June 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Highlights Diet, Lifestyle Research Focusing on Living Well With Multiple Sclerosis The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society has selected research highlights from a recent MS conference in an effort to help make living with the disease less burdensome. Presentations from the May 24-27 annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in New Orleans — which ranged from advice on smartphone apps to diet…
June 5, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye: An Acne Drug, a High-Cost Gel, Good News About Lemtrada, and Getting Off MS Drugs In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Acne Therapy Reduces Rate of Multiple Sclerosis Progression, Canadian Study Reports At first glance, the headlines about this drug announced what seemed to be…
June 2, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Ocrevus, Progressive MS and Other Research Highlights: An Interview with CMSC’s Robert Lisak The recent annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) brought researchers and healthcare professionals to New Orleans to discuss advances — and obstacles to advances — in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Clinical trials, preclinical studies, basic research, and health interventions were among the May meeting’s focus. Multiple Sclerosis News…
May 31, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Lemtrada’s 2 Year Therapy in RRMS Sustains Efficacy for Over 6 Years Without Additional Treatment Taking Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) for two years inhibited magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) for more than six years, the CARE-MS I clinical trial extension study found. Researchers presented their study, “Durable Efficacy of Alemtuzumab on MRI Disease Activity Over 6 Years in Treatment-Naive RRMS Patients With…
May 31, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD #CMSC17 – Many Caregivers of MS Patients Say the Disease Exhausts Them Physically and Emotionally Most people who care for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are happy to be caregivers, but they admit that their own emotional and physical health — as well as their financial security — suffer as a result. That’s according to the online vsMS Survey, supported by Sanofi Genzyme, which assesses the physical…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Physical Activity Halts Depression in Young MS Patients, Canadian Study Shows Young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who engage in physical activity can relieve symptoms of depression, concludes a Canadian study supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers presented their study, “Longitudinal Relationships Between Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity, Fatigue, and Depression in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis,” at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Ocrevus Lowers MS Relapse Rates Even Further in Extension Study Multiple sclerosis patients who benefited from Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in two Phase 3 clinical trials continued to benefit when they extended their treatment, researchers reported. In fact, their annual relapse rates have fallen even further during the extension study than during the trials. The study, “Preliminary Results of the OPERA I and…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Celgene’s Investigational Therapy Ozanimod Safe, Effective in Treating Relapsing MS, Clinical Trial Finds Long-term treatment for up to 12o weeks, with the investigational drug Ozanimod (RPC-1063), found to be effective and safe in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who participated in the RADIANCE clinical trial. Celgene, Ozanimod’s developer, presented the study, “Efficacy and Safety of Ozanimod in the Blinded Extension (120…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Rituxan-treated MS Patients Three Times More Likely to Have Improved Brain Scans Multiple sclerosis patients who start Rituxan (rituximab) treatment are three times more likely to have unchanged or improved brain-scan readings than worse ones, according to a study. Holy Name Medical Center researchers presented the findings at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting in New Orleans, May 24-27. The presentation…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Review Suggests Certain MS Patient Groups May Discontinue Disease-Modifying Treatments Older patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) as well as older relapsing patients whose MS has been inactive after five years may safely discontinue their treatments, Canadian researchers at Vancouver’s University of British Columbia argue. Their Sanofi Genzyme-sponsored study, “When Should Disease-Modifying Treatments Be Discontinued in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: An…
May 30, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD #CMSC17 – Cladribine Reduced Annual MS Relapse Rate by 55% to 57%, Trials Show Cladribine tablets reduced relapsing multiple sclerosis patients’ annual relapse rate by 55 to 57 percent, depending on the dose, according to clinical trials. EMD Serono, a unit of Cladribine’s developer, Merck, presented the trial results at the 31st annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers in New Orleans,…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Tysabri Improves Mental Outlook for Patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Long-term therapy with Tysabri (natalizumab) significantly improved the mental state of people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to results of a Biogen-supported study with patients taking the drug for almost two years. Biogen presented the study, “The Impact of Natalizumab on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Secondary Progressive…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – MS Patients Should Contribute to Outcome Measure Development, Study Argues Patients must help develop new outcome measures of multiple sclerosis (MS), since they and healthcare providers may have differing perceptions of how crucial various measures are, a new study argues. Researchers from the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta shared this insight today at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2017 Annual…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Feeling of Social Stigma Makes Depression in MS More Likely, Study Reports People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who feel stigmatized because of their condition are more likely to have depression, research presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting showed. The Pennsylvania State University research team said the impact of the stigma can be eased by lots of social support, a sense…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Relapse After First Lemtrada Course No Indication of Poor Long-Term Outcome, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who experienced a relapse between their first and second rounds of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) had good treatment outcomes over the long run, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial. Those who relapsed after their first round ended up with annual relapse rates similar to those who didn’t…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – MS Mobile Apps Link Clinicians and Patients, Improving Disease Management, Study Says The use of multiple sclerosis (MS) mobile apps by patients and their clinicians encourages shared decision-making and helps patients improve their outcomes, finds a study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), taking place May 24-27 in New Orleans. The study, “Shared Decision Making: Connecting…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Single Session of Ball-throwing Exercise Improves Balance Control in MS, Study Shows Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) regain part of their balance control after a single training session of ball-throwing exercises, finds a study supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers presented their study, “A Single-Session Training of Ball Throwing Exercise Improves Balance Control in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis,” at…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Genentech Starts Site to Connect MS Patients and Caregivers with Resources Genentech has rolled out a website to connect multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and caregivers with resources that can help them. The company unveiled GatherMS at the annual meeting of the Consortium for Multiple Sclerosis Centers in New Orleans. The event started May 24 and will end May 27. Genentech created GatherMS…
May 1, 2017 News by Charles Moore #CMSC17 – Experts to Focus on MS Patient Care at CMSC Annual Meeting in New Orleans The 31st Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) will take place May 24-27 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Typically hosting more than 2,000 attendees and 70 exhibitors, this event is the premier North American educational conference for international clinicians and scientists…
December 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Calls for Abstracts for 2017 Annual Meeting The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is inviting researchers and healthcare professionals to submit abstracts to be presented at its 31st Annual Meeting, focusing on developments in multiple sclerosis (MS) research, patient care and treatment outcomes. The 2017 CMSC meeting, organized by the group’s Continuing Professional Education Committee, will take…
