August 1, 2018 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ozanimod Effectively Lowers Relapse Rates in MS Patients, Data from 2-Year Extension Study Show Being treated withĀ ozanimod consistently reduced disease activity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to results of a two-year extension of a Phase 2 trial. These benefits were evident both in patients on continuous treatment throughout the study, and in those who switched toĀ ozanimod from placebo. Results…
July 30, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD African-Americans Show Better Adherence and Satisfaction with Gilenya Than Injectable DMTs, Phase 4 Study Finds African-Americans with relapsingāremitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) show higher adherence and greater satisfaction when treated with oralĀ Gilenya (fingolimod, by Novartis) than with injectable therapies, according to a new study. The research, āTreatment retention on fingolimod compared with injectable multiple sclerosis therapies in African-American patients: A…
July 25, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Despite Increased Lesions, No Brain Atrophy Seen in RRMS Patients After Childbirth, Study Reports In women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), there is a significant increase in brain lesion volume after pregnancy, but it is not accompanied by aĀ loss of brain cells, a study suggests. Conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School, the study, āQuantitative MRI analysis of cerebral lesions and…
July 24, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilament Predicts CIS and RRMS Progression, Study Contends Cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurofilament light chain, a protein associated with nerve cell damage, can predict disease progression in people with clinical isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a Swedish study found. Higher levels…
July 17, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Progressive MS Patients with Considerable Disability Ably Treated with Cladribine, UK Case Study Reports Cladridine may be effective in preventingĀ disability progression and reducing damage to nerve cells in people withĀ progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers suggest based on a case study of two such patients given the injectable treatment. MS is characterized by progressive degeneration of cells in the central nervous system, mostly…
July 12, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Missouri Trial to Examine if Fasting Alters Gut Microbiome and Immune System of RRMS Patients in Helpful Ways A 12-week clinical study is recruiting people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to evaluate if intermittent fasting can improve their immune response, metabolism, and gut microbiome ā the bacterial community that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract. Its findings may also hint at whether such a diet might ease MS symptoms or alter discourse course and, if used in conjunction with other treatments, boost their efficacy. Conducted by researchers atĀ Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri,Ā the trial is supported by their findings in an earlier mouse study.Ā Results showed that fasting worked to ease MS-like symptoms in a mouse model of the disease, the research team reported. Specifically,Ā EAE mice fed every other day were less prone to symptoms that included difficulty in walking, limb weakness, and paralysis than mice allowed to eat freely.Ā A fasting diet also enriched bacterial diversity in the mice guts, and shifted immune cell populations there toward a lower inflammatory response.Ā When gut bacteria were transferred from fasting mice to nonfasting mice, the later also were seen to be better protected against MS-like movement problems, supporting the influence of the gut microbiome on MS symptoms. Several diets have been proposed to help ease disease progression in MS patients, but solid scientific evidence is lacking to support any one diet over another, leaving the issue much to an individualās choice. āThe fact is that diet may indeed help with MS symptoms, but the studies havenāt been done,ā Laura Piccio, MD, an associate professor of neurology at WUSTL and the study's lead author, said in a WUSTL news releaseĀ written by Tamara Bhandari. Taking place at the Missouri university, the trialĀ is expected to enroll 60 RRMS patients.Ā Half will be randomly assigned to eat a standard Western-style diet seven days a week, and the other half to Western-style diet five days a week, with two days set aside for fasting (consuming a maximum of 500 calories each day). On fasting days, patients canĀ only drink water or calorie-free beverages and eat fresh, steamed or roasted non-starchy vegetables All will undergo a neurological assessment, and provide blood and stool samples in the study's beginning, at mid-point or week six, and at its end (week 12). Those using MS medications will continue on their prescribed treatment regimens throughout the study. More information, including enrollment information, is available here. Piccio noted thatĀ a pilot study on diet in 16 MS patients showed that limiting calories every other day for two weeks led to immune and gut microbiome changes that resembled those observed in the mice study she helped to lead. Its researchers concluded that intermittent fasting had the potential to positively manipulate the immune response in MS patients by changing their gut microbiome. The gut microbiome plays a central role in digestion, and in producing vitamins and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). But a growing body of evidence indicates that it also determines how our immune systems develops and matures. Indeed, an increasing number of studiesĀ link irregularities in the gut microbiome with MS. āThere are several possible ways fasting can affect inflammation and the immune response,ā Piccio said. āOne is by changing hormone levels. We found that levels of the anti-inflammatory hormone corticosterone were nearly twice as high in the fasting mice. But it also could act through the gut microbiome.ā The new trial will allowĀ the team to analyze more deeply the effects of a fasting diet ā and perhaps gather evidence for a larger study investigating if skipping meals can ease MS symptoms. Its goal is to find out "whether people on limited fasts undergo changes to their metabolism, immune response and microbiome similar to what we see in the mouse,ā Piccio said. āI donāt think any physician working with this disease thinks you can cure MS with diet alone,ā she added,Ā ābut we may be able to use it as an add-on to current treatments to help people feel better.ā
July 10, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc RRMS Patients Show High Levels of Satisfaction and Adherence to Gilenya Over 2 Years in Danish Study People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Denmark show high rates of adherence to treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), and give the therapy high marks in terms of satisfaction and quality of life, a long-term study of its use by RRMS patients reports. The study, āHigh treatment adherence, satisfaction, motivation,…
June 21, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #EAN2018 – Pupil Response to Light Linked to RRMS Duration and Severity in Study Measuring the response of the pupil to light stimulating the eye is a non-invasive and easy way to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) severity and progression, researchers report. A clinical study found that poor, or dysfunctional, pupil response was associated with longer disease duration and greater disease severity inĀ relapsing-remitting multiple…
June 6, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC2018 – Gains in Functional Abilities Seen in Lemtrada-treated MS Patients Over Six Years, CARE-MS II Extension Study Shows Patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) continue to show improvement ā lesser functional disability across a variety of measures ā and often without the need for continuous treatment after takingĀ LemtradaĀ for two years, according to six-year results from the CARE-MS II extension study. These results were shared in a…
May 30, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Study Examines Factors That Increase Risk of Progressing from RRMS to SPMS Age at disease onset, number of early relapses, and the extent of brain damage at baseline can help identify those who are at high risk of progression from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis into the secondary progressive phase of the disease, a new study shows. The study with that finding, ā…
May 29, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients Generally Able to Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Study Shows In general, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are able to make and sustainĀ healthy lifestyle changes associated with a better quality of life, a study shows. The study, āHealth outcomes and adherence to a healthy lifestyle after a multimodal intervention in people with multiple sclerosis: Three year follow-up,ā…
May 24, 2018 News by Ashraf Malhas, PhD Gilenya Tied to Treatment Satisfaction, Quality of Life in MS Patients Treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) is associated with treatment satisfaction, which, in turn, is linked to a better quality-of-life in patients withĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study has found. Gilenya, an oral disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for RRMS developed by Novartis, has been available in France since 2011. Studies have…
May 23, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Subcutaneous Ofatumumab a Safe, Effective RRMS Therapy at Low Doses, Trial Results Show A formulation of ofatumumab (brand name Arzerra) to be injected under the skin (subcutaneous) was found to be safe and effective in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), even when given at lower doses…
May 18, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Rituximab Seen as Effective and Generally Safe RRMS and PMS Treatment in Study Rituximab is generally safe and effective in treating multiple sclerosis ā with comparable effectiveness to Tysabri (natalizumab) in people with relapsing-remitting forms of the disease, a Swiss study reports. But patients using this therapy can develop recurrent infections, its researchers noted, and doctors should be vigilant. The observational study, ā…
May 16, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD 4 Relapsing MS Treatments Added to UK Health Service After Cuts to Prices Agreed After an agreement to lower their prices, four treatments for relapsing multiple sclerosis āĀ Biogenās AvonexĀ and Merck KGaA‘sĀ Rebif (both interferon beta-1a), Novartisā ExtaviaĀ (interferon beta 1b), and Tevaās Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) ā were recommended as cost-effective and long-term therapy options within the National Health Service…
May 8, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Rituximab Seen to Ably and Safely Treat Refractory RRMS Patients in French Study An approved lymphoma treatment,Ā rituximab was found to be effective and safe for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients whose active disease has failed to respond to immunosuppressive therapies, a retrospective French study reports. Published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal in an article titled, āEfficacy of…
April 26, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – CladribineĀ Injections Deplete Number of Memory B-cells in RRMS, Study Shows CladribineĀ treatment leads to a selective depletion of memory B-cells in patients with relapsing-remittingĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS), researchers report. The results are in the presentation āCladribine for the Effective Control of Multiple Sclerosis via Memory B Cell Depletionā being given Friday, the final day of the 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ …
April 23, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Ocrevus Experiences, Early MS Treatment Study, Cognitive Decline 5 MS Patients Across US Talk About How Ocrevus Has Changed Their Lives There’s high interest in Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), one of two disease-modifying therapies that have shown promise for reversing some multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. (The other is Lemtrada.) So, I’m including this article. Keep in mind,…
April 23, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #AAN2018 ā Neurofilament Light Blood Levels Can Help Define Disease Activity in RRMS, Study Shows Analysis of a potential blood biomarker linked to brain cell damage can help define disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Results of a study showed that determining blood levels of neurofilament light chain, or NfL, could help in establishing āno evidence of disease activity,ā or NEDA, status…
April 16, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc SPMS Patients Have More Cognitive Decline Than Those with RRMS, Study Reports People with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) have more cognitive decline than those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), according to a Greek study. The finding confirmed a long-held assumption that the more progressive form of the disease ā SPMS ā also involves more cognition problems. Some previous research has confirmed that…
April 13, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis Linked to Lemtrada Use in RRMS Patients, FDA Reports Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is a rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effect linked to treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab)Ā in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review. The study, āAcute acalculous cholecystitis ā A new safety risk for…
April 11, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Mapi Pharma, Mylan Partner to Develop Once-monthly Glatiramer Formulation Mylan andĀ Mapi Pharma will jointly develop and commercialize Glatiramer Acetate (GA) Depot, an investigative, long-lasting formulation of the commonly used multiple sclerosis (MS) therapyĀ CopaxoneĀ (marketed by Teva Phatmaceutical). Under the terms of the partnership, Mylan will acquire global marketing rights for the therapy. The companies are in…
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 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Smoking Increases Relapses in RRMS Patients Receiving Interferon-beta, Study Suggests Cigarette smoking increases the relapse rate in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who are being treated with interferon-beta, a study suggests. The findings suggest that RRMS patients who smoke may have fewer relapses if they quit. An article on the results, āSmoking affects the interferon beta treatment response in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the journal Neurology. A number of studies have looked at the link betweenĀ environmental and lifestyle factors and the risk of developing MS. These factors include how much sunlight and vitamin D patients get and whether they have anĀ Epstein-Barr virus infection. Cigarette smoking is a well-documented risk factor in MS, but most of the studies on it have focused on the link between smoking and MS, or the link between smoking and the Ā disease's progression. āStudies that addressed the relationship between smoking and disease activity in RRMS are rarer,ā the researchers wrote. The team decided to investigate whether smoking during interferon-beta treatment would affect relapse rates. Previous research had set the stage for the study by showing a link between smoking and gene mutations that make people more susceptible to developing MS. The mutations were in theĀ HLA and NAT1 genes. The team looked at DNA from 834 RRMS patients in the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Biobank who were treated with interferon-beta. Well-known brand names of the treatment include Rebif, Avonex, and Plegridy. There are also other brand names and biosimilar drugs. Researchers also looked at patientsā medical records two years before they started on interferon-beta. Before making any conclusions on possible links between smoking and patients' relapse rate, the team adjusted for patientsā sex, age at the start of treatment, and number of relapses in the two years before treatment began. Their key conclusion was that smoking increased by more than a quarterĀ the number of relapses in patients on interferon-beta therapy. āEach pack of cigarettes more per day during IFN-Ī² [interferon-beta] treatment increased the number of relapses by 27%,ā the team wrote. The researchers found no association among smoking, relapses, and mutations of the HLA or NAT1 genes. āOur results confirm that lifestyle factors are important in MS, suggesting that smoking cessation may be associated with a reduction in disease activity,ā they wrote. āAlthough not formally proving that smoking cessation will decrease disease activity in RRMS, the results should encourage physicians to inform patients with MS about the harmful effect of smoking and increase focus on smoking cessation,ā they observed.
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,…
March 22, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Navigating Ups and Downs with MS Today, I ate a dog treat. I was eating cookies from a nearby bowl when I broke a dog treat in half for Abby. Instead of putting the other half in my pocket, I put it in my mouth and chewed. Wondering how the brand could screw up so…
February 21, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Gilenya Continues to Demonstrate Effectiveness as Therapy for RRMS Patients in Study Gilenya (fingolimod) is an effective treatment forĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in everyday clinical practice, a new study shows. The therapy was shown to be effective even in patients switching from Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment. The study, “Effectiveness and baseline factors associated to fingolimod response in a…
February 1, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Mapi Pharma Doses First PPMS Patient in Phase 2 Trial Evaluating GA Depot The Phase 2a trial of GA Depot (glatiramer acetate) for the treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) has dosed the first patient,Ā Mapi PharmaĀ recently announced. In the U.S., Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection, marketed by Teva Pharmaceutical) is the standard therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), which is…
January 25, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Provigil, Progression, Plantar Reflex, and Other ‘P’ Words (Part 4 of 7) Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this column referencing terms starting with the letter P. This post comes fourth in a series of seven. Symptoms of MS Postural tremor Tremors (specifically, cerebellar tremors) are a common symptom of MS. A…
January 18, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Measuring Blood Clotting Factor Could Pinpoint RRMS Patients at Risk for Heart Disease Thrombin, a blood clotting factor, may be involved in the inflammatory processes of multiple sclerosis patients, Ā particularly those with relapsing-remitting form of the disease (RRMS), a study found. Higher levels of thrombin may also explain the increased risk of cardiovascular disease linked to MS. By measuring thrombin levels, it may…