December 1, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Presence of damaged myelin may be more harmful than its loss: Study The presence of damaged myelin ā the fatty, protective substance surrounding nerve cells that’s lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) ā may be more harmful to nerve cells than its removal altogether, according to new preclinical research. In mouse models of myelin-associated disease, a failure of microglia ā the…
June 21, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD GlobeStar, AIP team up to design clinical trials for Project Amethyst GlobeStar TherapeuticsĀ (GSTC) is teaming up with Advanced Innovative Partners (AIP) to design and implement clinical trials of Project Amethyst, an investigational therapy for multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) that aims to reduce neurodegeneration ā when nerve cells in the body lose function and ultimately die. The new memorandum of understanding (MOU)…
September 20, 2022 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD Prexasertib’s Protective Effects Seen in Models of Neurodegeneration Prexasertib, a small molecule inhibitor that’s been tested in clinical trials for cancer, may represent a new strategy for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative conditions, a study found. The compound, which inhibits the checkpoint kinase (Chk2) protein, was found to promote nerve cell survival and regeneration after…
July 18, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Certain MS Lesions Linked to Worse Disability, but Location Not a Factor The presence ofĀ iron rim lesions (IRLs), which are regions of chronic nervous system damage with ongoing inflammation, visible on MRI scans, is linked with more substantial disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā according to a new study. However, the connection between these lesions and worse disability does not…
March 14, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Drinking Alcohol Daily May Speed Loss of Nerve Cells in Patients’ Brains While people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, MS patients who are daily alcohol drinkers are more likely to show signs of faster neurodegeneration,Ā a new study highlights. The findings suggest that quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol would be beneficial for people…
December 13, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Imaging of Retina Can Help in Monitoring Nerve Cell Damage in MS An imaging technique called optical coherence tomography (OCT) could be useful for monitoring nervous system damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially early on in the disease, a study in patients reports. The study, “Optical coherence tomography in multiple sclerosis: A 3-year prospective multicenter study,”…
September 7, 2021 News by Yedida Y Bogachkov PhD Brain Atrophy, Serum NfL Levels May Predict Cognition Early in MS A blood test for serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels, along with radiological findings, can help to detect early cognitive issues in people recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study āCortical Thickness and Serum NfL Explain Cognitive Dysfunction in Newly Diagnosed Patients…
July 21, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD Low Temelimab Doses in RRMS Trial Among Reasons for Poor Results Low doses selected and underlying inflammatory disease may have confounded the ability of temelimabĀ to significantly affect neuroinflammation in a Phase 2 trial in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. GeNeuro‘s investigational MS therapy did, however, show other evidence of clinical benefit that supports its continued development, researchers…
February 9, 2021 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Tool to Potentially Diagnose MS via Eye Movements Gets $2.5M Funding Boost C. Light TechnologiesĀ announced it raised $2.5 million in seed funding to further develop a noninvasive eye tracking device that might diagnoseĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases through measures made in a matter of seconds. Currently a prototype, the device captures neurodegeneration by mapping what is called fixational…
January 5, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Myelin Ceramides Altered in MS, Study Finds Levels of myelin sheath components called ceramides are altered in the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may be linked with retinal degeneration and physical disability, a study has found.Ā Specific ceramides were altered only in those with progressive…
October 12, 2020 News by Sara Guariglia Metabolic Changes Relating to MS Onset, Progression Focus of Study A $957,000 grant will support research at the University at BuffaloĀ intoĀ events that precede the onset of neurodegeneration inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, the funding byĀ the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development CommandĀ will be used to investigate possible changes in cell metabolism that lead toĀ disease onset or progression in…
September 15, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Lesions First Seen on Nerves of GI Tract in Mouse Model of MS Before signs of neurodegeneration in the brain and spinal cord are evident in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) ā which resembles humanĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) ā signs can first be found in the network of nerves innervating the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, a study reports. Additional research is needed…
September 1, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD SomaCeuticals Acquires Rights to Formula Targeting Lesions in MS SomaCeuticals, a subsidiary of AngioSoma, has acquired exclusive global rights to a patented formula that aims to ease and possibly eliminate signs of neurodegeneration in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). By entering a licensing agreement with 7 to Stand, a Delaware corporation, SomaCeuticals gained access…
July 21, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Retina Thickness Can Be Used to Identify MS Patients with Progressive Disease, Study Suggests The thickness of two layers of nerve cells forming the back of the eye, or retina, can be used to distinguish patients with progressing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) from those with stable disease, a study suggests. The study, āMacular ganglion cellāinner plexiform layer…
June 5, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Ability to ‘Create’ Astrocytes Supports Their Damaging Role in MS, Like Diseases An inflammatory environment can turn astrocytes, key supportive cells for neurons, into their killers, fostering the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. This work, led by researchers at the New York Stem Cell FoundationĀ (NYSCF), created for a first time astrocytes derived…
May 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Progressive MS Linked to Faster Retinal Atrophy, Study Shows People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (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…
April 16, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Scientists Build Map of Toxic Immune Cells Contributing to Neurodegeneration in MS Scientists have built a map of the toxic immune cells that contribute to neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Their findings may open the door to the development of new medications that protect the brain from the effects brought on by these harmful immune cells. Results were reported in the study,…
April 1, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Blood Levels of Nerve Cell Protein Likely Marker of Brain Injury to Come A nerve cell protein found in the blood shows potential as a biomarker of neuroinflammation and future neurodegeneration in the early stages ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The protein, called serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), is a known marker of injury to axons (nerve…
February 3, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Interaction Between Different Immune Cells May Lead to New MS Therapies, Study Suggests Scientists discovered new interaction between immune cells from the central nervous system (CNS) ā consisting of the brain and spinal cord ā and immune cells from the blood that may lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases.
January 23, 2020 News by Ana Pena PhD Gene Therapy Recovers Vision in Mice Models of MS, Uncovers How Neuron Connections Are Destroyed Early research in animal models and human samples reveals how loss of communication between nerve cells contributes to the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), and shows how gene therapy could be used to preserve such connections and protect againstĀ vision loss. Researchers say their work identifies a…
December 5, 2019 News by Alejandra Viviescas, PhD 3D Nerve Cell Models of PPMS, Parkinson’s Ready for Liftoff to Space Station for Long-term Study in Microgravity The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute and Aspen NeuroscienceĀ will send three-dimensional brain cell models of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)Ā and Parkinsonās disease to the International Space Station (ISS) for the…
November 4, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Mutations in 3 Genes Linked to Vision Loss and MS Severity in Hopkins Study Mutations in genes related to the immune system’s first line of defense are associated with a greater likelihood of more severe forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) linked to faster vision loss, a team led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report. Combining high-resolution eye scans and genetic tests,…
October 24, 2019 News by Alejandra Viviescas, PhD SARM1 Inhibitors Protect Neurons from Damage in Mice and Cell Cultures, Results Presented at Neuroscience 2019 Show SARM1Ā inhibitors are a potential oral treatment to slow disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to preclinical results that show theĀ inhibitors protect nerve cells from damage in mice and cell cultures. Researchers atĀ Disarm Therapeutics presented the findings in a poster titled “…
September 13, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 ā Eliminating SARM1 Protects Neurons in Mouse Model of MS Eliminating SARM1, an enzyme that plays a key role in nerve cell degeneration, protects neurons in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a condition that mimics the key pathological features of multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans. The preclinical findings were presented by researchers atĀ Disarm Therapeutics in a…
August 29, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Role of SARM1 Enzyme, Key Player in Neurodegeneration, Detailed in Studies Two new studies delve into the structure of SARM1, an enzyme that plays a key role in nerve cell degeneration, and are expected to aid the development of targeted therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and peripheral neuropathies. SARM1…
August 22, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Lack of Progressive MS Treatments Has Several Causes, But Advances are Promising, Reviewers Contend The complexity in underlying mechanisms, a lack of representative research models, and inconsistent criteria defining therapeutic benefit are the main reasons why an effective therapy for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is still lacking, researchers maintain in a review study. Nevertheless, as research continues to shed light on…
August 19, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Imaging That Captures Damage to Brain in CIS Helps in Determining Likelihood of MS, Study Says Imaging techniques that measure damage to the brain, in addition to those that detect lesions, may be useful in predicting likely disease progression in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study found. The study, “Early imaging predictors of longer term multiple sclerosis risk and severity…
July 16, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD 3-D Brain Models of PPMS and Parkinson’s Off to Space Station for Research in Microgravity The National Stem Cell Foundation announced the start of a pioneering project to investigate the impact of microgravity on the neurodegeneration associated withĀ primary progressive multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. The project, a collaboration between the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, theĀ Summit for Stem Cell, and investigators withĀ Aspen Neuroscience, will send 3-D brain organoids derived from patients with these disorders, for a first time, to the International Space Station on SpaceX CRS-18. This flight, set to launch on July 21 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is a test run for a 30-day study of neurodegeneration in microgravity set to take place on the space station this fall. "The National Stem Cell Foundation is delighted to be funding innovative science at the frontier of new drug and cell therapy discovery. The leading-edge research findings that have developed through this collaboration between important research groups may fundamentally alter our understanding of how and why neurodegeneration occurs," Paula Grisanti, chief executive officer of the NSCF, said in a press release. These organoids, or 3-D cellular brain models, contain microglia ā cells that normally support and protect neurons. Microglia are implicated in the brain inflammation and disease progression seen in people with Parkinson's, PPMS, and other neurodegenerative disorders. The project will allow scientistsĀ in the near absence of gravityĀ to study how these cells interact with each other, migrate, send and receive chemical signals, change their genetic signature, and promote brain inflammation. As such, investigators may get a glimpse of all the biological mechanisms involved in PPMS and Parkinson's in ways not feasible on Earth. This work might lead to understandings and advancements with a direct impact on the development of medicines and cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Space Tango is leading the transport and maintenance logistics, to ensure the cells arrive at the ISS in the best possible condition and remain viable during the 30 days they will remain in orbit. To that end, the company has developed a series of automated systems intended to surpass conventional lab techniques, and allow space station researchers to work with a higher number of samples than typical, and use high-throughput techniques to easily analyze them. According to the company, these automated systems are not intended exclusively for research on the ISS, but may also be used by research facilities worldwide to support and accelerate scientific innovation. "The vision the National Stem Cell Foundation brings to using new approaches to science and creating collaborations between leading experts in Parkinsonās disease and multiple sclerosis from across the country is truly unique," said Jana Stoudemire, commercial innovation officer at Space Tango. "In addition to supporting the development of tissue chip platforms for microgravity, Space Tango is excited to expand capabilities for human 3-D brain organoid models that will assist in studying some of the most challenging diseases we have yet to truly understand," Stoudemire added. "We are very pleased to support this important research on the ISS."
June 13, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Move It or Lose It: Movement Is Crucial to Well-being with MS A well-known mantra exists in the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. I first heard it after my diagnosis and have since adopted it as my own. “Move it or lose it.” Movement is essential for everyone’s health and well-being. For those of us with multiple sclerosis, it is imperative. Regular activity…
October 29, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Blocking Molecule Evident in Excess in MS Patients Treats Mice with SPMS-like Disease, Study Reports Blocking a molecule that is overly abundant in theĀ nervous system of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and has been linked to nerve cell damage in animals, worked toĀ significantly ease inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration in mouse modelsĀ of secondary progressive MS (SPMS), a study reports. Treatment…