research

Tokachi, a region in northern Japan, has seen a steady increase in the prevalence or proportion of people in the population living with multiple sclerosis (MS) over the past two decades, a recent study found. Data show the disease has also become more common in women in northern…

People with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) seem to experience slower worsening of their disabilities than those with the primary progressive form of the disease (PPMS), a new study reports. However, SPMS patients tend to be older and have more advanced disability when they enter the progressive stage…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with greater psychological resilience — a better ability to cope with and recover quickly from problems and difficulties — tend to have higher levels of social and occupational functioning, a new study found. Resilience was linked to a number of functions, including relationships, communication, social…

A novel formulation of ibudilast, delivered into the nose, was able to reduce inflammation and prevent nerve damage in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The nasal formulation also improved regeneration of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that is progressively lost…

A three-month yoga program was significantly better than physical therapy at improving quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a Russian study reports. Significant effects were observed in patients’ physical and social functioning, life activity, and mental health, researchers found. “Regular yoga classes under the guidance of…

Abnormal perceptions of discomfort and fatigue likely play a role in causing increased heat and cold sensitivity to extreme temperatures among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. However, the results suggest that MS does not generally affect how the body regulates its own temperature. “Our findings…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial clinical hold on ongoing trials of evobrutinib, Merck KGaA’s experimental BTK inhibitor for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision was based on two cases of patients in Phase 3 clinical trials of evobrutinib who were…

The benefits of Mavenclad (cladribine) were sustained for up to 15 years after its last treatment course in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to real-world data from the CLASSIC-MS study. More than half of those who received the oral therapy in the clinical trials that supported…

One year of treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) significantly improved cognitive abilities, particularly with processing speed, and eased depression in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a small real-world study reported. Most of the 39 patients (92%) evaluated after that treatment year showed either stable or improved…

OCH, a molecule designed to have beneficial effects on immune regulation in multiple sclerosis (MS), led to increases in regulatory immune cell subsets and immunomodulatory gene activity in healthy volunteers and MS patients. That’s according to data from a first-in-human study of the compound, which also found the immune…

EBViously announced that it has developed a candidate vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus and plans to bring it into clinical trials starting in 2024. The company is a spinoff of Helmholtz Munich, part of a German government research network. It is led by scientists with expertise in EBV…

OCS-05, a neuroprotective treatment candidate being developed by Oculis for multiple sclerosis (MS) or other causes of optic nerve inflammation, demonstrated a favorable safety and pharmacological profile in healthy volunteers, according to Phase 1 trial data. A Phase 2 trial (NCT04762017), called ACUITY, is now evaluating OCS-05’s…

Early treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine) or monoclonal antibodies is more likely to control symptoms in people with highly active multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Argentina suggests. Highly active disease usually is considered when frequent relapses occur and there is an increasing burden of brain magnetic resonance imaging…

The world’s first mega-trial is recruiting people in the U.K. with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) to investigate the effectiveness of several approved therapies — at the same time. Named Octopus for its various arms, the study, which is expected to enroll at least 1,200 participants over…

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) may have a higher risk of giving birth to premature or smaller babies, but it’s unclear if using MS medications during pregnancy has an effect on the baby’s health, according to a systematic review. The long-term health outcomes of children whose mothers have…

The way Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) affects immune cell profiles of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) varies depending on what treatments they were on previously, a new study shows. Understanding these differences could help to optimize treatment approaches for MS patients considering Ocrevus, scientists say. The study, “…

Welcome to “MS News Notes,” a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Here’s a look at what’s been happening: A positive report on orelabrutinib Orelabrutinib is one of several experimental Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK)…

Issues with sexual performance and satisfaction are common with multiple sclerosis (MS), and show significant associations with measures of quality of life, a study shows. Sexual problems tend to be more pronounced among patients with severe fatigue and depression, data suggest. These findings highlight areas where healthcare providers can…

Clinical trials testing rehabilitation strategies for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) include a disproportionate number of white participants and have generally paid little attention to how race and ethnicity may influence outcomes. Further, few efforts have been undertaken to make MS trials more racially and ethnically diverse. A team…

Fujirebio has launched two fully automated laboratory tests to measure levels of the neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein, a proposed biomarker of nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), in the blood and spinal fluid. NfL is a structural protein found in nerve cells that gets released into…

A bacterial toxin in the gut — specifically, the epsilon toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens bacteria in the intestinal tract — may be a key environmental driver of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. After finding the toxin at a higher abundance in the fecal samples of MS…

People who drink black and green tea, coffee, and nonalcoholic beer may be significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study in Iran has found. In contrast, consuming carbonated beverages, milk, and natural fruit juices seems to increase the chances of developing the neurodegenerative condition, according to…

Note: This story was updated March 29, 2023, to correct that cognitive function was assessed via questions about memory and three other cognition outcomes. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and sleepiness may contribute to self-reported cognitive decline in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.

People with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) may experience more severe inflammatory activity and nerve damage early on in the course of their disease as compared with individuals who have secondary progressive MS, a new study indicates. The results also suggest that primary progressive MS patients tend to have…

A team of scientists has developed a wearable microscope — to be carried on the backs of animals in a lab — that can be used to evaluate cell activity in the spinal cord of living mice with greater clarity than has ever before been possible. The scientists say this…

Itaconate, a metabolite produced during cellular energy production activities, was found to restore the balance of immune T cells and reduce multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in a mouse model of the disease, a study reported. The common metabolite specifically suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory T cells while promoting the…

MRI scans of the brain acquired early on after the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) may help predict disease severity and disability accumulation after 10 years, a new study found. In particular, there were two MRI biomarkers — inter-caudate diameter (ICD) and third ventricular width (TVW) — detected…

Disease relapses are no more likely in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) after fertility treatment than they were before such treatment, a study found. Researchers also observed that almost half of the women receiving fertility treatment were on disease-modifying MS therapies, which may have helped to keep a…

The body has two distinct lineages of immune cells that can be distinguished by the presence or absence of the vitamin D receptor, a preclinical study reports. The findings shed more light on how vitamin D fine-tunes immune responses and may help researchers better understand the link between vitamin…

Supplementation with phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), a molecule produced during cellular energy generation, eased the signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model of the disease, a study revealed. The metabolite inhibited a protein called JunB, which blocked the production of the pro-inflammatory molecule interleukin-17 (IL-17) and suppressed…