February 4, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Experimental MS Therapy Seen to Promote Myelin Regeneration in Preclinical Study RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.,Ā announced the publication of a research article detailing the process by whichĀ Thymosin beta 4 (TĪ²4), the company’s novel therapeutic peptide, effectively promoted the remyelination process in two separate animal models commonly used for multiple sclerosis (MS) research. The article, āThymosin beta4 promotes oligodendrogenesis in the demyelinating…
February 1, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Protein Seen to Impede Remyelination in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Researchers from Karolinska Institute, Sweden, reported that the immune-associated protein lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is increased in multiple sclerosis, particularly inĀ patients with progressive MS. The researchers, however, concluded that the factor cannotĀ be used as a biomarker for the disease. The study, “Lipocalin-2 is increased in progressive multiple sclerosis…
January 28, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc MS Researchers Watch as Myelin-producing Cells Migrate and Mature Researchers have described the mechanisms by which cell precursors of oligodendrocytes ā the cells responsible for the generation of myelin in the central nervous system āĀ migrate from their birthplace to their workplace during brain and spinal cord development, and begin to mature and wrap aboutĀ nerve fibers. The finding, the authors…
January 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Researchers ID Protein That Works to Block Nervous System Remyelination A study from the University of Cambridge showed that the membrane-bound signaling protein EphrinB3, which acts by inhibiting the maturation of oligodendrocytes, also blocks the remyelination of damaged neurons in multiple sclerosis (MS). The study,Ā “Antibody-mediated neutralization of myelin-associated EphrinB3 accelerates CNS re-myelination,“Ā uncovered a new target toĀ explore…
December 30, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD NIH Grant to Advance Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Targeting Remyelination Novoron Bioscience, Inc., a biotech company focused on developing therapies for disorders of the central nervous system, recently announced that it has received a $680,000 National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to assess the potential of a new therapeutic approach to induce remyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is…
December 28, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Articles of 2015 Multiple Sclerosis News Today has reported the latest therapies, clinical trial developments, and events in multiple sclerosis (MS) on a daily basis throughout the past year. As 2015 comes to an end, hereĀ are the year’s 10 articlesĀ most widely readĀ byĀ Ā Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ readers, each with a brief summary of the developments…
December 10, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD In Multiple Sclerosis Study, Vitamin D Shown to Aid Myelin Repair A new study in the Journal of Cell BiologyĀ suggestsĀ that vitamin D activates a receptor involved in myelin regeneration in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, entitled āVitamin D receptorāretinoid X receptor heterodimer signaling regulates oligodendrocyte progenitor cell differentiation,ā and was led by researchers…
November 20, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Society Funds 5 Projects Aiming to Cure the Disease The Multiple Sclerosis Society (MS Society) in the United Kingdom recently announced the investment of Ā£1.98 million in new MS research. After an in-depth, rigorous review process of the 58 applications submitted, 16 projects were awarded funding through the MS Societyās 2015 grant round totaling Ā£1,979,879. All applications…
November 13, 2015 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Could Remyelination Be Achieved in MS Using an Anti-Inflammatory Treatment? In a recent study entitled āPromotion of Remyelination by Sulfasalazine in a Transgenic Zebrafish Model of Demyelination,ā researchers investigated whetherĀ sulfasalazine treatment, an anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating drug, could promote remyelination of axons in an organism model of demyelination diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The study was published in the…
September 7, 2015 News by admin New Study Unravels How Myelin is Repaired, May Suggest New MS Treatments Japanese scientists have discovered new information about howĀ the myelin sheath is repaired following damage. Myelin is a fatty substance that wraps around nerve cells and helps them to conduct impulses. The researchĀ could have major implications for how multiple sclerosis is understood and even treated.Ā The study, titled “Inactivation…
September 3, 2015 News by admin Biomarkers of Early MS and Overactive Bladder Identified in New Study Researchers at theĀ University of Athens Medical School in GreeceĀ have found that people with early stage multiple sclerosis (MS) and overactive bladderĀ (OAB) have reductions in brain serotoninĀ and a stress-related hormone, cortisol. Serotonin is a chemical that helps nerve cells to communicate. The study, titled “Neurochemical and…
August 6, 2015 News by admin Could Salt Intake be an MS Risk Factor? Most people know that eating too much salt is bad for your health, but a new study suggests that it could also increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). The workĀ appearedĀ in the August 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal,Ā the journal of the FederationĀ of…
July 16, 2015 News by admin Study Shows Skin Problems Can Be Caused by Interferon-Ī² MS Therapy Skin problems may be caused by interferon-Ī², a common treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published by a German research group at the Klinik und Poliklinik fĆ¼r Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, in WĆ¼rzburg, Germany. The work, entitled “Cutaneous Adverse Events Associated with Interferon-Ī²…
July 14, 2015 News by admin Nano-Drugs in Liposomes Could Treat Multiple Sclerosis Nano-drugs encased in liposomes could one day be used to treat neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published July 6th in the journal, PloS One. A liposome is a small, fat soluble droplet that can contain a water soluble drug. Liposomes might…
May 12, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Researchers Identify Drugs That Promote Remyelination in Mice In a recent publication in Nature,Ā titled “Drug-based modulation of endogenous stem cells promotes functional remyelination in vivo”Ā a team of researchers from Case Western University and Northwestern University screened a libraryĀ of small molecules to assess their ability to drive the conversion of…
May 7, 2015 News by admin Myelin Repair Foundation and NIH to Study Guanabenz for MS The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) and National Institutes of HealthĀ (NIH)Ā will initiateĀ a clinical trial of guanabenz in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Guanabenz is FDA-approved for high blood pressure, but it may also prevent myelin loss. The drug could be the first for MS to protect myelin from…
May 1, 2015 News by admin Genzyme’s LEMTRADA Maintain’s Effectiveness in Reducing Brain Atrophy According to Recent Study Results GenzymeĀ presentedĀ new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the LemtradaĀ® (alemtuzumab) clinical development programĀ onĀ April 23, 2015, at the 67th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting. The company showed that in the extension phase of two Phase III trials (years 3 and 4), the drug continued to protect the nervous…
April 29, 2015 News by admin Can Suppressing a Protein Associated With Good Health Help Treat MS? Gladstone Institutes scientists have discoveredĀ a successful new treatment that could potentially be used in multiple sclerosis (MS). The treatment involves suppressing a protein that traditionally is associated with overall good health. The study,Ā SIRT1 Deacetylates RORĪ³t and Enhances Th17 Cell Generation, appeared April 27, 2015 in theĀ Journal…
April 23, 2015 News by admin Phase III Study of Experimental MS Therapy Meets Primary Endpoint, Results to be Presented at ANN Meeting MedDay, a French biotechnology company that studies treatments for nervous system disorders, including multiple sclerosis, announced that MD1003, a highly-concentrated biotin, is effective forĀ treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis, according to results from a recent Phase III trial. MD1003 may have two beneficial effects: 1) increasing myelin, the fatty nerve-insulating…
April 22, 2015 News by admin Two Already-Approved Medications Could Treat MS Two already available medicationsĀ could be used to treatĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). In a newĀ study titled, “Drug Based Modulation of Endogenous Stem Cells,” published in the journal NatureĀ on April 20, 2015, scientists report that twoĀ drugs couldĀ activate stem cells in the brain, possibly repairing MS-induced damage to…
April 16, 2015 News by admin Co-existing MS and FM Influences Pain Threshold, According to New Study People with multiple sclerosis (MS) commonly experience a low pain threshold and sensitivity to heat and cold. If a person has multiple sclerosis along with fibromyalgia (FM), that could make this sensitivity even more intense. Until now, no group has studied this phenomenon. In a study titled “…
April 13, 2015 News by admin Biogen to Focus on RRMS Disease Management, Treatment at Upcoming Conference Biogen plans toĀ present new clinical data at the 67th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., April 18 ā 25, 2015, including numerous presentations focusing on multiple sclerosis. Ā In a company press release, Biogen statedĀ āAt AAN, we will feature new scientific data, including research highlighting the…
November 19, 2014 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Experimental Multiple Sclerosis Drug Effectively Induces Remyelination in Pre-clinical Study In a poster session at the Annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington,Ā ENDECE Neural presented pre-clinical results showing their lead drug ā NDC-1308 ā induces remyelination in mouse models of demyelination disease, such as Multiple Sclerosis. Loss of myelin is the main characteristic of a group…
September 3, 2014 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Researchers Advance New Stem Cell Methods for Remyelination in MS Patients In-vitro laboratory experiments using stem cells have long-since been the subject of debate between scientists and naturalists, but when it comes to developing effective methods to grow human cells and tissue for use in a potentially life-saving procedure or restoration of bodily function, researchers are increasingly more confident that…
July 9, 2014 News by Maureen Newman Antihistamine Repurposed for Remyelination in Phase 2 Trial from UCSF The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) initiated a clinical trial to evaluate the antihistamine clemastine fumarate, manufactured by Novartis as Tavist, for its efficacy in treating multiple sclerosis patients. The laboratory of Dr. Jonah Chan, a professor of neurology at UCSF, used a high-throughput method to identify Tavist…
June 25, 2014 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Roche Turns to MS Research on Agreement with Versant Ventures The Swiss pharmaceutical companyĀ RocheĀ recently announced a partnership agreement with California-based Inception Sciences and venture capital firm Versant Ventures. The three companies will work together to form a new company, Inception 5, which will be dedicated mostly to the development of therapies for multiple sclerosis. Inception 5’s research will focus…
June 19, 2014 News by Maureen Newman Remyelination Strategies for Multiple Sclerosis Presented at Biogen Idec-Sponsored NYAS Conference On June 26th, a conference devoted to the topic of “Demyelination and Remyelination: From Mechanism to Therapy” will be presented by the New York Academy of Sciences and Acorda Therapeutics. The topic hits home to millions of people worldwide suffering from demyelinating diseases, especially those affected by multiple sclerosis.