April 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lymphoma Drug, Rituximab, Highly Effective in Treating Relapsing MS, Study from Sweden Reports Mabthera (rituximab), a widely approved drug for treating lymphoma and/or rheumatoid arthritis, is highly effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers reported in an observational study in Sweden, where Mabthera is increasingly being used outside of its approved indications to treat relapsing-remitting MS patients. The study, published in the journal…
March 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD CONy16: Pros and Cons of MS Drugs Targeting Immune Cells Other Than B-cells Debated Clinical trials have shown that ocrelizumabĀ ā an antibody targeting B-cells ā is effective in multiple sclerosis (MS). As a result, some researchers and clinicians claim that B-cell depletion is a sufficient therapy in MS, and that drugs targeting other immune cells are obsolete. Not everyone agrees. A debate at…
March 7, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Progressive MS Clinical Trial of Rituximab Stopped After Drug Fails to Show Effectiveness Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Ā announced that a small clinical trial of a progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment was stopped early due to poor results. The trial was evaluating the drug rituximab for its efficacy in depleting harmful immune cells and decreasing nerve damage in these MS…
February 19, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Leptomeningeal Inflammation May Offer New Treatment Targets In Progressive Forms of MS Researchers at Johns Hopkins UniversityĀ in Baltimore presented keyĀ findings today, Feb. 19, concerningĀ the presence of contrast-enhancing lesions in later stages in the relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) model. The presentation was made at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2016, which is ongoing through…
January 18, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc MS Research Brought New Insights into Disease Triggers and Potential Therapies in 2015 The Multiple Sclerosis Society of CanadaĀ recently published a report documenting and summarizing the most important developments in multiple sclerosis (MS) research during 2015. In early 2015, a Society-funded clinical trial was initiated toĀ study the potential abilities of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat MS. The MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy…
June 2, 2015 News by Maureen Newman SPMS Therapy Developer Opexa Looks to Treat Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica NeuromyelitisĀ optica (NMO), a rare autoimmune disorder often mistaken for multiple sclerosis, is similar in that it is characterized by myelin destruction in the optic nerves and spinal cord. In contrast to multiple sclerosis, as reported by the Transverse Myelitis Association, NMO does not initially affect…