August 19, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD MS Progression Slower in People Who Begin Betaseron Therapy at First Signs of Disease, 11-Year Study Says Relapsing multiple sclerosis patients who begin taking Betaferon/Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) immediately after the first MS-related neurologic symptoms appear mayĀ realize slower disease progression thanĀ those who delay treatment, according to aĀ study evaluating the therapy’sĀ effects over a decade in patients enrolledĀ inĀ aĀ Phase 3 clinical trial. The study, “The 11-year long-term follow-up…
August 17, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Zinbryta, a Relapsing MS Therapy, Now Available at Diplomat Pharmacy in US Diplomat Pharmacy, theĀ largest independent specialty pharmacy in the U.S., is nowĀ dispensing the limited-distribution drug Zinbryta (daclizumab) as a therapy for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). ZinbrytaĀ was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing MS.
August 3, 2016 News by admin Phase 2 Study of Oral Antibiotic to Treat Relapsing MS, RHB-104, Nearing Finish RedHill Biopharma announced that theĀ final patient has completed the last step of itsĀ Phase 2 clinical study (CEASE-MS) of RHB-104 as a potential treatment forĀ people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). RHB-104 is an antibiotic oral medication that blocks inflammation in addition to killing bacteria. RHB-104 was originally developedĀ as a treatment for…
August 2, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Gilenya Seen as Most Effective in Younger and Previously Untreated Patients with Relapsing MS A study analyzing results from three Phase 3 clinical trials shows that Gilenya (fingolimod) effectively prevents relapses in different types of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with the therapy being most efficient in younger patients and those withoutĀ previous treatment. The findings highlight the importance of starting treatment early, and not…
July 29, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Increasing Disability in MS Matched by Rising Financial, Personal and Work-related Burdens Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. with higher disability scores also haveĀ higher rates of health resource utilization, higher healthcare costs, and lower work productivity and health-related quality of live, according a study by researchers at Adelphi Real World and Abbvie. The study, “Quantifying the…
July 8, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Patients’ Personal Circumstances Largely Shape Their Views on Therapy Preferences Opinions voiced by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients as to what they most want from, and like in, an MS treatment differ widely, although delaying progression and relapsesĀ ā andĀ minimizingĀ serious side effects ā clearly score high, according to new research from theĀ University of British ColumbiaĀ in Canada. The study,Ā “Quantitative…
July 7, 2016 News by Katie McCallum H.P. Acthar Gel a Cost-Effective Option for Managing MS Relapses, Study Reports A recent study analyzing the healthcare resource use and cost of H.P. Acthar Gel, an injectable drug used to manage multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse, demonstrated that the therapy isĀ a viable alternative to plasmapheresis (PMP) and intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG). Annual direct healthcare costs encountered by MS patients in the U.S.
July 5, 2016 News by Katie McCallum Latest Findings on RRMS Oral Therapy Tecfidera (Dimethyl Fumarate) Detailed in New Report Since its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013,Ā TecfideraĀ (dimethyl fumarate) has emerged as a first-line treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common form of multiple sclerosis (MS). While two separate clinical trials demonstrated Tecfidera’s ability to significantly reduce both the rate of relapse…
June 14, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Aggressive Stem Cell Transplant Approach Halts MS for Years, But Risks are High Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) has been used to stop autoimmune processes in multiple sclerosis (MS), althoughĀ the treatment is not effectiveĀ for every person. Now, an improved version of the technique is showing astonishingly good results, with patients free ofĀ both the need for treatment and the risk of relapses for…
June 7, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Fingolimod (Gilenya) Offers Consistent Health Benefits in Relapsing-Remitting MS Patients Researchers at the Swedish Neuroscience InstituteĀ inĀ Washington and Novartis Pharma revealed that Gilenya (fingolimod) induced a consistent and significant reduction in disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The results wereĀ recently presented at the June 1-4Ā Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual…
June 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – MS Patients of African Descent May Fare Better on Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) A study, recently presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Md., showed MS patients of African decent might better benefit from treatment with alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) compared to subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (Rebif) – with lower rates of relapses evident over five years…
May 10, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Severe Rebound Effects Found in ‘Relevant’ Number of MS Patients After Stopping Fingolimod Rebound symptoms after stoppingĀ fingolimod (Gilenya) treatment affect a “clinically relevant” number of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients,Ā a study byĀ University of California, San Francisco, researchers reported. The study called attention to the need for determining the best method of sequencing or stopping MS treatments, and highlighted the need to identify factors…
May 2, 2016 News by Charles Moore European Program Aims to Develop Wearable Devices to Monitor and Treat MS A major new European research program to develop waysĀ of monitoring three mainĀ central nervous system diseases āmultiple sclerosis (MS), depressive disorder, and epilepsy ā using wearable devices and smartphones was launched on April 26. The RADAR-CNS (Remote assessment of disease and relapse Central Nervous System) project, supported by the Innovative…
April 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lymphoma Drug, Rituximab, Highly Effective in Treating Relapsing MS, Study from Sweden Reports Mabthera (rituximab), a widely approved drug for treating lymphoma and/or rheumatoid arthritis, is highly effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers reported in an observational study in Sweden, where Mabthera is increasingly being used outside of its approved indications to treat relapsing-remitting MS patients. The study, published in the journal…
April 20, 2016 News by admin Biogen Releases New Data Showing Effectiveness of Tecfidera in Newly Diagnosed MS Patients at AAN 2016 BiogenĀ reported new data describing the effectiveness of TecfideraĀ (dimethyl fumarate) in newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in a recent presentation at the 68th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The conference, taking placeĀ in Vancouver, Canada, runs through April 21. Tecfidera is an…
April 5, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Clinical Trial Data on Experimental MS Therapeutic Vaccine, Xemys, Released PJSC Pharmsynthez, a pharmaceutical company based in Russia, recently announced completed follow-up findings and data analysis from a Phase 2a proof-of-concept clinical trial ofĀ its novel therapeutic vaccine Xemys for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). XemysĀ utilizes Xenetic Biosciences patented ImuXen technology. In the open-label, dose-escalating trial, 20 patients…
March 29, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Relapses During Natalizumab Therapy Traced to Drug’s Greater Impact on Regulatory T-cells Natalizumab (Tysabri) harnesses multiple sclerosis (MS) activity by targeting CD49, a molecule on the surface of immune cells. Now, researchers foundĀ that the drug reduces the factor on regulatory T-cells to a greater extent than on inflammatory T-cells ā a mechanism that might explain disease exacerbation during treatment. The molecule under…
March 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MSAA Draws Attention to Specific Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms Each Week of March, MS Awareness Month March isĀ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, and the Ā Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will be marking it with a campaign to educate and heighten public awareness of the disease and the needs of the MS community. For this campaign, the MSAA will dedicate each week in March toĀ a…
February 17, 2016 News by admin MS Patients’ Likely Response to Interferon-Ī² May Be Evident in a Blood Biomarker A new study underscoresĀ the variability of immune responses in different people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and suggests this heterogenityĀ affects responsesĀ to the commonly prescribed MS medication interferon-Ī², but blood biomarkers may exist that can help to determine those most likely to benefit from such treatment. The study,Ā “Cytokine profiles…
February 15, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Relapse, Remission States Seen to Differ in Gene Expression Between Men and Women A Spanish study showed that relapse and remission in multiple sclerosis (MS) states are regulated by small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) molecules inĀ patterns differing between men and women. Scientists have increasingly realized that sncRNAs play an important role inĀ the regulation of gene expression. Various kinds of these RNA molecules, such as…
February 9, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Patients Seen to Safely Switch to Oral Drugs from Injectable Oral Therapies Stable multiple sclerosis (MS) patients do not appear to be at any increased risk of disease reactivation whileĀ switching to oral therapy following treatment with injectable interferon-Ī²/glatiramer acetate (IFNĪ²/GA), a study reports. Recently publishedĀ in the European Journal of Neurology,Ā the Australian study was titledĀ “Risk of early…
February 8, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Experimental RRMS Therapy, Trimesta, Fails to Demonstrate Efficacy in Review of Clinical Trial Synthetic Biologics, Inc., a clinical stage company focused on the development of therapeutics to protect the microbiome and to target disease-causing pathogens, recently announced disappointing results from an independent third-party analysis of a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating Trimesta as a treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in women.
December 7, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Now Available in Japan Takeda Pharmaceutical, a pharmaceutical company based in Osaka, Japan, recently announcedĀ that a widely approved drug treatment forĀ the prevention of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā is nowĀ available in Japan as well. Copaxone,Ā (glatiramer acetate; 20 mg daily subcutaneous injection), developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, is an immunomodulatory drug designed toĀ act as…
December 2, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Experimental Relapsing-Remitting MS Drug Treatment Advancing Synthetic Biologics, which specializes in the development of therapies forĀ pathogen-specific diseases, recently announced theĀ publication of new and positive data on results from a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the companyās product Trimestaā¢ as a treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in women. Professor Rhonda Voskuhl, director of theĀ Multiple Sclerosis Program…
September 30, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Natalizumab Reported To Be a Safe and Effective Therapy for Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis A new study recently published in the journal BMC Neurology revealed that natalizumab (TYSABRI) is a safe and effective medication for pediatric cases of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is entitled āNatalizumab in the pediatric MS population: results of the Italian registryā and was…
September 21, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Fingolimod (Gilenya) Found to Be an Effective Multiple Sclerosis Therapy for Up to Three Years of Treatment An encouraging newĀ analysis reveals that fingolimod isĀ an effective multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy forĀ a treatment period of up to three years. The results were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Consortium of MS Centers. MS is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is the result ofĀ anĀ attack onĀ the central nervous system…
September 18, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Pregnancy-Associated Issues in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Highlighted in New Review A study recently published in the European Journal of Neurology reviewed some of the issues associated with pregnancy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study is entitled āAn overview of pregnancy-related issues in patients with multiple sclerosisā and was developed by researchers at Sapienza…
August 19, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Pediatric MS Patients Can Benefit Greatly from Strenuous Physical Activity, Study Suggests A recently published study in the journalĀ NeurologyĀ entitled “lowerĀ physical activity is associated with higher disease burden in pediatric multiple sclerosis” suggests pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis can benefit from engaging in regular moderate to strenuous activity, in that physical activity was linked to a…
April 23, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD NYU Langone Researchers Report What Happens When Multiple Sclerosis Patients Abandon Treatment A team led by researchers at the New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center recently assessed what happens when clinically stable patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) stop taking their medication and found that almost 40% of them experience to some extent a return in disease activity and related symptoms. The…