October 6, 2023 News by Margarida Maia, PhD How well MS patients adhere to treatment tied to certain factors People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experience a greater number of more severe flare-ups, also known as relapses, are more likely to take their medications regularly, but less likely to keep taking them over time, a review study has found. Other factors associated with better treatment adherence and persistence…
October 2, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Most disability worsening on Ocrevus not tied to relapses: Study Among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), most of the disability worsening they experience is not associated with any relapse activity, according to an analysis of real-world data. “We present real-world data from our multiple sclerosis center underlining that in a typical population of relapsing MS…
January 17, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Early Progression Independent of Relapses Linked to Worse Disability Within the first 12 years after the onset of symptoms, about one-fourth of people with clinically isolated syndrome ā or a first episode of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms ā showed a worsening of disability independent of relapses, a study reports. This type of disease progression, called progression independent…
June 27, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Alcohol Use, Cholesterol Tied to Liver Injury With Pulse Steroid Therapy A short course of high-dose methylprednisoloneĀ was associated with signs of mild liver injury in nearly 3% of multiple sclerosis patients given this treatment, according to a study in Iran. Notably, a history of alcohol abuseĀ and hyperlipidemia ā higher-than-normal blood levels of fatty molecules such as cholesterol ā were…
April 5, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #AAN2022 ā Long-term Evobrutinib Safe, Effective in Relapsing MS Long-term treatment with evobrutinib safely and effectively reduces the rate of relapses in adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to 2.5 years of data from a Phase 2 extension study. These findings ā supporting evobrutinibās therapeutic potential in relapsing MS ā were shared in an…
February 25, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2022 ā Immune System ‘Reset’ by Stem Cell Transplant Undergoing a stem cell transplant, a procedure that aims to “reset” a person’s immune system, can reduce relapse rates and ease disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new data show. The findings suggest that such a transplant ā fully, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or aHSCT ā is…
December 3, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Aubagio Reduces Lesions in Children in Trial, but Relapse Data Troubled Aubagio (teriflunomide) failed to significantly reduce relapses in children with multiple sclerosis (MS), but two years of treatment decreased the number of brain lesions on MRI scans, according to the final results of the Phase 3 TERIKIDS clinical trial. Importantly, the lack of a signficantly lower relapse rate…
November 4, 2021 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Analysis Finds Acthar Gel Cost-effective for MS Relapses Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) was found to be a cost-effective treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing a relapse, according to an economic analysis. Notably, the economic value of Acthar Gel was greater than that of alternative treatments āĀ plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin ā from the…
August 25, 2021 News by Somi Igbene, PhD Ocrevus Reduces MS Relapse Risk, But Linked to More Hospitalizations Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) reduces relapse risk and slows disability progression inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) but also is associated with higher hospitalization rates in older people with relapsing forms of the disease, a new observational study reports. Hospitalizations ā which occurred mainly due to urinary tract infections ā were more frequent…
May 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mavenclad’s Ability to Lower RRMS Relapse Rates May Last Years, Study Says Treatment with Mavenclad (clabridine) reduces the frequency of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), with benefits appearing to be evident two years after patients stopped taking the treatment, new data suggest. These findings wereĀ in the study, “Analysis of frequency and severity of relapses…
December 10, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Children With MS Recover Better From Relapses Than Adults, Study Suggests Despite having more severe first and second relapses, children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) tend to recover better than adults with the disease, according to a study. Better recovery in children may be linked to the activation of genes that, in turn, impair the activation of immune cells driving…
November 25, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Gut Immune Cells That Travel to Brain May Help Resolve MS Disease Relapses A particular type of gut microbiota-reactive immune cells, called IgA-producing B-cells, travels to the brain of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients during relapses, where they produce anti-inflammatory molecules, a study shows. The underlying mechanisms of this event and these cellsā role in MS remain largely unclear, but these…
October 14, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Aubagio’s Long-term Benefits Not Influenced by Prior Treatments, Review Finds Prior treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) does not affect the long-term benefits of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The study, “Prior treatment status: impact on the efficacy and safety of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis,”…
September 16, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Long-term Aubagio Use Seen to Lower Relapse Risk for Children Continuous treatment with Aubagio (teriflunomide) can safely lower the risk of relapses and disability progression in children with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to interim data from the open-label extension of a Phase 3 trial. These findings were detailed at MSVirtual2020 by Tanuja Chitnis, MD,…
September 14, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 ā Low Rituximab Doses Are Safer, as Effective as Higher Ones Low doses of rituximab, an anti-inflammatory medication used off-label to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), are safer and as effective as higher doses at reducing the frequency of relapses and the number of MS lesions, a clinical study shows. The study findings were presented at MSVirtual2020 by Luciana…
August 25, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Children with MS May Have More Relapses, But They Recover More Fully Children withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) recover more quickly and “significantly better” from relapses than do adults ā patients with disease onset at age 18 or older, researchers reported. The study, āImproved relapse recovery in paediatric compared to adult multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Brain. Relapses and…
August 7, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ofatumumab Seen as Superior to Aubagio at Lowering Relapse Rates in Phase 3 Trials Novartis‘ ofatumumab outperformedĀ Aubagio (teriflunomide) at lowering the frequency of relapses and preventing disability progression among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study based on clinical trial data reports. The study, “Ofatumumab versus Teriflunomide in Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in…
July 9, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD B-Cells Infected by Epstein-Barr Virus Linked to MS Relapse Risk in Study Immune B-cellsĀ that proliferate unchecked when infected by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appear to increase the risk of relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a mouse study suggests. The study, āEpstein Barr virusāimmortalized B lymphocytes exacerbate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in xenograft mice,ā was published…
July 1, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Anxiety and Depression Linked to RRMS Relapse Risk, Study Finds Comorbidities such as anxiety and depression are associated with a significantly increased risk of relapse in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a clinical trial analysis has found.Ā Anxiety and abnormal blood lipids (fats) also increased the risk of any RRMS disease activity.Ā Based on those findings, researchers…
June 12, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Switch From Tysabri to Other DMT Raises Relapse Risk, Study Finds The risk of a relapse isĀ two to three times higher inĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā patients who switch from Tysabri (natalizumab) to an oral or other injectable…
May 26, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Evobrutinib Lowers MS Relapse Rates Over 2 Years of Use, Trial Data Show Note: This story was updated May 27, 2020, to note a change in the protocol of the EVOLUTION trials, which are now comparing evobrutinib with Aubagio, rather than Avonex, along with updated NCT numbers. The investigational oral medication evobrutinib leads to a sustained reduction in relapse rates…
May 20, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Glatopa Shows Efficacy Similar to Copaxone, Study in Real-world Use Finds Glatopa, a generic form ofĀ Copaxone, is as effective as the brand-name medication in terms of disease outcomes and has similar healthcare-related costs in real-world use in patients with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a new U.S. study suggests. Data also suggest a trend toward lower relapse rates with Glatopa…
May 4, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ublituximab Phase 2 Data Support Safety, Efficacy in Relapsing MS The investigational anti-CD20 antibody ublituximabĀ effectively depletes B-cells in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reducing the appearance of brain lesions and the risk of relapses, a study into clinical trial results suggests. Findings further suggest that the…
April 17, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Study of Stem Cell Therapy for Highly Active RRMS Honored by CR Forum The MISTĀ Phase 2 clinical trial, supporting the potential of hematopoietic (blood cell-producing)Ā stem cell transplant (HSCT) to significantly slow disability progression in highly activeĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā patients, has received a Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research (CR) Forum. Five years after the transplant, most…
December 16, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Breastfeeding Protects Against Postpartum Relapses in Women with MS, Review Finds Women who breastfeed have a lower rate of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses in the postpartum period compared to those who do not breastfeed or supplement it with regular formula, an analysis of published studies shows. The findings suggest that breastfeeding protects women from postpartum relapses, but due to the…
November 21, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Immunoadsorption May Be Superior to Plasma Exchange in Treating Steroid-resistant Relapses in MS A blood-cleansing process known as immunoadsorption appears to be superior to plasma exchange in treating relapses that donāt respond to conventional steroid therapy in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study reports. These findings were reported in āSafety and efficacy of immunoadsorption…
November 12, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Acthar Gel Quite Effective at Resolving Relapses as Alternative to Corticosteroids, Study Reports Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) is more effective for treating flaresĀ inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) than other alternatives, including intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis, a claims-based study from Mallinckrodt PharmaceuticalsĀ reports. The study “Treatment Effectiveness for Resolution of Multiple Sclerosis…
November 1, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Interferons Superior to Glatiramer Acetate, and Tysabri More Effective than Gilenya for RRMS, Real-world Study Finds Interferon therapy (brand names Avonex, Betaseron, and others) is more effective than glatiramer acetate (sold as Copaxone, Glatopa and other generics) for reducing relapses…
October 22, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Long-term Gilenya Treatment Safe and Effective for Relapsing MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows Long-term treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is safe and effective, results from a Phase 3 trial show. Trial findings were reported in the study, “Extended treatment with fingolimod for relapsing multiple sclerosis: the 14-year LONGTERMS study results,” published in…
October 3, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Acthar Gel Eases MS Flare-up Symptoms After Two Months of Treatment, Observational Study Shows Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) eased flare-up symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing relapses, top-line data from an observational registry study shows. Acthar Gel, a medication developed and marketed by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, is a compound that enhances the production of steroids in the…