April 10, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New assay measures molecular immune response to EBV Scientists have created an assay that can measure immune cells’ inflammatory attack against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a known risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers found preliminary evidence that some MS treatments, but not others, may alter the immune system’s response to EBV. The scientists said the…
January 11, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS patients have high levels of T-cells targeting EBV-infected B-cells People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have high levels of T-cells in their spinal fluid that specifically target cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a new study. These T-cells were found in samples collected from patients during their diagnostic workup in the early stages of…
February 27, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: Should EBV be targeted in MS? Experts debate. A history of infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be a strong risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS) ā but is targeting the virus a viable strategy for MS prevention or treatment? This question was the subject of a debate, “How To…
November 15, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Human EBV Antibodies May Help Inform Vaccine Development Scientists have identified a number of antibodies that can bind to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) ā a major risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) ā and prevent its infection of human cells. The antibodies might offer new approaches to treat or prevent infection in groups of people most…
November 8, 2022 News by Margarida Maia, PhD NMSS Grant Supports Work Into Epstein-Barr Virus as MS Trigger AĀ National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ grant is supporting an Australian-led research team aiming to better understand how the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be acting as a trigger for multiple sclerosis (MS). The funding will particularly be used to understand what molecules are being targeted by lymphocytes, immune cells that…
August 25, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Epstein-Barr Virus and MS Risk: New Link to Mono Found in Study People who had infectious mononucleosis ā a contagious disease for which the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the leading cause ā had a higher incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the 10 years following diagnosis compared with individuals not diagnosed with the virus, a study found. This link was particularly…
July 14, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS EMBOLD Study of ATA188 in Progressive MS Is Given Go-ahead An independent committee of experts has recommended that the Phase 2 portion of the EMBOLD clinical trial continue as planned without a sample size adjustment, following an analysis of safety and effectiveness data. The trial is testing Atara Biotherapeutics‘ experimental medication ATA188 in progressive forms of multiple…
April 19, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Atara Planning Phase 3 Trials of ATA188 in Non-active SPMS, PPMS Atara BiotherapeuticsĀ plans to launch two Phase 3 clinical trials of its investigational immunotherapy ATA188 in people with non-active, progressive forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). Whether efforts for these trials will go forward, however, depends on positive results from an interim analysis of the Phase 2 portion of the…
April 13, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Australia Sets Aside $18M to Support MS Trials, EBV Research The Australian government has announced that a record AU$18 million (about $13.5 million) from the Medical Research Future Fund will be used to support research intoĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) as part of its 2022ā23 budget. Grant opportunities willĀ focus on increasing access to clinical trials and speeding the development of effective…
January 25, 2022 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Tevogen to Develop T-cell Therapy That Might Prevent EBV Infection Tevogen Bio is planning to make use of its virus-fighting immune cell technology and turn it against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common virus thought to greatly increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The technology employs off-the-shelf cytotoxic T-cells ā a type of white blood cell that can…
January 14, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Epstein-Barr Virus May Be Leading Cause of MS, Raising Risk by 32 Times Infection with the common Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) increases the risk of developingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) by 32 times ā the strongest link yet ā according to a study looking at two decades of data from more than 10 million U.S. military members. āThe hypothesis that EBV causes MS has been…
September 30, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD #ECTRIMS2021 – ATA188 Benefits in SPMS, PPMS Hint at Remyelination An investigational immunotherapy, ATA188Ā showed it could reverse disability and improve exercise capacity in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), Atara Biotherapeutics, its developer, reported in an update on a Phase 1 trial and its long-term extension study. EMBOLD trial findings based on MRI brain imaging…
September 8, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Serious Infections in Adolescence Linked to Increased MS Risk Experiencing serious infections during adolescence is tied to an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, but those occurring in childhood don’t increase MS risk, according to a new Swedish study. The study also found that certain types of infections, especially those that affect the central…
February 16, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD 2 Biomarkers Found to Predict MS Onset in People with Optic Neuritis An antibody analysis has identified two biomarkers that can be used to predict the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in people with optic neuritis, a study reports.Ā Further research is, however, required to validate these findings…
September 8, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – ATA188 Safe, Early Efficacy Seen in Progressive MS Trial ATA188, Atara Biotherapeuticsā investigative T-cell immunotherapy, is safe, well tolerated, and able to ease disability and improve exercise capacity in patients with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to one-year data from a Phase 1 trial and its long-term extension study. Findings also showed that, after…
August 24, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Genetic Variants May Explain High Levels of Antibodies Against Epstein-Barr Virus in MS, Study Suggests Genetic variants may contribute to increased levels of antibodies against proteins of the Epstein-Barr virus ā a known environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) ā in MS patients and their siblings, a study suggests. The study, āEBNA-1 titer gradient in families with multiple sclerosis indicates a…
August 5, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Smoking and Epstein-Barr Virus Combine to Raise MS Risk, Study Says Cigarette smoking and an EpsteināBarr virus infection together represent a significant risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting that at least one path to this disease involves two factors working synergistically, a study reports. The study, āSmoking and EpsteināBarr virus infection in multiple sclerosis development,ā was published…
July 9, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD B-Cells Infected by Epstein-Barr Virus Linked to MS Relapse Risk in Study Immune B-cellsĀ that proliferate unchecked when infected by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appear to increase the risk of relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a mouse study suggests. The study, āEpstein Barr virusāimmortalized B lymphocytes exacerbate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in xenograft mice,ā was published…
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…
May 29, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Cell Therapy ATA188 Safely Easing Disability in Progressive MS, Trial Reports Atara Biotherapeutics‘ cell-based therapy ATA188 is safe and well-tolerated in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and induces a sustained reduction in disability in a dose-dependent manner, findings from the first part of a Phase 1 clinical trial show. ATA188 had an…
May 15, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD EBV Infections Evident in All 901 MS Patients in German Study Supporting evidence that infection with Epstein-Barr virusĀ (EBV) could be one of the root causes ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study found all of its 901 early disease patients carry antibodies against this virus, meaning that all are or have been exposed to it. The study, “…
April 7, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Atara Pauses Enrollment in Part 2 of Immunotherapy Trial in PPMS and SPMS InĀ response to theĀ COVID-19 pandemic, Atara Biotherapeutics has temporarily paused patient enrollment in the second and randomized part of its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial investigating ATA188 in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). People treated in the first, open-label part of this trial, however,…
January 30, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Epstein-Barr Virus and Certain Genes Interact in Ways That Can Promote MS, Study Finds Interaction between various Epstein-Barr virus traits and the composition of certain genes affects the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The study, āThe interaction of Multiple Sclerosis risk loci with Epstein-Barr virus phenotypes implicates the virus in pathogenesis,ā was published in the journal…
September 19, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – Cell Immunotherapy ATA188 Showing Safety, Hints of Effectiveness in Progressive MS in Phase 1 Trial People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and past exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus are responding to a potentialĀ immunotherapy known as ATA188, tolerating the treatment well and with signs that suggest effectiveness, early updated data from an ongoing Phase 1 trial show. The research, ā…
September 13, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 ā Human Herpesvirus 6A May Increase MS Risk, Study Suggests Infection with the human herpesvirus (HHV)-6A may increase the likelihood of having multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new national study in Sweden. The research, āSerological response against HHV-6A is associated with increased risk for multiple sclerosis,ā was presented byĀ Anna Fogdell-Hahn, PhD, associate professor at the…
September 10, 2019 News by Steve Bryson, PhD SPMS Triggers and Treatments Among Focus of Expert Panel in Video Series by AJMC Multiple sclerosis (MS) experts discuss disease causes and current treatment options in a new video series released by the multimedia and peer-reviewed science journal,Ā The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC).Ā The free and online video series is part…
May 23, 2019 News by Alberto Molano, PhD Early Safety Data from Phase 1 Study of Immunotherapy in Progressive MS Patients To Be Detailed at EAN Early, positive safety results from a Phase 1 trial testing a potential immunotherapy,Ā ATA188, in people with progressive multiple sclerosisĀ will be detailed at the 5th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) late next month, its developer, Atara Biotherapeutics, announced. ATA188 is an investigational and “off-the-shelf”…
January 2, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Stories of 2018 Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought you daily coverage of key findings, treatment developments, andĀ clinical trials related to multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout 2018. We look forward to reporting more news to patients, family members, and caregivers dealing with MS during 2019. Here are the top 10 most-read articles of…
November 21, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Phase 1 Trial of ATA190 Cell Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Progressive MS Atara Biotherapeuticsā investigational ATA190, a cell therapy that wipes out immune B-cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), led to neurological improvements and reduced symptoms in patients with primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a Phase 1 trial shows. The trial results were published in the Journal…
June 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Atara Biotherapeutics Study Links Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with MS Analysis of post-mortem brain samples from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy individuals (without neurologic disease) showed that while signs of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are present in both groups of brains, EBV-positive immune cells were more prevalent and densely populated in the MS brain. The study reporting those findings,…