DMTs

Like others these days, I’m worried about COVID-19. In fact, I’m probably more worried than some. I’m old, I have MS, and I’ve been treated with the disease-modifying therapy Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) — a trifecta of potential trouble. Lemtrada suppresses part of the immune system. It’s one of the…

More than half of people with brain imaging changes akin to multiple sclerosis (MS) go on to develop the disease within 10 years, a global study of those with radiologically isolated syndrome reported. Progression to MS appears to be more likely in those who are younger, have spinal…

PROTXX, University of Alberta Collaborate to Develop Remote Healthcare Platform for MS Patients As more and more neurologists turn to telemedicine for routine patient visits, I expect we’ll see more of the type of technology being developed here. This group is working on something that goes further than what…

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written about the impact that COVID-19 is having on people with MS. Since then, the picture has changed — not a lot, but enough for the MS International Federation to modify its recommendations for that illness, people with MS, and…

MyHealthTeams and EMD Serono have teamed up to launch the Treatment and Adherence Resource Center, a new informational tool within the MyMSTeam social network for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The new resource center is geared toward educating MS patients about the importance of starting…

The risk of a relapse is two to three times higher in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients who switch from Tysabri (natalizumab) to an oral or other injectable…

People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) have faster and disease-modifying therapy (DMT)-resistant retinal atrophy (thinning), compared to those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a study shows. Data also highlighted that the thickness of deeper layers of the retina could be used as potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration in…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be at higher risk of developing a severe COVID-19 infection, according to preliminary data from patients in Italy. “At the moment, these results seem to be quite reassuring for most people with MS,” Marco Salvetti, MD, PhD, professor at Sapienza…

I canceled my April blood draw. The protocol for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) requires lab work each month because the treatment can have serious side effects. But I spoke with my neurologist and we decided that I could skip it. Blame it on COVID-19. My legs are stiffer than they were two…

Prescriptions of Roche’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients initiating or switching a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) continue to rise in Europe, according to a survey conducted by Spherix Global Insights. Ocrevus, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody administered directly into a vein, was approved in the European Union to treat active forms…

Starting treatment with a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) reduces blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) — a potential biomarker of disease progression and activity — to varying degrees depending on the therapy used, according to a large real-world study of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The findings support…

By the end of this month, another disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis may be available in the U.S. Ozanimod is an investigational daily pill for the treatment of relapsing MS. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide…

First-line use of Genentech‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has remained stable through 2019 compared to 2018, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights‘ report. However, the latest edition of “RealWorld Dynamix: DMT New Starts in Multiple Sclerosis (US),” based…

The high cost of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS), and the challenging process of insurance approval, lead to treatment gaps or alterations, increased symptoms, and sacrifices in lifestyle, a survey from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) shows. “People with MS are paying the price, not…

Recovering well after a first relapse and starting a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) immediately afterward considerably increases the likelihood of slowing progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. Its findings support relapse recovery as a critical factor for DMT initiation, and one that should be assessed routinely in MS…

Regeneration in the brain is reduced in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), but enhanced during disease activity in those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a study reports. The results also show that regeneration is unaffected by treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), as shown by the levels…

The growing reliance on disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) to treat people with multiple sclerosis (MS) 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…

Tysabri (natalizumab), an effective T-cell targeting treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), seems to also promote the activation of pro-inflammatory immune B-cells in people with this disease, a study found. The study, “Natalizumab promotes activation and pro-inflammatory differentiation of peripheral B cells in multiple sclerosis patients,” was published in the…

Prices for new multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies in the United States are decided most by competitors’ prices, and continual increases in the cost of existing treatments by concerns for company profits and future growth, a study based on”confidential” interviews with four biotech executives with experience in the MS field reports. U.S.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has criticized Biogen for the $88,000 yearly list price it placed on Vumerity (diroximel fumarate), the newly approved oral disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for relapsing multiple sclerosis. That criticism extends to repeated price increases with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), Biogen’s similar oral DMT for…

A question raised by neurologist Gavin Giovannoni on the Barts-MS blog lit up my radar recently. Dr. G asked whether “elderly” people with MS should be treated differently than those who are younger. The question arises because a case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain disease,…

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who don’t use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are more likely to have been misdiagnosed previously, and to have poorer relationships with their healthcare providers, the results of a new survey suggest. The survey, titled “Multiple Sclerosis In America 2019,” was conducted by …

Using newer disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) as an initial treatment for children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is associated with fewer relapses and brain lesions compared to the use of older and injectable DMTs, according to a real-world study in the U.S.

Stem cell therapy, or stem cell transplant, is an emerging yet controversial treatment approach for multiple sclerosis (MS). While some data uphold it as one of the most efficacious MS treatments, to date there have been no controlled studies comparing it to conventional medicines and providing more robust…

While pregnancy does not appear to affect the disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS), questions remain about the best time to stop or resume treatment before conception and after delivery, the safety of new medications, and the importance of family planning. Pregnancy was the “hot topic” discussion today…

Novartis‘ Gilenya (fingolimod), Sanofi Genzyme‘s Aubagio (teriflunomide), and Biogen’s Tysabri (natalizumab) and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) are the top disease-modifying therapies to which patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have most frequently switched in…

While neurologists favor Novartis‘ Mayzent (siponimod) for people with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) and transitioning relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), EMD Serono‘s Mavenclad (cladribine) could serve as a first option for patients with RRMS who failed initial therapy, Spherix Global Insights says in its…

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…

New research suggests that even though pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are often viewed as high risk by their physicians, pregnancy  does not seem to increase the likelihood of adverse obstetrical outcomes for those patients or their babies. The research was presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting…

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) do not experience more relapses right after giving birth, as previously believed, according to a preliminary study. The study also revealed that mothers with MS who breastfeed their babies have a lower relapse risk compared with those who do not breastfeed. The data, “…