December 18, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Ibudilast plus interferon-beta to get European patent for progressive MS MediciNova announced the approval of a European patent covering the use of ibudilast (MN-166) in combination with interferon-beta medications to treat progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ā primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) ā in patients previously using an interferon-beta.
October 3, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Heligenics IDs new interferon beta variants that might help in MS Heligenics has discovered a number of variations in the interferon beta 1 (IFNB1) gene that may markedly improve the effectiveness of medications containing the interferon beta protein ā a protein widely used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The discovery was made using the biotechnology company’s…
August 22, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: PBA, Pregnancy, Interferon-beta, Pediatric MS Test Early Detection of Pseudobulbar Affect May Help Ease MS Symptom I often see posts on social media from people with MS asking if crying for no reason is an MS symptom, because it happens to them. I didn’t know that apparently, it is. Laughing, too. This report says…
August 18, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Study Uncovers How Interferon-beta May Be Helping to Treat MS Researchers have discovered how interferon-beta, a common treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), may be effective for people with the disease. Specifically, they found that red blood cells from MS patients have an unusually high ability to bind molecules that contribute to disease-related impairments in neuronal health and myelin repair,…
May 18, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Gilenya, Tysabri Show Superiority at Preventing Relapses in Children Gilenya (fingolimod) and Tysabri (natalizumab) were more effective at lowering relapse rates in children with multiple sclerosis (MS) than interferon-beta, according to a recent meta-analysis. Findings like these can be leveraged for better clinical trial design, the researchers wrote. If used to determine “historical” relapse rates that…
January 13, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD MS Type, Anti-CD20 Therapies Tied to Higher COVID-19 Mortality Risk Among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease type and the use of anti-CD20 therapies ā such as ocrelizumab and rituximab ā were associated with an increased risk of death from COVID-19, a new meta-analysis revealed. āWe hope that these findings ā¦ may help neurologists in optimizing…
December 7, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Worsening of Disability Evident in Older Patients Who Stop DMTs While older multiple sclerosis (MS) patients whose conditions are stable commonly stop using disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), a study indicates this decision can shortly lead toĀ a marked disease worsening in a substantial portion of them. “Our results raise important questions about the accepted practice of discontinuing medications once MS…
March 17, 2021 News by Aisha I Abdullah PhD Nerve Cell Loss in Retina Found to Be Worse in Patients on Interferon-beta The degeneration of nerve cells in the retina of the eye is more pronounced in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking interferon-beta than in patients treated with more efficacious disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), a study finds. As the loss of such cells,…
February 12, 2021 News by Diana Campelo Delgado Early-life Trauma Affects MS Development, Treatment in Mice Childhood trauma can affect disease progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and treatment in adulthood, a study in mice suggests. The study shows that mice that experienced early-life trauma were more likely to develop an autoimmune condition and less likely to respond to common treatment with interferon beta. The study,…
December 3, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Nasal Delivery of Interferon-beta at Lower Doses Shows MS Treatment Potential in Mice Nasal delivery of Rebifās active ingredient interferon-beta, loaded in carbohydrate-based nanoparticles, reduced disease progression and nerve cell inflammation in a preclinical mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrated. This alternate, non-invasive, low-cost treatment strategy…
September 24, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Older Age at DMT Discontinuation Linked to Sustained NEDA in CIS Patients Older age at disease-modifying therapy (DMT) discontinuation is the main predictive factor of sustained “no evidence of disease activity” (NEDA) in people starting DMT immediately after being diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), according to a study in Austria. In particular, patients discontinuing DMT at age 45 or…
September 15, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Relapses During Pregnancy More Likely on Higher Efficacy DMTs Women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā using moderate- or high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) before conceiving are more likely to have a relapse during pregnancy than are those taking low-efficacy DMTs or no medicines at all, a registry-based study found. This greater relapse risk during pregnancy could be reduced with…
April 6, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Biogen’s Plegridy or Avonex Use Possible in Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, FDA Says Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a) and Avonex (interferon beta-1a), both by Biogen, may be used ā if necessary ā by women with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosisĀ who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in updating prescribing informationĀ for these MS treatments. Due to the limited…
April 3, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Headache a Common Side Effect of Interferon-beta Treatment, Study Finds New or worsening headaches are a more common side effect of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) than previously appreciated, a new study suggests. The study, “Interferon-Beta-Induced Headache in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Frequency and Characterization,” was published in theĀ Journal of Pain Research.
January 8, 2020 News by Catarina Silva Using Interferon-beta While Pregnant Does Not Influence Child Size at Birth, MS Study Finds Treatment with interferon-beta therapy during pregnancy in women withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) does not influence childrenās gestational age, birth weight, length, or head size, researchers report. The study with those findings, āThe association between exposure to interferon-beta during pregnancy and birth measurements in offspring of women with…
September 24, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Interferon Beta Use by Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients OK, Office in Europe Says If necessary, women with relapsing multiple sclerosis can continue treatments based on interferon beta while pregnant and breastfeeding, according to an updated recommendation by an office of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Interferon beta-based treatments are a mainstay of approved MS therapies. Three specific treatments were mentioned in press…
July 8, 2019 News by Alberto Molano, PhD Miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancy Not More Likely in Women Using Rebif, Study Suggests Results from a large observational study of pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with an interferon (IFN) beta-1a, likeĀ Rebif, before and during the first trimester showed no elevated risk of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy compared to those not using the medicine. This finding was presented at…
May 10, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM – Interferon Beta Exposure Does Not Seem to Increase Risk of Pregnancy Complications, Study Suggests Exposure to interferon beta does not seem to increase the risk of complications during pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggests. The data were presented in an oral presentation, “Pregnancy and Infant Outcomes with Interferon Beta: Data from the European Interferon Beta Pregnancy Registry and MS…
January 29, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias New Study Supports Hitting MS Fast and Hard The question of how quickly to start a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) after a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis is one that I frequently see when I browse online. It goes hand in hand with questions about which DMT is best to start with. There are many things to consider when…
December 13, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Patients with Stable Disease Who Switch to Another Interferon Therapy at Greater Risk of Flares, Study Reports Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who have been relapse-free while using an interferon-beta (IFN-Ī²) therapy but switch to anotherĀ IFN-Ī² are significantly more like to start experiencingĀ flaresĀ than patients who remain on their initial interferon treatment, a real-world study reports. Its results support letting patients remain on a current IFN-Ī² medication…
July 30, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD African-Americans Show Better Adherence and Satisfaction with Gilenya Than Injectable DMTs, Phase 4 Study Finds African-Americans with relapsingāremitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) show higher adherence and greater satisfaction when treated with oralĀ Gilenya (fingolimod, by Novartis) than with injectable therapies, according to a new study. The research, āTreatment retention on fingolimod compared with injectable multiple sclerosis therapies in African-American patients: A…
July 27, 2018 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Cladribine Added to Interferon-beta Seen to Lower Relapses in Active MS, But Safety Questioned Cladribine tablets added to interferon-beta treatment significantly reduced the probability of relapses over 96 weeks in people with active relapsing multiple sclerosis , a Phase 2 clinical trial found. But a troubling diminishment in key immune cells was also seen in treated patients. Relapsing-remitting MS is marked by periods of flares caused by inflammatory attacks, followed by periods of partial or complete recovery . A majority --about 65 percent -- go on to developĀ secondary progressive MS. Despite the growing number of treatment options ā including disease-modifying therapies ā for these MS patients, efforts continue into better ways to lower relapse frequency and slow disease progression. Researchers tested the safety and efficacy of cladribine tablets as an add-on therapy in patients continuing to experience active relapses while under interferon-betaĀ treatment. Cladribine is an oral medication that works by selectively targeting and reducing the number of immune cells involved in the inflammatory attacks occurring in active MS. It wasĀ developed byĀ EMD Serono (Merck KGaA outside the U.S. and Canada) and approved in the European Union using theĀ brand name MavencladĀ (it is not approved in the U.S. for MS). Interferon-beta works by balancing pro- and anti-inflammatory signals, reducing the number of immune cells and promoting the survival of nerve cells. Interferon-beta therapies are marketed under several brand names; in the study, researchers analyzed patients usingĀ Rebif (marketed by EMD Serono), Avonex (byĀ Biogen), and Betaseron/Betaferon (byĀ Bayer). The 96-week, randomized, double-blind, Phase 2b trial called ONWARD enrolled a total of 172 patients with active relapsing MS, who were randomly divided into two groups: those given cladribine tablets together with interferon-beta, and those that received a placebo and interferon-beta. Results showed those taking cladribine tablets together with interferon-beta had 63% lower likelihood of a relapse compared to those given an add-on placebo. Add-on cladribine treatment also reduced most measures of disease activity as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ā namely, the number of new brain and spinal cord lesions. However, almost half of patients in this treatment group developed lymphopenia, a conditionĀ where the levels of lymphocytes (important immune white blood cells) in the blood are abnormally low. None in the control group developed the condition. Other reported side effects, including other serious adverse side effects, were identical in the two groups. Altogether, the findings indicate that a cladribine and interferon-beta combination can successfully lower the probability of relapses over the course of 96 weeks, but also increase a person's chances of lymphopenia.
July 20, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Single Gene Variant May Identify MS Patients at Risk of Liver Damage Linked to Interferon-Beta Use, Study Says A genetic variant close to a gene called interferon regulatory factor 6Ā (IRF6) may help to predict those multiple sclerosis (MS) patients most at risk of liver injury while using interferon-beta therapies, a study reports. The study, āCommon variation nearĀ IRF6Ā is associated with IFN-Ī²-induced liver injury in multiple sclerosisā was published…
March 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Smoking Increases Relapses in RRMS Patients Receiving Interferon-beta, Study Suggests Cigarette smoking increases the relapse rate in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who are being treated with interferon-beta, a study suggests. The findings suggest that RRMS patients who smoke may have fewer relapses if they quit. An article on the results, āSmoking affects the interferon beta treatment response in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the journal Neurology. A number of studies have looked at the link betweenĀ environmental and lifestyle factors and the risk of developing MS. These factors include how much sunlight and vitamin D patients get and whether they have anĀ Epstein-Barr virus infection. Cigarette smoking is a well-documented risk factor in MS, but most of the studies on it have focused on the link between smoking and MS, or the link between smoking and the Ā disease's progression. āStudies that addressed the relationship between smoking and disease activity in RRMS are rarer,ā the researchers wrote. The team decided to investigate whether smoking during interferon-beta treatment would affect relapse rates. Previous research had set the stage for the study by showing a link between smoking and gene mutations that make people more susceptible to developing MS. The mutations were in theĀ HLA and NAT1 genes. The team looked at DNA from 834 RRMS patients in the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Biobank who were treated with interferon-beta. Well-known brand names of the treatment include Rebif, Avonex, and Plegridy. There are also other brand names and biosimilar drugs. Researchers also looked at patientsā medical records two years before they started on interferon-beta. Before making any conclusions on possible links between smoking and patients' relapse rate, the team adjusted for patientsā sex, age at the start of treatment, and number of relapses in the two years before treatment began. Their key conclusion was that smoking increased by more than a quarterĀ the number of relapses in patients on interferon-beta therapy. āEach pack of cigarettes more per day during IFN-Ī² [interferon-beta] treatment increased the number of relapses by 27%,ā the team wrote. The researchers found no association among smoking, relapses, and mutations of the HLA or NAT1 genes. āOur results confirm that lifestyle factors are important in MS, suggesting that smoking cessation may be associated with a reduction in disease activity,ā they wrote. āAlthough not formally proving that smoking cessation will decrease disease activity in RRMS, the results should encourage physicians to inform patients with MS about the harmful effect of smoking and increase focus on smoking cessation,ā they observed.
February 14, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Italian Study Examines Tysabri and Risk for Miscarriage and Birth Defects Pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) exposed to Tysabri (natalizumab) in the first trimester had higher rates of miscarriage and major birth defects in their babies, than women left untreated or treated with interferon beta, a study shows. Although higher, these rates were similar to those in the general…
July 12, 2017 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Allergy Medicine Fails to Reduce Flu-Like Syndrome in Relapsing-remitting MS Patients, Study Shows According to a new clinical trial, the allergy treatment cetirizine fails to alleviate a flu-like condition that interferon-beta treatment generates in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The results, which surprised researchers, apply to flu-like syndrome, or FLS. Cetirizine is an over-the-counter medicine sold under the brand names Zirtec, Zyrtec, Reactine, and Triz. FLS affects roughly 75 percent of patients who take interferon-beta, also known as IFN-beta. It can cause fever, chills, muscle pain, weakness, and headache. The symptoms commonly occur three to six hours after an IFN-beta injection and last up to 24 hours. Although FLS usually subsides in the first three months of IFN-beta therapy, it persists in some patients, causing them to miss doses or even discontinue the treatment. Cetirizine is an antihistamine for hay fever and allergies. The purpose of the clinical trial was to determine whether cetirizine could alleviate RRMS patients' FLS. In order to determine study results, patients did self-assessments of how much discomfort their FLS caused them. There were no significant changes in the two groups' average self-assessment scores at four and eights weeks of treatment, suggesting that cetirizine does not offer significant benefits to RRMS patients with FLS. āThe addition of a [cetirizine] to the standard of care for IFNĪ²-induced FLS in patients with RRMS does not seem to improve symptoms significantly compared with placebo," the team wrote. "FLS continues to be inadequately treated in many RRMS patients. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of IFNĪ²-induced FLS and develop adequate strategies for prevention and treatment."
November 10, 2016 Columns by admin Research About Why Interferon Can Fail is Welcome I have made no secret of my distrust of the side effects from many of the disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that are used mainly in the fight against relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā The fact that the most serious, albeit rare, side effects listed by the manufacturers of some drugs, include “death”…
November 9, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Gene Test May Predict Which MS Patients Will Respond to Interferon-beta Therapy In multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who do not respond toĀ interferon-beta treatment, autoimmunity may depend on processes that differ from patients helped by this treatmentā a finding that could lead both to better therapies and tests that predict a patient’s likely response. The study, āAn interferon-Ī²-resistant and NLRP3…
September 1, 2016 News by Malika Ammam, PhD MS Treatments May Lower Levels of Immune White Blood Cells Multiple sclerosis patients are at risk ofĀ developing lymphopenia, or abnormally low levels of immune defense white blood cells, called lymphocytes, according to a study that investigatedĀ lymphocyte counts in people with relapsing MS both before and after the start of treatment. The study, āLymphopenia in treatment-naive relapsing multiple…
March 18, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CONy16: Scientists Debate MRI’s Role in MS Treatment Changes; Exclusive Interview with Prof. Xavier Montalban The precision of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurement has improved over the years, and now scans can identify brain damage before symptoms begin showing. Whether the presence of new or expanding lesions predict disease progression is, however, still controversial, and clinicians have no guidance when making treatment decisions about the…