August 9, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS US Survey Finds High Rates of Dissatisfaction With Quality of Life, But Satisfaction With Healthcare More than one-third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who responded to an online U.S.-based survey are dissatisfied with their quality of life, and more than one in four MS patients are pessimistic about their future, according to the results of the survey, conducted by Multiple Sclerosis News…
July 28, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD FDA Greenlights Stem Cells Trial Aiming to Improve Quality of Life The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light to a Phase 2 clinical trial that will assess the efficacy of using adult mesenchymal stem cellsĀ (MSCs) to treat the symptoms of mild to moderateĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). The non-profit Hope Biosciences Stem Cell Research Foundation (HBSCRF),…
July 21, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD Low Temelimab Doses in RRMS Trial Among Reasons for Poor Results Low doses selected and underlying inflammatory disease may have confounded the ability of temelimabĀ to significantly affect neuroinflammation in a Phase 2 trial in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. GeNeuro‘s investigational MS therapy did, however, show other evidence of clinical benefit that supports its continued development, researchers…
July 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NervGen Sets Advisory Board to Support Upcoming NVG-291 Trial NervGen Pharma announced the formation of its multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical advisory board, a group of experts who will work with the company as it prepares to start a Phase 2 clinical trial next year testing its lead compound, NVG-291, in people with MS. “We are honored to…
May 11, 2021 News by Hawken Miller Minority Representation in MS Research Still Lacking, but There Is Hope Although multiple sclerosis (MS) affects many different races and ethnicities and may even be more aggressive in some of these patient populations, minority representation in MS clinical trials remains critically low. Black patients made up only a fraction of the total enrollment in large-scale Phase 3 trials for three…
March 26, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD NurOwn Cell Therapy Found Safe, Effective for Progressive MS in Phase 2 Trial NurOwn cell therapy led to significant improvements in the physical abilities, vision, and cognition of people withĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in a Phase 2 clinical trial, top-line data show. In addition to these positive efficacy results, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, NurOwn’s developer, announced that its cell-based therapy showed…
March 15, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD Ampyra Aids More Than Walking in MS, But Side Effects May Be of Concern Treatment with oralĀ Ampyra (dalfampridine) improves walking ability, finger dexterity, and cognition in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), an analysis of nine randomized clinical trials shows. But the investigators caution the therapy should be taken only under expert medical guidance, due to its higher rate of potential side effects. The…
March 3, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 – Dietary Restriction May Limit Severity of MS 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. Dietary restriction can lessen the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) by modulating levels of fat-related hormones, new research…
March 1, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 – Neurologist Calls for Trial Testing Estrogen Therapy at Menopause 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 all the latest stories from the conference. At the ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Rhonda Voskuhl, MD, a neurology professor at the University…
February 24, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Enrollment Complete in Phase 2 Trial Testing Temelimab GeNeuroĀ has completed patient enrollment in its ProTEct-MS Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating temelimab as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. The study (NCT04480307), taking place at the Karolinska Institutetās Academic Specialist Center (ASC) in Stockholm, Sweden, has enrolled 42 people with relapsing MS whose…
February 18, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS EVOLUTION Trials Testing Evobrutinib Now Recruiting Two global Phase 3 clinical trials testing the investigational oral medication evobrutinib are recruiting participants with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The two identically-designed trials āĀ EVOLUTION RMS 1 (NCT04338022) and EVOLUTION RMS 2 (…
February 15, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: DMTs and COVID-19 Vaccines, Better Trials, Ocrevus, Spinal Lesions National MS Society Urges DMT Dosing Changes for COVID-19 Vaccinations The National MS Society has revised its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations first issued about a month ago. The guidelines still say the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are considered safe for people with MS, including those using disease-modifying therapies, or DMTs.
February 10, 2021 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Progressive MS Alliance Wants Changes to Trials to Better Realize Treatments Making clinical trials more comparable, consistent, and focused on the biological mechanisms underlying the onset and development of multiple sclerosis (MS) are all key to more quickly realizing new treatments for progressive MS, according to the International Progressive MS Alliance. To attain these goals, the Alliance, a worldwide…
January 13, 2021 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD GW Pharma Plans More Clinical Trials for Sativex GW Pharmaceuticals is planning to continue recruiting patientsĀ into two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials of Sativex (nabiximols), an oral spray that contains cannabis extracts and is being investigated as a potential add-on therapy for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and spasticity. The company also is…
January 12, 2021 News by Diana Campelo Delgado Lemtrada May Slow MS Disease Progression, Long-term Study Suggests LemtradaĀ (alemtuzumab) may slow the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and lower the conversion rate of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), a long-term study suggests. The results showed that patients converting to SPMS ā in which a personās disability gets steadily worse ā were older,…
December 22, 2020 News by Mary Chapman MSAA Asks Patients to Take Survey Into Opinions on Clinical Trials People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are encouraged to complete a survey aimed at understanding the experiences and expectations of those with a chronic illness who have either participated in a clinical trial or may in the future. The questionnaire was created by Kayentis, an electronic solutions company, in…
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…
December 14, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Fatigue Trial, Pediatric MS Relapses, Stem Cell Transplant MS Patients Urged to Enroll in Clinical Trial Assessing Chronic Fatigue Treatments My “MS Wire” column 10 days ago reported on a study of MS fatigue treatments that compared three medications with a placebo. The study found that none of the medications were much better than the placebo.
December 11, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD MS Patients Urged to Enroll in Clinical Trial Assessing Chronic Fatigue Treatments Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) are being urged to enroll in a new clinical trial ā now recruiting in Washington and Michigan states ā that aims to assess the effectiveness of different treatments to counteract the effects of chronic fatigue. The investigators are hopeful that data from this…
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.
October 30, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias aHSCT Gets a Boost in US With NMSS Recommendations Is the United States a step closer to approving a form of stem cell transplantation as a treatment for multiple sclerosis? I believe it may be. That’s because the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) has slightly changed its view of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, or aHSCT. aHSCT involves…
October 29, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MD1003 Fails to Prevent Disability Progression in Progressive MS Patients, Trial Shows MD1003, MedDay Pharmaceuticalsā high-dose biotin therapy, failed to significantly improve functional ability or walking speed in people with non-active progressiveĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a Phase 3 clinical trial. Besides failing to meet the trialās goals, the therapy was associated with inaccurate results in…
October 20, 2020 News by Diana Campelo Delgado Aslan Pharmaceuticals to Develop Aslan003 for Autoimmune Conditions Aslan Pharmaceuticals announced it will develop Aslan003, a potent and highly selective next-generation modulator of the immune system, as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Aslan003 is a small molecule blocking the human enzymeĀ dihydroorotate dehydrogenaseĀ (DHODH). This enzyme is believed to reduce…
October 14, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Aubagio’s Long-term Benefits Not Influenced by Prior Treatments, Review Finds Prior treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) does not affect the long-term benefits of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The study, “Prior treatment status: impact on the efficacy and safety of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis,”…
September 25, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Anokion Planning Launch of Phase 1 Trial of Investigational MS Therapy ANK-700 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted an investigational new drug application (IND) for ANK-700, a treatment candidate for multiple sclerosis (MS) that is being developed by the Swiss company Anokion. With this approval, Anokion can enter clinical testing and is planning to…
September 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New and Ongoing Trials Evaluating Kesimpta, Including as Switch Therapy Upcoming and ongoing clinical trials aim to expand an understanding ofĀ Kesimpta (ofatumumab), theĀ Novartis therapy recently approvedĀ by theĀ U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationĀ (FDA) to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Kesimpta is an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, a type of treatment that is thought to work…
August 27, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MMJ International Holdings Manufacturing Cannabis-based Investigational Therapies for MS, Huntington’s MMJ International Holdings, in collaboration with a a specialty pharmaceutical solutions company, has begun manufacturing gelatin capsule medicines based on compounds found in cannabis, The company will investigate these in clinical trials as potential treatments forĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) andĀ Huntingtonās disease. “As MMJ…
June 30, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Study of Temelimab in MS Progression Without Relapse Enrolls 1st Patient GeNeuro announced that a firstĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā patient has enrolled in its Phase 2 trial assessing the safety and effectiveness of temelimabĀ in people whose disease is progressing in the absence ofĀ relapses. This trial, taking place atĀ the Karolinska Institutetās Academic Specialist Center (ASC), in Stockholm,Ā had been postponedĀ to reduce…
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…
June 19, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD 1st Progressive MS Patient Enrolls in Phase 1b Study of Cell Therapy ATA188 Atara Biotherapeutics has enrolled a first patient in a clinical trialĀ testingĀ ATA188, its off-the-shelf T-cell immunotherapy for people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The Phase 1b trial (NCT03283826) follows promising safety and tolerability results from its open-label Phase 1a part, including a…