October 31, 2017 News by BioNews Staff #MSParis2017 ā Ocrevus Trial Data May Lead to Key Biomarkers of Chronic Inflammation, Genentech Says Potential new ways of capturing disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ā including those with chronic as opposed to active inflammation ā are coming to the fore as analyses continue into the huge amounts of data collected during pivotal clinical trials that led to Ocrevus’ approval, a leadingĀ GenentechĀ researcher…
October 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 ā Aubagio Can Help Slow Progression to an MS Diagnosis, Researcher Says Aubagio (teriflunomide)Ā can help to delay first clinical signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) from progressing to a definite diagnosis in a person, and treatment should likely begin as soon as that first episode is confirmed,Ā Robert Zivadinov, a professor of neurology and director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, said…
October 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 ā Promising Work in Pediatric and Secondary Progressive Patients Is Focus, Novartis Says in Interview Gilenya (fingolimod) lowered relapse rates in children and adolescents with relapsing multiple sclerosis at a “magnitude” ā almost 82 percent ā never before seen in a scientific study and could be “life changing” for these hard-to-treat patients, a top researcher withĀ Novartis, the treatment’s developer, said in an…
October 27, 2017 News by BioNews Staff #MSParis2017 ā Lemtrada Shows Good Safety and Lasting Efficacy Over 7 Years, Doctor Says in Interview Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) remains a “game-changer” of a treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), with benefits continuing and no new side effects seen in a study of its use that now goes out seven years, Aaron Boster, a neuroimmunologist at Ohio Health, said in an interview atĀ the…
October 27, 2017 News by BioNews Staff #MSParis2017 ā Potential Progressive MS Treatment on Move in US and Europe, MedDay CEO Says This is a special edition of Multiple Sclerosis News Today's daily Alexa Flash Briefing, covering the latest news from the 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting currently underway in Paris, France. The MS News today team in on-site at the conference, providing exclusive coverage of the presentations and speakers.
October 27, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 ā Real-world Data Leading Way to Personalized Treatment, Biogen Says in Interview Personalized medicine is the future of multiple sclerosis treatment, and research now taking place to collect and analyze data and pinpoint biomarkers will help make possible approaches that ā one day ā will put MS into “complete remission” patient by patient, said Richard Rudick, vice president of Development Sciences at…
October 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 ā Mavenclad Is ‘Smart’ Therapy for Active Relapsing MS, Researcher Says MavencladĀ (cladribine tablets), an oral therapy byĀ MerckĀ that’s approved to treat people with active relapsing multiple sclerosis in much of Europe, is a “smart therapy” that is showing real and long-term benefit after a short treatment course, said Gavin Giovannoni, chair of neurology atĀ Barts and The London School of Medicine…
October 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 ā New Trial of Opicinumab, an Anti-LINGO Antibody, in MS Builds on Lessons Learned, Biogen Says Opicinumab, an investigative treatment aiming to promote remyelination in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, will be tested in a new clinical trial ā Ā having failed at an earlier effort, but having shown promise enough in particular patients to be worth a closer look. In fact, the new AFFINITY study “is…
October 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 – Progressive MS Research Among ECTRIMS Highlights, National MS Society Says The 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting, taking place in Paris this month, is one of the largest scientific conferences focused solely on multiple sclerosis (MS), and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will be among the many interested parties attending. To get a feeling for meeting highlights and presentations the…
June 22, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Onetime Canadian Rancher Heidi Redl Wrote a Book About MS to Give Others Hope Heidi RedlĀ was in the physically demanding job of ranching when a doctor told her in 2004 that she had multiple sclerosis. Reluctant to give up her physical capabilities without a fight, the horseback rider and runner from Williams Lake, Canada, searchedĀ for unconventional as well as conventional MS treatments. In…
May 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MSAA’s Dr. Jack Burks Responds to Readers’ Questions About Ocrevus and Its Use Recently approved, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) should now be available nationwide for patients prescribed the therapy. But as with any new treatment, concerns about safety and practical issues are on many patientsā minds. Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Dr. Jack Burks ā a neurologist and researcher who servesĀ as chief…
May 9, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MedDay’s New Phase 3 Trial and Belief in Biotin’s Potential to Treat Progressive MS: An Interview with Dr. FrĆ©dĆ©ric Sedel A global Phase 3 clinical trial assessingĀ MD1003 ā also known as high-dose biotin ā for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) might lead to the approval of one of the first treatmentsĀ helping selectĀ progressive patients to improve. The trial aims to prove that high-dose biotin can reverse disability in non-active progressive MS.
April 10, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Ampyra Aided Walking in PPMS and RMS Patients Over Long Term, Neurologist Says in Interview AmpyraĀ (dalfampridine) shows long-term efficacy in improving walking ability in peopleĀ with multiple sclerosis, according to a study evaluating the treatment’s use in progressive and relapsing MS patients over two years. The study, āMonitoring long-term efficacy of fampridine in gait-impaired patients with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the…
April 10, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Transcript of Interview on Ampyra Research, MS Walking Ability and Long-Term Use Multiple Sclerosis News Today interviewedĀ Dr. Linard Filli,āØ an MS researcher at the University Hospital ZurichĀ involved in clinical studies of prolonged release Ampyra (dalfampridine), on walking ability in MS patients,Ā and Dr. Andrew Blight, chief scientific officer at Acorda Therapeutics, the treatment’s developer. Here is a full transcript of that interview.Ā An…
April 4, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Transcript of Interview with Dr. Robert Lisak, a Neurologist and MS Expert, About Ocrevus Here is a transcript of the Multiple Sclerosis News Today interview about Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) with Dr. Robert Lisak of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). Lisak, a professor of neurology and of immunology and microbiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, is aĀ former…
April 4, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus Holds Promise, But Needs to Prove Itself in ‘Long Term,’ Says Dr. Robert Lisak with CMSC Interest inĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), the first FDA-approved treatment for bothĀ relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, isĀ running high among patients and the organization representing them ā as, arguably, are expectations ofĀ its use. But how do physicians involved in MS care view the newcomer? Dr. Robert Lisak (Photo courtesy…
March 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus and the Hope of ‘Ending MS Forever’: Interview with MS Societyās Tim Coetzee The potential approval of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā this monthĀ supports the idea that, someday, a world free of multiple sclerosis (MS) is possible, according to Dr. Tim Coetzee, the National Multiple Sclerosis Societyās chief advocacy, services and research officer. While Coetzee ā and the society he representsĀ ā realize the potential of…
March 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Full Transcript of Interview with Tim Coetzee of the National MS Society Here is a transcript ofĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today‘s interview with Dr. Tim Coetzee ā chief advocacy, services and research officer for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society ā about the importance of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s awaitedĀ decisionĀ onĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), and the other ongoing research. Tim…
February 28, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD ‘Ocrevus Has the Potential to Change How MS Is Treated,’ Genentech’s Peter Chin Says in Interview March 28, at the latest, may be a historic date for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community ā patients, families, caregivers, researchers, and physicians alike. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will have its say about the marketing approval forĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). The drugĀ willĀ be the first to offerĀ benefit to…
February 28, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Full Transcript of Interview with Genentech’s Medical Director, Peter Chin, on Ocrevus BelowĀ is a transcript of theĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ interview with Dr. Peter Chin ā principal medical director at Genentech ā about the importance of the pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a Biologics Licensing Application (BLA) for Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). An an indepth article on this interview,Ā lookingĀ Ocrevus…
September 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Parents of Youngsters with MS Voice Needs and Frustrations in Study A study exploring the difficulties parents experience when their childĀ develops multiple sclerosis (MS) foundĀ that more support and education ā from healthcare and school staff, as well as by parents themselves ā is key to easing the burden of a child or teenager with this disease. The study, āParentsā…
June 6, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Genentech’s Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) a Promising Therapy for Primary Progressive MS; Interview with Lead Researcher Genentech,Ā a member of the RocheĀ Group, was founded more than 35 years ago and has been focused on a variety of research fields, includingĀ cancer, immunology, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases. Genentech has been committed to discovering and developing new medicines for patients with major diseases of the nervous…
June 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – Exclusive Interview with Dr. Rosalind Kalb on MS Care and Family Involvement Dr. Rosalind Kalb, vice president of the Professional Resource Center at the National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ in New York City, recently presented her workĀ at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā June 1-4Ā in National Harbor, Maryland. SheĀ participated in several symposiums, primarilyĀ “Gaining Perspectives on Advanced…
June 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Interview with Bayer’s VP and General Manager on Betaconnect/Betaseron and Customized Therapy Global pharmaĀ Bayer HealthcareĀ aims toĀ improve human health by diagnosing, preventing, and treating a variety of diseases. The company currently provides products for general medicine, hematology, neurology, oncology, and women’s healthcare. In 1993, Bayer’s BetaseronĀ (interferon beta-1b) became the first disease-modifying drugĀ to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Ā for…
June 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – Stem Cell Therapy in MS: Exclusive Interview with Dr. Mark Freedman On June 2, a symposium titled “Cell-based therapies in MS” was presented at theĀ 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). One of the speakers was Dr.Ā Mark S. Freedman, professor of medicine (neurology) at the University of OttawaĀ inĀ Canada, who discussed the use of stem…
May 23, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – EMD Serono’s Dr. Rick Munschauer Discusses Value of Annual Meeting With theĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 fast approaching, Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ sat down with a man of far-reaching interest in multiple sclerosis (MS) Ā ā Dr. Rick Munschauer, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Neurology and Immunology at…
May 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – Dr. Ellen Mowry, in Interview, Talks of Clinical Studies into Vitamin D and MS With an interestĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) beforeĀ even startingĀ college, Dr. Ellen Mowry has spent her entire research career investigatingĀ the disease. Her epidemiological studies led her to indications that vitamin D might be particularly important for peopleĀ with MS, and she now dedicates her research to the topic ā knowledge she will share at the…
May 2, 2016 News by BioNews Staff #CMSC16 – An Interview with Dr. Fred Lublin of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai Dr. Fred Lublin, a neuroimmunologist with a specialty in experimental therapies, will open this year’s annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers on June 1 with an address questioning the continuing importance of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). But the question raised by the title of the…
April 18, 2016 News by BioNews Staff #CMSC16 – An Interview with June Halper, the Consortium’s CEO and an MS Nurse Practitioner When the 2016 annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) opens June 1, marking the organization’s 30th anniversary, at its head will be its executive director, June Halper. The honor is fitting. Halper, a nurse practitioner with a specialty in multiple sclerosis (MS) since 1978, has…