Plasma exchange (PLEX) therapy is effective for severe relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who respond inadequately to standard corticosteroid therapy, according to a new study conducted in Serbia. Better outcomes were seen in younger patients and in those with low disability scores at the time of…

Treatment with medrysone, a glucocorticoid approved in the U.S. as a topical treatment for certain inflammatory eye diseases, improved repair of myelin in a mouse model of demyelination, a new study shows. The results suggest medrysone may be a useful treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), which is…

Almost half of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show reduced bone density (osteopenia) and about 17% have osteoporosis, a progressive disease characterized by weak bones that are prone to fractures, a review study of data covering almost 14,000 patients reported. These findings suggest that people with MS should be monitored…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) may be useful for managing disease relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who fail to respond to treatment with corticosteroids, according to results from a small clinical trial. The study, “Results from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) is more effective for treating flares in multiple sclerosis (MS) than other alternatives, including intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis, a claims-based study from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals reports. The study “Treatment Effectiveness for Resolution of Multiple Sclerosis…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) eased flare-up symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing relapses, top-line data from an observational registry study shows. Acthar Gel, a medication developed and marketed by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, is a compound that enhances the production of steroids in the…

Today I came back to myself. For two months, I have been encapsulated in a hazy bubble. I could not kick this persistent bronchial condition and began to get frustrated. After three courses of ineffectual antibiotics and inhalers, I had a work-up for pneumonia. Thirty minutes later, I received…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may experience severe disease exacerbation after switching from Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod) to Sanofi Genzyme’s Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), a case report suggests. This unexpected high disease activity raises questions about managing MS through the consecutive use of immunotherapies. The case report, “Unexpected high multiple…

  Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letter “S.” Fourth in a series of five. Symptoms of MS Scotoma Scotoma describes a vision problem in which the presence of “blind spots” or other partial vision…

Mallinckrodt has enrolled its first relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patient into a Phase 4 clinical trial (NCT03126760) with H.P. Acthar Gel (Repository Corticotropin Injection) to see if the therapy can help treat relapse symptoms in patients who did not respond to high-dose steroids. If successful, the trial might resolve…

The burden of moderate-to-severe relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is underappreciated, according to a study sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt. Researchers discussed the findings at the American Academy of Neurology’s 69th annual meeting in Boston, April 22-28. The title of the presentation was “The Economic Burden Of…

(Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this third of three parts on terms starting with the letter “C.”) When it comes to multiple sclerosis, mastering an understanding of the disease means you need to mind your Ps and Qs, dot your…