October 9, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD PML caused by Tysabri results in lasting neurological symptoms People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who develop progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)Ā as a side effect of Tysabri (natalizumab) often see their neurological symptoms worsen severely during the infection and their disability gradually accumulate over time. That’s according to a study in Austria, which also showed that most disability progression…
March 22, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Experts call for testing for PML risk genes to guide MS treatments A pair of experts are calling for genetic tests to be developed to identify people at higher risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection that can occur as a side effect of certain multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments. “The availability of a simple, relatively inexpensive test…
August 9, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: COVID-19, High-dose Biotin, MS Diets, Tysabri Risk of Severe COVID-19 Not Raised by Immunosuppressive DMTs Here’s the latest on whether disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) raise the risk of a person having a bad case of COVID-19 if infected with the novel coronavirus. Researchers report here that DMTs don’t increase that risk. But don’t confuse this information…
April 19, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Helper T-cells, PML, WNT9B Gene, New MS Subtypes Helper T-cells Drive Transition from RRMS to SPMS, Study Suggests The T-cells referred to in this study, known as CD4+ cells, are believed to play a significant part in central nervous system inflammation. The disease-modifying treatment Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is designed to destroy these misbehaving T-cells, along with B-cells, so…
March 26, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias Ocrevus and PML: Should We Be Worried? The journal JAMA Neurology recently reported that a 78-year-old man with progressive multiple sclerosis died after being diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a brain disease. The man, diagnosed with MS about 30 years ago, had been treated for two years with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), and had no previous…
December 13, 2019 Columns by John Connor Stop in the Name of Leukocytes I rolled onto the neurology ward of the hospital that has been dealing with my disease from the beginning. The nurses, whom I’ve met innumerable times, opened with their normal jolly, “How are you?” I can never resist, “Well, I have got MS!” It was 8 in the morning. I’d…
September 19, 2019 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: What Is the JC Virus? 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 forum topicĀ “Does PML worry you?” from April 18. The world of multiple sclerosis (MS)…
September 19, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – Ocrevus Living Up to ‘Game-changing’ Moniker, Genentech’s Hideki Garren Says in Interview Two years after the approval of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), the latest data continue to support the benefits of the so-called “game-changing” therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS), while new insights highlight its neuronal protective effects and safety. Multiple Sclerosis News Today had the opportunity to speak with Hideki Garren,…
September 16, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Stem Cell Transplants, Remyelination Agent, Tecfidera Study, Plasma Exchange and Tysabri-linked PML It’s been a big week for interesting stories, as the annual meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) has just concluded. The conference offered much to engage healthcare professionals and researchers, but the following are some presentations that appealed to me as a multiple…
January 14, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Stimulator for Spasticity, Tysabri Dosing Trial, Mobility Devices Contest, Stem Cell Phase 2 Trial WeHealth, PathMaker Collaborating to Develop MyoRegulator as Noninvasive Treatment for Spasticity I’m one of the many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) for whom spasticity is a significant problem. This is a nonmedicinal approach to dealing with it. I hope it doesn’t take too long to make this…
May 24, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD JC Virus Carries a Mutation in MS Patients That Amplifies Brain Disease Known as PML A mutation in aĀ mouse modelĀ of the John Cunningham (JC) virus, which causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), allows the virus to evade the host immune responses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā according to a study into the mechanisms of PML. Infection with the JC virus most often passes unnoticed in healthy…
May 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Woman with PML Linked to MS Therapy Successfully Treated with IL-2 Cytokine A case report of a woman with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), who developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) after natalizumab therapy,Ā foundĀ that the immune-boosting molecule interleukin-2 (IL-2) might be a viable therapeutic option to fight this life-threatening complication although further study is needed. The case report,Ā “Use of interleukin-2 for…
March 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD CONy16: Debate Weighs MS Therapy Risks of Infections Like PML in Terms of Benefits Offered Certain therapies used toĀ treat multiple sclerosis (MS) have been associated with opportunistic infections of the central nervous system, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but often fatal brain disorder caused by the John Cunningham (JC) virus. The question of whether the risk for opportunistic infections to MS patients outweighs…
February 17, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD For MS Patients, New Guidelines for Controlling Rare Brain Infection Risk Under Tysabri Treatment The European Medicines Agency Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), responsible for assessing and monitoring safety issues for human medicines, completedĀ a review on the risk for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with the medicine Tysabri (natalizumab). The issued guidelines have the objective of minimizing patientsā risk.
February 3, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Neurologist Argues for Continued Use of Natalizumab as Disease Treatment In a recent study ofĀ more than 1,200 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a research team reported that treatment with the drug natalizumab (Tysabri) could lead to a tenfold increase in the levels of blood antibodies associated with a virus causing a rare but severe brain disease known as progressive multifocal…
February 2, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Patients Under Natalizumab Treatment May Be at Risk of Rare Brain Infection Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with natalizumab have an increased risk of developing high levels of antibodies associated withĀ a virus causing aĀ rare, but often fatal, brain infection known asĀ progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), researchers reported. TheirĀ study, āTherapy with natalizumab is associated with high JCV seroconversion and rising JCV index values,ā…
January 29, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Guidelines Issued for Monitoring of MS Patients on Natalizumab Treatment A panel of neurologists from the U.K. and Ireland recently developed practical consensus guidelines for monitoring multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on natalizumab (Tysabri)Ā therapy for the risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a life-threatening viral infection caused by the John Cunningham (JC) virus. The panel was summoned by…