are now available in Canada and approved by the country’s national health system calledĀ Health Canada. GenericĀ medicines are chemically identical to the original branded therapy, but carry a significantly lower cost. Canadian…
September 24, 2019 News by Mary Chapman MS Society of Canada Running Online Letter Campaign Ahead of Oct. 21 Election Leading up to Canadaās Oct. 21 federal election, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is urging citizens to write their local candidates, asking for greater support of those living with the neurodegenerative disorder. Called #MakeMSMatter, the Sept. 4 through Oct. 21 online letter-writing drive is an effort to…
August 14, 2019 News by Mary Chapman ‘Burgers to Beat MS’ Fundraiser Set for Aug. 22 at A&W Restaurants Across Canada The 11th annual “Burgers to Beat MS” dayĀ is set for Aug. 22 in Canada, with $2 from each purchase of anĀ A&W Teen BurgerĀ going to the MS Society of Canada to support people living withĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). Supporters may also round up their in-restaurant bill to the nearest…
June 3, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Mavenclad May Surpass Gilenya as DMT of Choice for Treatment of MS in Canada Mavenclad (cladribine) may surpass Gilenya (fingolimod) in the category of oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) of choice for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada, according to a press release. The Canadian healthcare market for MS has grown considerably over the past two years. In November…
March 29, 2019 News by Alberto Molano, PhD $1.5M Earmarked for MS Research on Cannabis in Canada In partnership with the CanadianĀ Institutes of Health Research, theĀ MS Society of CanadaĀ has announced $1.5 million to fund research over five years on the effects of cannabis on multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms and disease progression. Studies have shown that for each 10-degree increase in latitude, patients newly diagnosed…