March 22, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Evidence Supports Safety, Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis in MS, Cancer, Other Diseases Medical cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for pain relief and should be integrated into current clinical practice, according to a new evidence overview. Benefits also include reducedĀ spasticity in multiple sclerosisĀ patients. The overview, titled āSpecial Issue: Cannabis in Medicine,” was published in the…
March 20, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD GeneFo Guide Explains How Medical Cannabis Can Help MS Patients More studies are showing that medical cannabis can alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a company that helps patients, doctors and others understand genetic conditions better. The observation came inĀ GeneFo’sĀ 2018 Guide to Clinical Effects of Medical Cannabis. Some research has suggested that cannabis strains containing…
March 16, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Dysport Therapeutic Approved by Health Canada for Lower Limb Spasticity Treatment in Adults AbobotulinumtoxinA, marketed as Dysport TherapeuticĀ by Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Canada, was approved by Health Canada for the treatment of lower limb focal spasticity in adults. Focal spasticity is a medical disorder characterized by an abnormal increase in muscular stiffness in one or more muscles, and usually is the result…
January 25, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Holland Approves Clinical Trial Plans for AXIM’s Cannabis-based Gum for MS Pain and Spasticity Dutch regulators have signed off onĀ AXIM Biotechnologies’Ā clinical trial plans forĀ a chewing gum that offers controlled release of cannabinoids to treat multiple sclerosis patients’ pain and spasticity. The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board’s sign-off on MedChew Rx means AXIM can start trials. A leader in cannabinoid research, New York-based AXIM…
January 11, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Harvest One Plans Online Sales of Medical Cannabis for Canadians With MS United GreeneriesĀ plans to launch online retail sales of medical cannabis in February for Canadians covered by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ā a program for which certain multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may be eligible. United Greeneries, a unit ofĀ Harvest One Cannabis, an umbrella…
November 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Flex Pharma Completes Patient Enrollment in Phase 2 Trial of Muscle-relaxing Compound Flex Pharma has completed enrolling multiple sclerosis patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial in Australia testing FLX-787’s ability to alleviate muscle stiffness, spasms, and cramps. The compound has a mechanism of action that Flex believe will generate fewer side effects than other muscle-relaxing medications. The company is also…
November 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Oral Cannabidiol, PTL101, Meets Goals of Phase 1 Study as Possible Spasticity Treatment Results of aĀ Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers show thatĀ PTL101, an oral cannabidiol compound, is a safe and effectively delivered potential treatment ofĀ spasticity inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā and for conditions like epilepsy,Ā Harvest One CannabisĀ announced. These findings were published in the journalĀ Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development, in the study…
November 14, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MMJ Hires Lead Investigator for Phase 2 Trials of Medicinal Cannabis to Treat Progressive MS MMJ BioScience, an affiliate of medical cannabis research company MMJ International Holdings, has hired a principal investigator to lead clinical trials exploring potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids inĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, a neurology professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo,Ā is executive director…
August 24, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Horseback Riding Plus Standard Care Can Help MS Patients Improve Balance, Other Symptoms Therapeutic horseback riding, also known as hippotherapy, when combined with standard care regimens significantly reduces fatigue and spasticity in multiple sclerosis. It also improves balance and quality of life, according to a German study. Hippotherapy takes advantage of a horse's natural movements to develop a patient's muscle tone and improve breathing, while strengthening the torso muscles. Horseback riding also improves balance control, coordination and gait, while boosting a patient's social communication skills, which can benefit self-esteem. āHippotherapy as a complementary treatment can be defined as one-patient-one-horse physiotherapy treatment with and on the horse,ā researchers wrote. Team leaders Vanessa Vermƶhlen and Petra Schiller of the University of Cologne evaluated the benefits of half-hour weekly sessions of hippotherapy in combination with standard care. They randomly assigned 70 MS patients with lower limb spasticity to either an intervention group that did 12 weeks of hippotherapy, or a control group that received only standard therapy. The team evaluated the impact therapeutic horseback riding had on balance, measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). They also measured its effect on other multiple sclerosis symptoms and signs, including fatigue, quality of life, pain, and spasticity. Overall, the team found that those who received hippotherapy plus standard care improved their BBS scores by 4.8 points after six weeks of therapy, and 6.4 by the trial's end. These increases were significantly higher than those achieved by the control group (2.9 points at six weeks and 3.1 points at 12 weeks). Although this represents a difference of only 3.3 points after 12 weeks, it still reflects a relevant change in patients' balance control capabilities, the authors said. In addition, the researchers also recognized significant improvements in fatigue, spasticity and quality of life of those undergoing hippotherapy plus standard care compared to those on the control group. The observed beneficial effects of hippotherapy validate previous reports that showing that activities with horses could help adults and children improve their balance, gait and psychomotor abilities.
August 10, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Botulinum Toxin Treats MS Spasticity, But Support and Rehab Seen as Crucial to Long-term Use Spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients can be eased through a combination of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections and rehabilitation. However, caregiver support is required to keep patients on this treatment, according to results of a retrospective analysis. Spasticity, a muscle control disorder characterized by tight or stiff muscles, is a major MS symptom. The condition is significantly detrimental to patientsā quality of life, affecting their general mobility and balance. Several oral anti-spasticity drugs are available. However, ātreatment of spasticity in MS is frequently challenging because of the complex clinical picture and the undesired effects associated with oral therapy, such as fatigue, dizziness, and hypotension,ā the researchers wrote. Previous studies show that BoNT-A, a toxin that blocks nerve activity in muscles, is an effective therapy for the management of MS-related spasticity. The long-term effectiveness and persistence of BoNT-A use in patients with MS-related spasticity, however, remains poorly investigated. The research team in Italy proposed āto investigate the long-term persistence to treatment with BoNT-A for MS-related spasticity and the determinants of BoNT-A discontinuation in daily clinical setting.ā In total, the researchers reviewed data from 185 patients, out of which 121 were considered in their final analysis. They observed that, at the end of the follow-up period, 44% of the patients in the analysis were still being treated with BoNT-A, but 56% had discontinued treatment. Overall, these results āconfirm the beneficial effect of combining BoNT-A injections with rehabilitation and highlights the crucial role of caregivers for achieving better long-term outcomes in people with MS suffering from spasticity,ā the team concluded.
June 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AXIM Obtains More Financing for Its Cannabinoid Therapies for MS and Bowel Diseases AXIM BiotechnologiesĀ has secured an additional $4 million in institutional financing to advance clinical trials of itsĀ cannabinoid therapies forĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) andĀ irritable bowel syndrome. Some of the trials involve a chewing-gum therapy delivery system.Ā The financing will let the company continue developing a patented chewing-gum-delivered therapy for pain andĀ spasticity. AXIM…
June 19, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc FDA Expands Dysportās Approval for Treatment of Lower Limb Spasticity in Adults The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded approval of Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) for treatment of spasticity in adults, a condition that affects many people in the United States, including multiple sclerosis patients. The decision was based on Dysportās supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA)…
May 3, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Axim Signs Deal to Advance Clinical Trials of Cannabis-based MedChew Rx Gum to Treat MS Pain Axim BiotechnologiesĀ recently announced that its U.K. partner, Quay Pharmaceuticals,Ā has secured licenses from the British Home Office to continue developing and importing its medicalĀ cannabinoid product MedChew Rx ā a potential treatment forĀ pain andĀ spasticityĀ in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), among other illnesses. MedChew Rx is a gum…
April 24, 2017 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Glove with Sensors Measures Spasticity More Accurately than Physicians A Ā multidisciplinary team at the University of California at San Diego has come up with a computerized glove used as a sensor to measure spasticity, or stiffness, in the limbs of patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and stroke. The system is more accurate than physiciansā assessments of spasticity…
February 23, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Brazil Allows HempMeds to Import RSHO Cannabidiol for MS Treatment The Brazilian government has authorizedĀ HempMeds Brasil, a unit of California-basedĀ Medical Marijuana, to import the parent company’sĀ hemp cannabidiol (CBD) oil flagship product ā known as Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) āĀ for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. This is the first time Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency…
February 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD BpiFrance Awards PathMaker Grant to Develop MyoRegulator, Device to Treat Spasticity The French economic promotionĀ agencyĀ BpifranceĀ has awarded Boston-basedĀ PathMaker NeurosystemsĀ a grant to finance theĀ development of itsĀ MyoRegulator, a noninvasiveĀ neurotherapy technology to treatĀ conditions linked toĀ neural pathway disruption, includingĀ neuromotor spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Through the Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir (PIA-1), an investment program offered by Bpifrance, the Ā grant ā whose…
February 10, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Regular Massage Therapy Eases Pain and Fatigue of MS, Small Study Reports Regular massage therapy given peopleĀ withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā significantly reduced their pain and fatigue, and helped to ease spasticity, a small pilot studyĀ reports. The results further support previousĀ findingsĀ as to the benefits of massage in treatingĀ MS symptoms and improving patients’ quality of life. The study, āImpact of Massage Therapy on Fatigue,…
January 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Flex Pharma Shifts Focus to Programs Targeting MS, Other Neurological Diseases Flex PharmaĀ said it plans toĀ prioritize developing its clinical programs in neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and peripheral neuropathies like Charcot-Marie Tooth (CMT). One or two proof-of-concept, Phase 2 clinical trials are planned for this year in the United States to evaluate Flex Pharmaās…
January 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Patients with Spasticity Needed for Study of Extended-release Baclofen Capsules A new clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of extended-release baclofen capsules in relieving spasticity related to multiple sclerosis (MS) isĀ calling for 135 people with any form of the disease. The study, taking place in six U.S. states, is sponsored by Sun Pharma, the drug’s developer. Baclofen, an approved MS…
January 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cannabis Compounds Ease Spasticity in MS, National Academies’ Report States CertainĀ cannabinoids reduce spasticity symptoms inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according toĀ aĀ reportĀ from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and MedicineĀ thatĀ scrutinized published research about the benefits and hazards of cannabis and cannabinoid use. Cannabinoids also show proven effectĀ in other areas that may be importantĀ to MS patients, but they are linked…
November 18, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AXIM Biotech to Get U.S. Patent Covering All Cannabinoids in Its Chewing Gums AXIM BiotechnologiesĀ announced that theĀ United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will be issuing a patent coveringĀ all cannabinoids ā both natural and synthetic ā Ā used in a chewing gum delivery system that may be included in itsĀ cannabinoid-containing, controlled-release chewing gum products. The USPTO has given the company aĀ Notice of…
November 16, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Growing Approval of Cannabis Use in US Expands a Major Market, But Tensions Evident Voters in fourĀ U.S. states onĀ Nov. 8 chose to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and those in three other states approved the medicinal use ofĀ cannabis ā all gains for pharmaceutical and other companies designing cannabis-based therapies for people with long-term chronic ills whose symptoms might be helped with these…
November 7, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Testing Stages of Marijuana Gum to Treat Spasticity in MS Can Be Followed Online Medical MarijuanaĀ announced thatĀ Axim Biotechnologies,Ā aĀ cannabinoid-based product developer in which it owns a strategic interest, has released a product pipeline chart highlighting development timelines for its cannabinoid-based therapeutics, including those forĀ Ā multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients. The Ā chart illustrates the stage each drug is in, from preclinical testingĀ to, eventually, applications for regulatory…
November 2, 2016 News by Charles Moore AXIM Advances Clinical Trials for MS Relief with Medical Cannabinoid Chewing Gum AXIM BiotechĀ has closed on a private funding round that will enable itĀ to continue clinical trials for a variety of conditions, including its pharmaceutical candidate MedChew Rx, a patented cannabinoid release chewing gum for treating pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS). According to a press releaseĀ from SECFilings.com,…
October 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AXIM Moving Ahead with Testing of Cannabinoid Products, Including Chewing Gum for MS Patients AXIM Biotechnologies Ā announced it has secured financing from private sources to continue its testing of medicalĀ cannabinoid products as potential treatments forĀ multiple indications, includingĀ pain and spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, AXIM Ā is testing pharmaceutical delivery systems andĀ active ingredients for itsĀ medical marijuana line. āThis financing provides us with…
September 28, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Treatment with Specific Enzyme May Keep Muscle Stiffness at Bay in MS, Other Movement Disorders A new study shows that an enzyme called hyaluronidase may be effective in reducing muscle spasticity resulting from neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The results were published in a study titled āHuman Recombinant Hyaluronidase Injections For Upper Limb Muscle Stiffness in Individuals With Cerebral Injury: A Case Series,ā…
August 4, 2016 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD TENS Seen as Low Cost and Accessible Way to Ease Spasticity in MS Patients Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) might be an option to treat spasticity, one of the more common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a literature review conducted by researchers from Universidad de Castilla la Mancha, Toledo and Hospital Nacional de ParaplĆ©jicos de Toledo, in Spain.
June 20, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Phase 2 Study to Evaluate an Oral Drug to Treat MS-related Spasticity and Cramps Flex Pharma, Inc., announced the start of aĀ Phase 2Ā clinical trialĀ assessing the safety and efficacy ofĀ FLX-787 in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who suffer fromĀ cramps, spasms, and/or spasticity as a result of the disease. The trialĀ is being run in conjunction withĀ Neuroscience Trials Australia. Flex Pharmaās FLX-787 is aĀ single molecule,…
June 15, 2016 Columns by admin Medical Cannabis Has a Role to Play in MS Treatment Medical cannabis is subject to laws relating to the growing, possession, transport, and use of marijuana. These vary from country to country and, in the United States, from state to state. There are also differences between marijuana for general and recreational use and for the same product for medical use.
April 11, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc PathMaker Launches Clinical Trial of MyoRegulator to Treat Spasticity, Common in MS PathMaker Neurosystems, Inc.,Ā recently announced the launch of anĀ Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approvedĀ clinical trial, in partnership with Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ Health System) andĀ The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research,Ā to evaluate the safety and efficacy ofĀ MyoRegulator for the treatment of spasticity, one of the most common symptoms in multiple sclerosis…