August 26, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Rituximab Helps Reverse Boy’s MS, Top Secondary DMTs in Europe, Tricking Remyelination, Early MS Treatment Strategies Rituximab Leads to āDramaticā Recovery in Boy with Aggressive RRMS, Case Study Reports I dislike using adjectives such as “dramatic” when describing treatment results. I think they frequently blow things out of proportion. However, after reading about how this young boy in Greece responded to Rituximab as a “rescue…
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 2, 2019 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Rewind Therapeutics Receives Research Grant to Develop New Remyelination Medicines for MS The development of new medicines to treat myelin-related neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), has been given a boost by a ā¬2.9 million (about $3.2 million) research grant awarded to the Belgian biotech company Rewind Therapeutics by…
July 19, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Convelo Therapeutics and Genentech Join Forces to Develop Remyelination Therapies Convelo Therapeutics has announced a collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to work toward the development of new remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other myelin disorders. āWe are excited to be working with Genentech to…
July 16, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Independent Mouse Study Reinforces Remyelinating Potential of ISP Therapy A new study demonstrates that intracellular sigma peptide (ISP) can promote remyelination in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Importantly, this study was independent of NervGen, a pharmaceutical company that is developing an ISP-like compound āĀ NVG-291Ā ā for the treatment of nerve injury and MS. The study,…
July 15, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Gadolinium Study, Breath Test for MS Diagnosis, CBD Treatment Trial, Potential Remyelination Therapy Study Examines Gadolinium Deposits in MS Patientsā Brains, But Still Canāt Determine Relationship with Disease Severity Here’s some new information about gadodiamide, a contrast dye that is injected during some MRIs. The study confirms that gadolinium, the substance on which gadodiamide is based, builds up in the brain, but…
July 9, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Cannabidiol-based Oral Treatment Seen to Promote Remyelination in Mice, Trial Planned in MS Patients EHP-101, a cannabidiol-based experimental therapy for multiple sclerosis, was able to recover myelin in damaged nerve fibers and lessen neuroinflammation in a mouse model of MS, data show. Emerald Health Therapeutics, the manufacturer of EHP-101, also announced plans to open Phase 2 clinical trials in patients by…
July 3, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD NervGen to Advance NVG-291 as Potential Remyelination Therapy for MS NervGen wants to advance the development of NVG-291, its lead investigational therapy for spinal cord damage, as a potential remyelination treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. Following preclinical data showing that NVG-291 promotes myelin repair and regeneration of damaged nerves in animal models of…
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…
April 12, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein TMEM10 in Demyelinated MS Lesions May Contribute to Remyelination, Study Suggests A protein that promotes nervous system repair through remyelination ā the creation of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve cells ā in mice also is found in remyelinating plaques in brains of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, new research shows. This protein potentially represents a new therapeutic target in demyelinating…
April 1, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Tiny DNA Molecule May Help Development of Myelin Repair Therapies, Study Suggests A shortened DNA molecule showed an increased ability to bind myelin in human cells, and may boost the development of remyelination approaches for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, according to a study. The study, “Optimization of a 40-mer Antimyelin DNA Aptamer Identifies a 20-mer with Enhanced Properties…
February 21, 2019 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: What Is Remyelination? Editor’s note: “Need to Know” 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 “New MS Therapy Company to Focus on Rejuvenating Coating…
January 31, 2019 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: High-dose Biotin Protocol Editor’s note: “Need to Know” 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 “Have you tried the high dose biotin protocol?“, from…
December 17, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Inactivation of S1PR2 Protein Shows Therapeutic Potential in MS Mouse Model, Study Reports Inactivation of S1PR2, a cell surface protein, helps improve clinical disability and reduce demyelination in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE), a condition similar to multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) in humans, a study shows. This finding suggests that therapies blocking S1PR2 could have the potential to treat MS. The…
September 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GeNeuro to Develop the MS Clinical Program of GNbAC1 Without Servier GeNeuroĀ announced it has reacquired from Servier the worldwide rights to commercialize and develop the investigational humanized antibodyĀ GNbAC1Ā for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision came after Servier, a European company which, together with GeNeuro, developed the GNbAC1 program, declined to continue developing the therapy due to…
September 12, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Fat Carrier Protein May Protect Nerve Cells, Help Myelin Regrow During MS, Research Suggests Apolipoprotein D (Apo D), a brain-produced carrier of fat molecules, seems to have a neuroprotective role and helps in the regrowth of myelin during multiple sclerosis (MS), a finding that may help develop new therapeutic approaches to fight the disease, new research shows.
August 24, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Work Showing Potential of EHP-101 in MS Earns Research Award Carmen Navarrete, PhD, has been granted a Scientific Innovation Award for her post-doctoral presentation suggesting that theĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) treatment candidateĀ EHP-101Ā is anti-inflammatory and may boost remyelination,Ā Emerald Health PharmaceuticalsĀ announced. Navarrete, a senior scientist at Vivacell Biotechnology Espana, a company owned by Emerald Health Research, received the award at the…
August 20, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Deciding if Ocrevus Is Right When You’re Over 55 As a 61-year-old woman diagnosed in 2010 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), I was overjoyed when theĀ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in March 2017. Because Ocrevus is the first treatment approved to possibly slow the progression of PPMS, theĀ FDA’s green…
July 30, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Popular DMTs, Data Analysis Predicts MS, Remyelination Study Oral DMTs Still Common 1st Therapy for New MS Patients but Ocrevus Having Impact, Market Report Says Deciding on what therapy to use is a tough decision for people with MS and their doctors. That’s especially true for someone who is newly diagnosed. Do you go with…
July 19, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Blocking Protein Receptor Called M3R Seen to Promote Remyelination in Mice Model, Study Reports Blocking a protein receptor called muscarinic type 3 (M3R) could be an effective way to promote remyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to aĀ State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) study in mice. The research, āMuscarinic receptor M3R signaling prevents efficient remyelination by…
July 13, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Common Anti-Parasitic Agent Eases Motor Symptoms, Aids Remyelination in MS Mouse Model A common anti-parasitic agent showed a potential to prevent inflammation and to promote nerve cell recovery ā remyelination ā in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). By promoting the activity of a receptor called P2X4R that is present in microglial cells ā immune cells that reside in the brain…
July 5, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Cannabidiol Compound, EHP-101, Seen to Prevent Nerve Cell Damage in MS Mouse Model An investigational cannabidiol-derived compound called EHP-101 may help to boost remyelination, prevent nerve cell damage and lower the reactivity of microglia cells ā immune cells of the brain and spinal cord ā a Ā study inĀ mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS) reports. EHP-101, being developed by Emerald Health…
June 8, 2018 Columns by John Connor MS and My Experience with the Allergy Medication Clemastine I’ve just dived into the misty world of the allergy medicationĀ clemastine. My, there’s a lot already written about it on this site. I was prompted by an article I’d saved on Facebook last year. In an idle moment ā which have been pretty scarce lately…
June 4, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Remyelination, Predicting SPMS, Switching DMTs, MS and a Virus Chemical that Stimulates Estrogen Receptors Seen to Promote Myelin Repair Through āGoodā Inflammation in Mouse MS Model Caution: This is only a mouse study. However, anything that might repair the damaged myelin of people with MS catches my eye. In this case, researchers are building on earlier…
April 6, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD New MS Therapy Company, Pipeline, to Focus on Rejuvenating Coating That Protects Nerve Cells A new company called Pipeline Therapeutics will focus on developing next-generation therapies for regenerating the key nerve-protection process that is damaged in multiple sclerosis. Roche, Inception Sciences,Ā and the venture capital firmĀ Versant VenturesĀ laid the groundwork for Pipeline byĀ establishing a partnershipĀ in June 2014 that formed the…
March 29, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GeNeuro-Servier Antibody Limits RRMS Patients’ Brain Shrinkage, Phase 2b Trial Shows The laboratory-generated antibodyĀ GNbAC1Ā continued to limitĀ brain shrinkage a year after relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients began receiving it, its developers announced. GeNeuro and ServierĀ were reporting on the 12-month results of aĀ Phase 2b clinical trial. GNbAC1 is a monoclonal antibody that destroys a harmful retroviral protein called pHERV-W which scientists have…
March 22, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Remyelination, RRMS, Quadrantanopia, and Other ‘Q’ and ‘R’ Terms Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letters “Q” and “R.” Symptoms of MS Quadrantanopia This eye-related symptom of MS refers to the compromising of vision in one of the quarters of the visual field,…
February 7, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc #ACTRIMS2018 – Clene Nanomedicine Presents Positive Results for MS Remyelinating Therapy Clene Nanomedicine says its pre-clinical studies demonstrate the remyelination effects of CNM-Au8, supporting its potential to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating disorders. Clene presented its data in a session,Ā “Nanocrystalline Gold As a Novel Remyelination Therapeutic for Multiple Sclerosis,”Ā thatĀ took place at the third annual Americas…
January 4, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD GSK Researchers Identify Potential Target for Therapeutics to Promote MS Remyelination Researchers at GlaxoSmithKlineĀ (GSK)Ā have identified the histamine receptor 3 (H3R) as a potential new therapeutic target for promoting remyelination in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Their study āHistamine Receptor 3 negatively regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination,ā appeared in the journal PLOS One. Regrowth of myelin is known as…
December 18, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: MS Pain, Your Bioclock, Remyelination Chronic and Neuropathic Pain in MS Patients Should Be Routinely Evaluated, Study Says The next time a doctor tells you that there’s no pain associated with MS, point them to this study. Yes, MS can cause chronic pain and, yes, the pain can be caused by nervous system lesions.