December 15, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Testing for 4 Gene Variations May Predict Risk of PML Brain Infection Genetic variations in certain genes may increase the risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection associated with certain treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions, a new study shows. The findings suggest that testing for four specific genetic variant could help to predict…
October 7, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD 1 Year of Ocrevus Not Linked to Higher Risk of Brain Infection PML One year of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) treatment does not increase the risk for a rare brain infection ā called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) ā in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study, āRisk Assessment of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in Multiple Sclerosis Patients during…
August 3, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Tysabri Safe and Effective Taken Every 6 Weeks, NOVA Trial Finds Tysabri (natalizumab) given every six weeks was as safe and effective over nearly 1.5 years of use as its approved four-week dosing in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to top-line data from the Phase 3b NOVA study. Tysabri is typically administered every four weeks, or about…
April 15, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Ocrevus Use Linked to PML in Man, 78, With PPMS, Case Report Says A 78-year-old man withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) developed the brain infection progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) after two years of treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), a recent case report detailed. Treatment was discontinued and, as the patient’s symptoms worsened, he was moved to off-label…
February 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Drop in PML With Tysabri Use in Sweden Likely Due to Risk Management Plan The number of cases of Tysabri (natalizumab) that are associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) ā a serious brain infection ā in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients living in Sweden fell between 2006 and 2018, a study shows. Notably, the data highlighted that this drop was likely due to…
May 20, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Biogen Presents Update on its MS Therapeutic Portfolio Biogen has released new data on several of its therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS), including Vumerity (diroximel fumarate), Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), and Tysabri (natalizumab). The data ā six presentations ā originally were to be presented at the 2020 annual conference of the American…
February 26, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Stopping Tysabri Early Tied to Active PPMS, Smoking and Depression in Patients, Study Finds The likelihood of discontinuing treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) is higher among patients with progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis, and those who smoke and are depressed, a study reported. Progressive relapsing MS (PRMS) is now largely considered a subset of primary progressive MS, or PPMS marked by periods…
February 24, 2020 News by David Melamed, PhD MS Patients Switching from Tysabri to Other Therapies May Risk Disease Activity Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients switching from Tysabri (natalizumab) to other disease-modifying therapies may have an increased risk of disease activity, though the risk is lower if the switch is limited to three months, a study found. The results were published in an article, “Effect of…
January 16, 2020 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: Blood Tests and Multiple Sclerosis Editor’s note: “Need to Knowā is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the post “Is It a Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis or Something Else?” from July 20, 2018.
September 12, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – Plasma Exchange Ineffective for Treating Tysabri-associated PML, Study Shows Use of plasma exchange (PLEX) is not effective for treating progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a dangerous brain infection that has been associated with using the multiple sclerosis (MS) medicine Tysabri (natalizumab), a real-world study contends. The findings highlight the importance of Ā closely monitoring Tysabri users to detect…
June 18, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Immune System Activation Induced by Filgrastim Likely Beneficial for Patients with Tysabri-associated PML, Study Says Immune system activation induced by filgrastim may be beneficial for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with the use of Tysabri (natalizumab), without worsening multiple sclerosis (MS) progression, a study says. The study with that finding, “Treatment of natalizumabāassociated PML with filgrastim,” was published in…
May 15, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM – Biogen Offers Update on Development Plans for MS Therapies At the 2019 annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN),Ā Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ sat down with Bernd Kieseier, MD, global head of multiple sclerosis at Biogen, to discuss the company’s portfolio, latest data, and therapeutic development plans in the field of multiple sclerosis (MS). Kieseier said…
May 13, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Lemtrada Satisfaction, Limiting Tysabri’s PML Risk, MS and Pregnancy, Infusions vs. Pills #AANAM ā RRMS Patients Switching to Lemtrada Report Greater Satisfaction with Treatment and Improvements in Quality of Life I’m a self-proclaimed secondary progressive, rather than a remitting, multiple sclerosis (MS) person. But a year after round two of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), I can agree with this report. Several of my…
May 8, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM – Research Suggests Extended Interval Dosing of Tysabri Can Decrease Risk of PML New data suggests that treatment withĀ TysabriĀ (natalizumab) in an extended interval dosing regimen is associated with a significantly lower risk ofĀ progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathyĀ (PML) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), compared with the standard interval dosing. The data was presented byĀ Lana Zhovtis Ryerson, MD, on May 7 at the 2019Ā …
April 16, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias Cancer Medication Shows Promise in Treating Dangerous Brain Infection PML, Small-scale Study Finds Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, more commonly referred to as PML, is a brain infection that’s frequently fatal.Ā PML is particularly dangerous to people with MS, which is why I’m interested in a report about a medication that’s showing promise as a PML treatment. The concern for people with MS is…
February 26, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Switching from Tysabri to Aubagio Can Help Lower Relapse Risk in MS Patients, Phase 4 Trial Shows Stable patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who transition from Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment toĀ Aubagio (teriflunomide) have a lower relapse risk, a new study shows. The study, āReducing return of disease activity in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis transitioned from natalizumab to teriflunomide: 12-month interim results of teriflunomide therapy,ā…
August 27, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Test to Monitor Tysabri Levels in Relapsing MS Patients, moNATor by Abreos Biosciences, Available in US Abreos BiosciencesĀ announced the U.S. launch ofĀ moNATor, a laboratory-developed test that can help physicians monitor the levels ofĀ Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Tysabri (approved for relapsing forms of MS, by Biogen) administered at a dose of 300 mg every four weeks is known to be…
May 21, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: PML Treatment, Gilenya for Kids, Rituximab, and an MS trial that is Enrolling Complications from Gilenya Treatment Managed Successfully, Case Report Says This wasn’t a minor complication. It was a version of PML, a brain disease that can be fatal. PML is also a known side effect of Tysabri, so the report of a successful treatment should be important to…
May 16, 2018 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Complications from Gilenya Treatment Managed Successfully, Case Report Says A case study reported the successful management of a multiple sclerosis (MS) patient who developed a rare condition in the brain ā progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathyĀ (PML) ā due to treatment with Novartis Pharmaceuticalās Gilenya (fingolimod). The study, titled āFingolimod-associated PML with mild IRIS in MS: A…
April 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Extending Time Between Tysabri Doses Linked to Lower PML Risk, Analysis Suggests Extending the time between standard doses ofĀ TysabriĀ (natalizumab)Ā from four weeks to up to 12 weeks is linked to a significant decrease in the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients infected with what’s known as the JC virus, according to a recent analysis of data from…
February 12, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: 3rd Round of Lemtrada, Ampyra’s Possibilities, Long-term MD1003, Possible PML Treatment #ACTRIMS2018 ā Third Course of Lemtrada Improves Relapse, Disability in MS Patients, CARE-MS II Trial Shows The normal treatment regimen with Lemtrada is a series of two treatment courses, with the second infusion course given 12 months after the first. A “selling point” for this disease-modifying therapy (DMT) is…
February 9, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias Good News for Tysabri Users Who Are JCV Positive One of the many disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that I’ve been on over the many years of my treatment for MS is Tysabri (natalizumab). It worked well, holding the progression of my MS at bay for the several years that I received the infusions. I’d probably still be on it…
February 9, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #ACTRIMS2018 ā Combo Can Stop Tysabri-related PML Infection from Worsening, Case Study Shows A combination of an anti-viral therapy and the anti-depressive mirtazapine can stop the worsening of an infection linked to the multiple sclerosis therapyĀ Tysabri (natalizumab), a case study suggests. The infection, John Cunninghan polyomavirus, can cause a potentially fatal brain infection known as Ā progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. Both…
February 8, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Plaquenil, PML, Prevalence, and Other ‘P’ Words (Part 6 of 7) Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letter “P.” This post comes sixth in a series of seven. Symptoms of MS Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) Though progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) isnāt an actual symptom of MS,…
February 5, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2018 ā Extending Tysabri Treatment Intervals May Reduce PML Risk, TOUCH Registry Data Suggest Extending the dosing periods of Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment may help reduce the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients infected with the JC virus, a study suggests. The study, āNatalizumab Extended Interval Dosing Is Associated with a Reduction in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy…
January 5, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Articles of 2017 Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought you daily coverage of important discoveries, treatment developments, clinical trials, and other events dealing with multiple sclerosis throughout 2017. We look forward to providing more news to MS patients, family members, and caregivers during 2018. As a reminder of what mattered most to you in…
December 28, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Zinbryta Fails to Prevent RRMS from Worsening After Patient Gets Off Tysabri, Case Study Shows Zinbryta (daclizumab) may not be the best follow-up therapy for relapsingāremitting multiple sclerosis patients who stop taking Tysabri (natalizumab) for safety reasons, a case study suggests. An article on the 25-year-old patient’s case, titled āDisease reactivation after switching from natalizumab to daclizumab,ā was published in…
November 16, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski A JC Virus Primer There is often alarm and confusion about the JC virus, how we get it, and what it means to people with multiple sclerosis. This is my quick primer to help address these questions in a very basic way. What is the JC virus? The first person identified with this…
October 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Revises MRI Guidelines The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers has updated guidelines for using magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate people suspected of having multiple sclerosis. Doctors use the MRI guidelines not only to diagnose MS but also to track treatment results. A task force is reviewing the new guidelines before they're published. The working document is called Ā "Revised Guidelines of the CMSC MRI Protocol for the Diagnosis and Follow-up of MS." The task force, composed of neurologists, radiologists and imaging scientists experienced in MS, met in January 2017 to revise the guidelines. They also updated information about the situations for which standardized brain and spinal cord MRI scans should be used. One change is a recommendation that gadolinium, a contrast agent in scans, be used cautiously. The previous update, published in 2015, included no constraints on the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents.Ā But soon after publication, information emerged showing that gadolinium, although not toxic, accumulates in the brain. This prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recommend limiting the use of gadolinium to āappropriate clinical circumstances.ā To mirror the increased awareness of gadolinium deposits, the new guidelines say: āWhile there is no known central nervous system toxicity, these agents should be used judiciously, recognizing that gadolinium continues to play an invaluable role in specific circumstances related to the diagnosis and follow-up of individuals with MS.ā Since 2009, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers has addressed a number of other issues. One is encouraging the use of three-dimensional MRI for brain scans. Another is developing protocols for monitoring severe optic nerve inflammation and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, a brain disease caused by a virus. The guidelines have been revised to recommend the specific timing of scans for monitoring PML. The update also includes recommendations for theĀ timing of scans on patients receiving disease-modifying drugs. Since 2009, the guidelines have included recommendations on scans of radiologic isolated syndrome, a condition where MS-like MRI lesions are present without symptoms. And they have included provisions onĀ the value of using MRI changes to evaluate treatment effectiveness. The centers' goal "is to standardize the MRI protocol and make these recommendations a useful guideline for neurologists, neuroradiologists, and related healthcare professionals during initial evaluations and during follow-up of patients with MS, and ultimately provide optimum care for those individuals dealing with this unpredictable disease,ā June Halper, the centers' chief executive officer, said in a press release.
August 31, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Tecfidera Shows Promise as Replacement MS Therapy for Tysabri, Study Shows Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) can be a suitable replacement therapy whenĀ Tysabri (natalizumab) is discontinued, keeping low levels of disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a report published in theĀ Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness and…