July 24, 2019 News by Alejandra Viviescas, PhD Conversion to MS Among Taiwanese with CIS Low and Disease Course Mild, Study Finds The percentage of Taiwanese who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) after an episode of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is lower than that reported for other ethnicities, and those who do progress are likely to have a milder disease course, a study found, supporting how factors like geography and genetics…
May 7, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #AANAM ā Tysabri Lowers Serum Neurofilament Light Levels in SPMS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Finds Treatment with TysabriĀ (natalizumab) lowers the levels of the biomarker serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosisĀ (SPMS), according to data from a Phase 3 trial. Findings also revealed that higher levels of sNfL correlated with MS lesions and disease activity prior to starting the…
April 12, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein TMEM10 in Demyelinated MS Lesions May Contribute to Remyelination, Study Suggests A protein that promotes nervous system repair through remyelination ā the creation of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve cells ā in mice also is found in remyelinating plaques in brains of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, new research shows. This protein potentially represents a new therapeutic target in demyelinating…
March 14, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Non-contrast MRI Effective in Monitoring Progression of MS, Study Shows The evaluation of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be performed without the use of a contrast agent, new research has shown. These findings suggest that routine use of contrast-enhanced MRI is unnecessary for most follow-ups with MS patients, reducing both imaging…
March 5, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2019 – TG Therapeutics’ Investigational Therapy Ublituximab Posts Positive Data in MS Phase 2 Clinical Trial Full results of a Phase 2 clinical trial testing TG Therapeuticsā lead candidate ublituximab (TG-1101) for relapsingĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) showed that treatment for 48 weeks resulted in a marked reduction of brain and spinal cord lesions, an almost complete depletion of relapse-associated immune B-cells, and significantly halted disability…
February 22, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Aubagio, Tecfidera Show Comparable Effectiveness in Relapsing MS, Real-world Phase 4 Trial Finds Aubagio (teriflunomide)Ā seems to be superior to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate)Ā in slowingĀ whole brain shrinkage in patients withĀ relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), a new Phase 4 clinical trial shows. However, Aubagio and Tecfidera have similar beneficial effects in achieving other clinical goals and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters,…
February 11, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Social Cognition Issues Linked to Damage in Specific Brain Region in RRMS Patients, Study Shows Issues with social cognition can occur inĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients even without the presence of cognitive impairment, and are related to damage in a specific brain region known as the amygdala, a study reports. The study, āSocial cognition deficits and the role of…
December 21, 2018 News by Alberto Molano, PhD Study Links Food Allergies and Increased MS Disease Activity Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who reported food allergies showed a 27 percent higher cumulative rate of flare-ups over the course of their disease, and more than twice the likelihood of having active inflammatory lesions, a new study shows. The study, āFood Allergies are Associated with Increased Disease Activity…
November 19, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson MS-related Vertigo: What Can You Do? I’ve never liked carnival rides (except for roller coasters) because they make me dizzy. Walking sideways, feeling nauseous, and turning green is not my idea of a fun time! So, I go out of my way to avoid anything that can make my head spin. Yet, for some reason,…
October 26, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Infection with Common Herpes Virus Speeds MS-like Disease Onset and Progression in Primate Model, Study Reports Infection with theĀ most common member of the herpes virus family, called HHV-6, may pass unnoticed and without symptoms, but the very act of being infected significantly accelerated the development and progression of aĀ multiple sclerosis-like disease in nonhuman primates, a study reports. Its findings support the role of viral infection in…
October 18, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – GNbAC1 Shows Consistent Neuroprotection in RRMS Patients, Phase 2b Study Reports TreatingĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with GeNeuroās investigational compound GNbAC1 lessened brain atrophy and lesion load and suggested myelin preservation, according to results of a Phase 2b study. Importantly, monthly intravenous GNbAC1 administration for 48 weeks also had neuroprotective effects in the studyās inactive population, which refers…
October 17, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Stem Cell Transplant Effectively Lessens Disability in Patients with Aggressive MS, Study Finds Treatment with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) led to a safe and rapid lessening of disability and no clinical relapses in patients with aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The research, āThe use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a…
October 16, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Shifting from Gilenya to Lemtrada Doesn’t Increase Risk of MS Reactivation, Study Says Shifting from treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) to Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), and doing a short washout period between the two therapies, does not seem to increase the risk of disease reactivation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study shows. Lemtrada, marketed by…
October 16, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Two European Studies Compare Tecfidera, Aubagio Effectiveness Treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate)Ā is associated with fewer new brain lesions at two years, lower relapse rates, increased time to first relapse, and reduced treatment discontinuation than with Aubagio (teriflunomide), according to a nationwide study from France and a real-world, population-based…
October 12, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018: Study Proposes Serum Neurofilament Light Threshold to Identify RRMS Patients at Risk of Worsening Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels higher than a proposed threshold have a higher risk of disease activity, and worsened disability, lesions and brain shrinkage in the long term, according to a new study. The research, āSerum neurofilament light (NfL)…
October 11, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Brain, Spinal Cord Injuries Affect Processing Speed in MS Patients, Study Reveals Processing speed is associated with the extent of brain and spinal cord injury in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study conducted in a clinical setting. The results support using the Processing Speed Test (PST) in both clinical practice and trials. The study, ā…
September 28, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Ublituximab Markedly Reduces Lesions, Promotes B-cell Depletion, Halts Disability Progression in Phase 2 Trial A 48-week treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) with TG Therapeuticsā investigational compound ublituximab led to a marked reduction of brain and spinal cord lesions, massive depletion of relapse-associated immune B-cells, and significantly halted disability progression, according to results from a Phase 2 clinical trial. The data…
September 20, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Rapamycin, Approved for Other Indications, Potentially Effective for MS, Study Suggests Treatment with Rapacan (rapamycin) decreased the size and volume of brain lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Iranian study reports. The study, āPromising effect of rapamycin on multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Rapamycin, or sirolimus, is an immunosuppressive…
September 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GeNeuro to Develop the MS Clinical Program of GNbAC1 Without Servier GeNeuroĀ announced it has reacquired from Servier the worldwide rights to commercialize and develop the investigational humanized antibodyĀ GNbAC1Ā for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision came after Servier, a European company which, together with GeNeuro, developed the GNbAC1 program, declined to continue developing the therapy due to…
August 13, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson MS Lesions and Silent Inflammation Multiple sclerosis (MS) consists of more than lesions; it also comprises silent inflammation. Lesions seem to get all the attention, as they are photographed and flashy, and the main topic in MS circles. But silent inflammation is what is running the havoc behind the scenes. The MS Society…
August 8, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Number, Location, Size of Lesions on MRI Can Predict Progression to MS, Study Shows The number, location, and size of lesions can help predict the risk of progression from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to multiple sclerosis (MS) within one year, a new study shows. The study, āMRI in predicting conversion to multiple sclerosis within 1Ā year,ā was published in the journal…
July 16, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Is It an MS Diagnosis or Something Else? I am told I have primary progressive multipleĀ sclerosis (PPMS), and my symptoms appear to be in line with that diagnosis. I continuallyĀ have a slow gait, leg weakness, balance issues, and fatigue. There is never a break from those symptoms. Intermittently, I have cognitive issues, slurred speech,Ā and burning…
June 21, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #EAN2018 – Both Brain and Spinal MRIs Needed to Monitor MS Inflammation, Study Says Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to assess inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients should include scans of the spinal cord and not be restricted to the brain, because brain scans alone risk underestimating disease progression, a study suggests. These results were shared in the presentation, āMeasuring disease activity in…
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,…
March 29, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GeNeuro-Servier Antibody Limits RRMS Patients’ Brain Shrinkage, Phase 2b Trial Shows The laboratory-generated antibodyĀ GNbAC1Ā continued to limitĀ brain shrinkage a year after relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients began receiving it, its developers announced. GeNeuro and ServierĀ were reporting on the 12-month results of aĀ Phase 2b clinical trial. GNbAC1 is a monoclonal antibody that destroys a harmful retroviral protein called pHERV-W which scientists have…
March 27, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Siponimod Reduces Risk of SPMS Patients’ Disability Worsening, Phase 3 Trial Shows Siponimod (BAF312) reduces the risk of disability progression in patients withĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. An article about theĀ NovartisĀ therapy’s trial resultsĀ appeared in the journal The Lancet. The title is āSiponimod versus placebo in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis…
March 9, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Merck’s MS Therapy Evobrutinib Significantly Reduces Brain Lesions, Phase 2 Trial Shows Merck KGaA’sĀ evobrutinib led to significant reductions in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients’ brain and spinal cord lesions, compared with a placebo, a Phase 2b clinical trial showed. Researchers measured the number of lesions at weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24. Evobrutinib, also known as M2951, is an oral inhibitor of…
February 21, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Gilenya Continues to Demonstrate Effectiveness as Therapy for RRMS Patients in Study Gilenya (fingolimod) is an effective treatment forĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in everyday clinical practice, a new study shows. The therapy was shown to be effective even in patients switching from Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment. The study, “Effectiveness and baseline factors associated to fingolimod response in a…
February 8, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ACTRIMS2018 – Ozanimod Reduces MS Relapses and Brain Deterioration, Phase 3 Trial Shows Celgene’sĀ Ozanimod reduces relapsing multiple sclerosis patients’ relapses, brain lesions, and brain volume loss, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. The company presented the results of the SUNBEAM trial atĀ theĀ ACTRIMS Forum 2018Ā convention in San Diego, Feb. 1-3. The presentation was titled āOzanimod Demonstrates Efficacy and Safety…
January 30, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2018 – Ublituximab Led to Major Drop in MS Brain and Spine Lesions, Trial Shows TG Therapeutics‘ ublituximab (TG-1101) led toĀ a remarkable reduction in multiple sclerosis patients’ brain and spine lesions, a Phase 2 clinical trial showed. In fact, none of the treated patients had new gadolinium-enhancing lesions ā or damaged nerve cell areas ā six months after treatment, researchers said.Ā Their analysis covered patients…