research

Sudo Biosciences has secured an additional $30 million in funding to support the development of two TYK2 inhibitor therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological and skin conditions — and now is aiming to launch clinical trials later this year. With a second close of its Series…

Few multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials have used a so-called pragmatic design, which evaluates the effectiveness of interventions in real-life routine practice, a study has found. Because such trials are better able to emulate conditions in real-world clinical practice and provide solid and more actionable evidence to inform treatment…

Measuring levels of nitric oxide metabolites in the blood could be a diagnostic biomarker for multiple sclerosis (MS), recent research suggests. The molecules, collectively called NOx, were elevated in the blood of people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary-progressive MS…

An international team of scientists has created a computational model that seeks to give a picture of multiple sclerosis (MS) at multiple biological scales, from tiny molecules to whole cells to organs and its effects on the body overall. “In this study we have…

In neurological inflammatory conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory immune cells may enter the brain through arachnoid cuff exit (ACE) points — newly discovered structures that normally seem to serve as a type of sewer system in the brain, helping to move out waste. Figuring out exactly how immune…

Taking a two-month supplement of crocin, an antioxidant found in the cooking spice saffron, helped to reduce signs of inflammation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who took part in a small study in Iran. However, crocin had no effect on symptoms of depression or anxiety compared with a…

A non-invasive scan that measures network activity across the brain was able to predict the outcomes of behavioral therapies designed to improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrates. Brain network function, as assessed by the test, called magnetoencephalography (MEG), “could play an important role…

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) have developed a novel non-opioid compound, called FEM-1689, that is able to reduce pain related to nerve damage in animal models. Neuropathic pain, or pain caused by damage to nerves, is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Pelvic floor exercises, which strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bowel, and vagina, can help with sexual health and lessen sex-related distress in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small study found. Women reported increased sexual desire, arousal, and better overall satisfaction after engaging in a 12-week training program,…

Scientists have developed a technique to more precisely map the myelin sheath, the fatty covering around nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), in people undergoing an imaging scan. While further work is needed, its use “produced promising initial results,” the scientists wrote, noting that this…

Real-world data collected from a registry can be used to reliably compare the effectiveness of different multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments, so long as appropriate methodologies are employed to account for the messiness — what researchers call confounding bias — of real-world data, according to a new study. While registries…

Fatigue is a significant predictor of worse health-related quality of life in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study reports. High levels of fatigue were significantly linked with worse physical and mental health, including cognitive impairments, depression, and anxiety. The findings suggest…

Treatment with Zeposia (ozanimod) during early pregnancy may be safe for women with multiple sclerosis (MS), or inflammatory bowel diseases,  a recent study suggests. Specifically, receiving the treatment during the first trimester of pregnancy didn’t increase the incidence of fetal malformations or…

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and a longer but more moderate exercise regimen seem to be of similar benefit to multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in terms of fatigue, body composition, and most cognitive and cardiovascular fitness domains, according to a recent meta-analysis. In a limited number of studies, HIIT did…

Sergio E. Baranzini, PhD, a scientist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is this year’s winner of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research, awarded by the  National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) for his groundbreaking discoveries in multiple sclerosis (MS). His efforts have helped…

Use of oral ibudilast — being explored as a treatment for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — was found to significantly slow the growth of chronic active lesions in the brains of patients with the neurodegenerative disease, according to MRI data from the SPRINT-MS study. Such lesions…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who received a university-level education are more likely to be on disease-modifying treatment (DMT) in regions with a publicly funded healthcare system, a U.K.-based study suggests. Advanced education was also linked to treatment starting faster and high-efficacy…

People in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) who have more spontaneous myelin repair in the cortex — the outermost layer of the brain that’s critical for higher cognitive abilities — are less likely to experience worsening disability, a new analysis suggests. These findings have important implications for…

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has notified Vanda Pharmaceuticals that it will grant a new patent covering the use of Ponvory (ponesimod), an approved oral treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), that will span nearly two decades, the company announced. The upcoming patent specifically…

Kyverna Therapeutics has developed a method that enables KYV-101, an experimental CAR T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions, to be produced in a much shorter timeframe than conventional manufacturing processes, a study shows. The approach took less than three…

Geographical proximity to neurologists and multiple sclerosis (MS) speciality care centers is lower for people living in rural regions of the U.S. relative to metropolitan areas, according to recent research. Areas with higher proportions of Hispanic individuals, uninsured people, and those with disabilities generally also were more likely to…

Gender and age at the onset of disease don’t seem to have a clinically relevant impact on disability progression in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), according to a recent study in Argentina. Disease progression, based on the Expanded Disability Status…

In the U.S., pregnant people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are Black or Hispanic tend to have more severe disability than their white counterparts, along with fewer socioeconomic resources, a new study indicates.  “What we are seeing is that underrepresented women with MS start their…

A diet low in wheat was linked to reductions in circulating inflammatory immune cells and improvements in pain-related life quality among a small group of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to findings from a pilot clinical trial conducted in Germany. The trial’s findings build upon another recent…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) utilize more healthcare resources a year before their MS diagnosis, suggesting this may be a period of prodromal MS, when patients start having unspecific and mild MS symptoms. These might include mild cognitive issues, skin problems, and anemia, when the body doesn’t have…

Taking a high-dose vitamin D supplement as an add-on to standard treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) doesn’t slow the development of new lesions, a sign that the brain or spinal cord have been damaged, according to a meta-analysis study. Vitamin D also had no…

People with a certain type of genetic makeup who’ve have head trauma may have a risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) up to nearly 18 times over those without genetic factors or a history of head trauma, a study shows. “Our study could prompt further research to uncover the…

Problems with the workings of a protein called hnRNP A1 drives nerve death in multiple sclerosis (MS) by affecting how nerve cells process RNA, a study reports. RNA is an intermediary molecule that’s produced when genes are “read,” and it is used as a template for protein production. Abnormalities…

A smartphone application called Floodlight Open may help in tracking areas of function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but more work is needed to improve patient adherence to using the app in a real-world setting, according to a new study. Researchers tested Floodlight Open’s use among more than…

A research team at the Kessler Foundation has received a $39,994 grant from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) to investigate whether combining aerobic cycling with virtual reality can improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A key focus of the study will be to…