May 2, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Remyelination Candidate Opicinumab Failed in Phase 2 Trial in MS, But Biogen Won’t Give Up Although a Phase 2b trial of the remyelination drug candidate opicinumabĀ (also known as anti-LINGO-1 and BIIB033) failed to meet its primary goal of improving disability in relapsing and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers believe the drug did cause āfairly strongā improvements. The trial evaluated four doses of the…
April 28, 2017 News by Larry Luxner Two Women with Different Forms of Multiple Sclerosis Call Ocrevus a Lifesaver Pamela Arterbridge noticed something was wrong back in 2013 when she woke up one morning, and her legs and feet were tingling. Two years later, Lorraine Lee knew she had a problem when her right leg became extremely fatigued after every workout. Neither realized their eventual diagnosis would be multiple…
April 28, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Siponimod Slows Progression of MS Disability, Phase 3 Clinical Trial Shows SiponimodĀ slows the progression of multiple sclerosis patients’ disability, a Phase 3 clinical trial indicates. The therapy reduced the risk of disability progression in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) by 21 percent over three months, researchers said. At six months, the reduction was 26 percent, they said. Researchers…
April 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Real-world Data of Gilenya Treatment Validates Slowed Brain Shrinkage as Disease Progression Measure A real-world study of Gilenya (fingolimod) in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) confirms benefits of the treatment seen in clinical trials. The Novartis-sponsored study also demonstrated that measures of brain shrinkage can be used in a clinical setting to evaluate disease progression. The data, presented at theĀ American Academy of…
April 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Firefighter with Relapsing MS on Ocrevus: ‘I Have Really Good Days and I Have Bad Days’ Texas firefighter Wayne Donovan is amongĀ theĀ estimatedĀ 250,000 to 350,000 Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS). He enrolled in a clinical trial testing Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), which theĀ Ā U.S. Food and Drug Administration recentlyĀ approvedĀ as the first therapyĀ for both relapsing and primary progressive forms of MS. Donovan was diagnosed in 2011 at…
April 10, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Ampyra Aided Walking in PPMS and RMS Patients Over Long Term, Neurologist Says in Interview AmpyraĀ (dalfampridine) shows long-term efficacy in improving walking ability in peopleĀ with multiple sclerosis, according to a study evaluating the treatment’s use in progressive and relapsing MS patients over two years. The study, āMonitoring long-term efficacy of fampridine in gait-impaired patients with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the…
April 10, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Transcript of Interview on Ampyra Research, MS Walking Ability and Long-Term Use Multiple Sclerosis News Today interviewedĀ Dr. Linard Filli,āØ an MS researcher at the University Hospital ZurichĀ involved in clinical studies of prolonged release Ampyra (dalfampridine), on walking ability in MS patients,Ā and Dr. Andrew Blight, chief scientific officer at Acorda Therapeutics, the treatment’s developer. Here is a full transcript of that interview.Ā An…
April 6, 2017 News by James Frederick, PA-C, MMSc Nektar Therapeutics Starts Phase 1 Trial of NKTR-358 for Autoimmune Diseases Nektar TherapeuticsĀ has started a Phase 1 clinical trial of its biologic therapy NKTR-358 forĀ inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. NKTR-358 is a first-in-class regulatory T-cell stimulator designed to correct the immune system dysfunction associated with these disorders. ItĀ targets regulatory T-cells, or Tregs. Other immunosuppressant therapies suppress the…
March 28, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA Approves Ocrevus as 1st MS Treatment for Both Relapsing and Primary Progressive Forms At long last, and for the first time in medical history, peopleĀ with both relapsing and primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis have reason to celebrate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā as a disease-modifying therapy for both forms of MS, aĀ chronic autoimmune disease.
March 23, 2017 News by Stacy Grieve, PhD Early Rebif Treatment Prolongs Progression to Clinically Definite MS, Study Reports An extension of a Phase 3 clinical trial has shown that early treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in patients with initial manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) can prolong the time to a clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) diagnosis over fiveĀ years. The study, āSubcutaneous interferon Ī²-1a in…
March 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Alkermes Begins Phase 3 Study of ALKS 8700 as Relapsing MS Treatment AlkermesĀ has started a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating ALKS 8700, the oral monomethyl fumarate (MMF) prodrug it is developing for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The multicenter, double-blind, active-controlled trial (NCT02634307) will examine whether the gastrointestinal tract can tolerate ALKS 8700 better thanĀ Tecfidera…
March 14, 2017 News by Charles Moore Clinical Test of Rex Robotic Device as Rehabilitation Aid for MS Patients Starting in UK A clinical test of whether bionic robotics can improveĀ mobilityĀ in peopleĀ with relapsing orĀ progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and considerable disability is now recruiting participants, after being approved by the U.K. National Health Service’s Health Research Authority (HRA) ethics committee. The trial, called RAPPER 3Ā (Robot Assisted Physiotherapy Exercises with Rex…
March 6, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Innate to Complete Phase 2b Trial for MIS416 Therapy in Secondary Progressive MS Patients Australia’sĀ Innate Immunotherapeutics confirmed that its Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating the drug MIS416 in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) will wrap up by April 30, as scheduled, and data is expected to be release in the fall. MIS416 is a biologically derived new immune modulator that can…
February 23, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ACTRIMS2017 – No Evidence of Progression More Likely Among PPMS Patients on Ocrevus Genentechās Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) increased the proportion of patients with no evidence of progression (NEP) in the recently concluded ORATORIO Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). The evaluation of NEPĀ ā a combined measure of three disability assessments ā was a secondary exploratory endpoint of…
February 22, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Apitope’s ATX-MS-1468 Therapy Decreases Brain Lesions in Relapsing MS Patients Treatment with Apitopeās lead agent, ATX-MS-1467, decreased brain lesions in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) in a now-completed Phase 2aĀ clinical trial. ATX-MS-1467 is a potential disease-modifying agent with anĀ immune-tolerating action. It consists of four short peptides derived from the myelin basic protein, and is designed to reduce…
February 22, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD New Compound, BIIB074, May Ease Trigeminal Neuralgia Pain with Fewer Side Effects, Study Says Treatment with a compound called BIIB074 shows promise in reducing pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia ā a Ā condition that occasionallyĀ affects multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ā with few side effects, a new clinical trial finds. The Swiss study, āSafety and efficacy of a Nav1.7 selective sodium channel blockerĀ in Titrigeminal neuralgia:…
February 9, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Shoe Insoles Meant to Make Walking Easier for MS Patients to Be Tested in Australia A specialty shoe insole that mayĀ helpĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients walk and go about their daily lives with more assurance and ease was developedĀ by an Australian-led research team, which is now seeking 176 patientsĀ to test the insoleĀ in a three-month trial. The study is led by Anna Hatton, a physiotherapy professor…
February 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Clinical Trial Supports Stem Cell Transplants to Treat RMS Patients with High Disease Activity A newly concluded clinical trialĀ gives scientificĀ evidence of the benefits that a stem cell transplantĀ holds forĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who fail to respond toĀ medicationsĀ ā withĀ researchers calling the procedureĀ a reasonable option for thoseĀ with high disease activity. Five years after the treatment ā high-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed byĀ autologous hematopoietic cell transplant ā furtherĀ disease…
February 2, 2017 News by admin Long-term Treatment with Gilenya Found to Limit Lesions, Relapses in Japanese MS Patients Continuous treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod)Ā helps limit relapses and detectable lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a three-year, follow-upĀ studyĀ in Japan. The results confirmĀ the findings of trials conducted in predominantly Caucasian populations. The findings were reported in the study, āLong-term efficacy and safety of fingolimod in…
January 31, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Patient Opinions on Zinbryta Seen to Match Phase 3 Trial Data, Supporting Questionnaire Use More relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated withĀ Zinbryta (daclizumab)Ā said they feltĀ itsĀ health benefitsĀ than did thoseĀ givenĀ Avonex (interferon beta-1a) ā demonstrating that patient-reported outcomes do mirror objective measures of improved health in a clinical trial ofĀ the two drugs. Patient-reported changesĀ in both physical and psychological health contribute to a more comprehensive picture of…
January 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Flex Pharma Shifts Focus to Programs Targeting MS, Other Neurological Diseases Flex PharmaĀ said it plans toĀ prioritize developing its clinical programs in neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and peripheral neuropathies like Charcot-Marie Tooth (CMT). One or two proof-of-concept, Phase 2 clinical trials are planned for this year in the United States to evaluate Flex Pharmaās…
January 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Patients with Spasticity Needed for Study of Extended-release Baclofen Capsules A new clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of extended-release baclofen capsules in relieving spasticity related to multiple sclerosis (MS) isĀ calling for 135 people with any form of the disease. The study, taking place in six U.S. states, is sponsored by Sun Pharma, the drug’s developer. Baclofen, an approved MS…
January 20, 2017 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD Women in Family with MS Seen to Be at Particular Risk of Developing Disease Family members of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are asymptomatic but at a higher risk of developing the disease themselves are more likely to have early signs of the disease, according to a study published in JAMA Neurology and titled "Assessment of Early Evidence of Multiple Sclerosis in a Prospective Study of Asymptomatic High-Risk Family Members". These people should therefore be closely monitored.
January 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Multiple Sclerosis Association, Antidote Technologies Collaborate to Raise Clinical-trial Awareness The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) and Antidote TechnologiesĀ announced a partnership to increase awareness aboutĀ clinical trials on multiple sclerosis (MS) and to make important information more accessible. In addition to helping those with the disease, the effort aims to help companies planning trials to find participants for…
January 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD TG Therapeuticsā B-cell Therapy Could Allow for Rapid Dosing, Early Data Suggest Early data fromĀ TG Therapeutics’ Phase 2 trial of its B-cell-targeting experimental multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment ublituximab (TG-1101), showed that the drugĀ is well-tolerated and effectively reduces B-cells in the blood. MS therapies that deplete B-cells have been effective in relapsing and progressive forms of MS. Like other B-cell-targeting drugs in…
December 22, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Use of Ibudilast as MS Treatment Shows Enough Promise to Continue Trial Ibudilast (MN-166) has shown enough promise as a treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) that its U.S.Ā Phase 2b trial (NCT01982942) should continue, the U.S. National Institute of Health’s Data and Safety Monitoring Board has recommended. A key goal of the 96-week trial is to determine whether ibudilast canĀ slow the…
December 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Phase 3 Trial of Ocrevus to Treat RRMS Begins Enrolling Patients in US Genentech is recruiting U.S. participants for a Phase 3 study (NCT02637856) of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who were notĀ helped by previous disease-modifying therapies, according to a press release from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The trial is an open-label study, meaning…
December 14, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Trial Data Suggests RedHill’s Antibiotic Treatment May Benefit MS Patients Promising data from a small Phase 2a clinical trial sponsored byĀ RedHill BiopharmaĀ for an antibiotic designed to fight certain infections suggests thatĀ adding the drug candidate to interferon treatment reduced relapse rates and brain lesion formation in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This novelĀ treatment approach was based on…
December 2, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Lemtrada Lessens MS Disability in People Who Respond Poorly to Other Therapies, Study Says Data from the CARE-MS II clinical trialĀ showed that Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) canĀ lessen pre-existing disabilities in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who failed to respond adequately to previous disease-modifying therapies, according to a study of the trial’s data. The treatment was evaluated againstĀ Rebif (interferon beta-1a)Ā therapy. The study, āAlemtuzumab…
September 23, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Primary Progressive MS Patients May Soon Have Ocrevus as Treatment Results from the ORATORIO trial, exploring Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for the treatment of primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), showed that the drug stopped disease progression for more than two years in more patients than a placebo. The findings, a highlight at the European Committee for Treatment and Research…