July 6, 2017 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Lipoic Acid, an Over-the-counter Antioxidant, Seen to Slow Brain Atrophy in SPMS Patients The over-the-counter antioxidant lipoic acid slowed brain deterioration in patients withĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to a pilot study. AnĀ Oregon Health & Science UniversityĀ research team conducted the study,Ā “Lipoic acid in secondary progressive MS.” It wasĀ published in the journal Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation. A hallmark…
July 5, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc MIS416 Fails to Benefit Secondary Progressive MS Patients in Phase 2 Clinical Trial Innate Immunotherapeutics' MIS416 has failed to help secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The company said it will continue testing the therapy, made up of natural compounds, to see if it can benefit any MS subgroups. Trial participants who received MIS416 had no meaningful improvements in neuromuscular function or the outcome of their disease, compared with those who took received a placebo. āIt is disappointing that these results donāt show benefit for people with secondary progressive MS, for whom there are few treatment options,ā Dr. Bruce Bebo, executive vice president of research at the National MS Society, said in a news release. Scientists hoped the injected therapy would modulate the activity of immune cells that affect the protective myelin coating around nerve cells, decreasing the inflammation and brain tissue damage associated with MS. Deterioration of the coating is a hallmark of the disease. The one-year trial (NCT02228213) tested the safety and effectiveness of MIS416 on 93 patients with SPMS in Australia and New Zealand. The patients randomly received MIS416 or a placebo once a week. There were no differences in the groups' scores on a disability index ā the expanded disability status scale ā or in brain volume changes detected by magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, there were no differences between in disease outcomes that patients reported. The self-reported barometers included the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, the Neurological Fatigue Index, and the Brief Pain Inventory. "I am extremely disappointed by this outcome," Professor Pam McCombe, a principal trial investigator, said in a company press release. "Looking for measurable changes in patients with progressive MS using the assessment tools currently at our disposal is frustrating and complicated. We were hopeful that MIS416 would be an option to treat this group of patients who currently do not have effective treatment options." In addition to MIS416 failing to be effective, the group who received it had more treatment-related adverse events than the placebo group. The events were mainly related to the first dose, Innate said. The main problems were fever, chills, and muscle weakness. The company has been providing MIS416 to Australian MS patients under a compassionate use program. It said it will continue evaluating the safety and tolerability of the drug to see if it helps any subgroups of patients. Those findings will determine the future of the compassionate use program, it said. āThese results are a shock, and definitely not what we were expecting based on our previous clinical experience with MIS416 and the reporting of treatment benefits we have received from many compassionate use patients over an extensive eight-year period," said Simon Wilkinson, Innate Immunotherapeutics' chief executive officer. "These data will be as distressing to them as they will be for all the stakeholders who were relying on the outcome of this study."
June 21, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Fatigue and Reduced Leg Function Can Signal Transition to Progressive MS, Study Reports Fatigue and limited leg function are more common among older people with progressive multiple sclerosis than in those withĀ relapsing forms of the disease, according to a study. In fact, they are a sign that the disease of a person with relapsing MS is becoming worse by reaching the progressive MS…
June 14, 2017 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc SPMS Patients Have Higher Illness Burden than RRMS Patients, Kantar Health Study Shows Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) have a higher burden of illness than patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, a new study showed. The study, āCharacteristics, burden of illness, and physical functioning of patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional US survey,ā appearedĀ in…
June 8, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD High-dose Simvastatin Improves Cognitive Function in MS, New Analysis of Trial Results Reports A high daily dose of simvastatinĀ improves multiple sclerosis patients’ cognitive function, according to a new analysis of Phase 2 clinical trial results. The British team that did the research will start a study soon on whether simvastatin, which goes by the brand name ZocorĀ and other labels, can also slow…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Tysabri Improves Mental Outlook for Patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Long-term therapy with Tysabri (natalizumab) significantly improved the mental state of people withĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to results of a Biogen-supported study with patients taking the drugĀ for almost two years. Biogen presented the study,Ā āThe Impact of Natalizumab on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Secondary Progressive…
May 11, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD NMSS, British Partners to Launch Phase 3 Trial to Determine Efficacy of Simvastatin in SPMS Patients The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ (NMSS), together with its British partners, plans to launchĀ a Phase 3 trial in the next few months to investigate whether simvastatin ā a cheap drug that controls cholesterol levels ā may be a suitable treatment for people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The trial,…
April 28, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Siponimod Slows Progression of MS Disability, Phase 3 Clinical Trial Shows SiponimodĀ slows the progression of multiple sclerosis patients’ disability, a Phase 3 clinical trial indicates. The therapy reduced the risk of disability progression in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) by 21 percent over three months, researchers said. At six months, the reduction was 26 percent, they said. Researchers…
April 24, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD ATA188, Which Kills B-Cells Targeting Epstein-Barr Virus, Shows Promise as MS Treatment An investigational treatmentĀ called ATA188 that wipes out B-cells targeting the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has shown promise as a multiple sclerosis treatment, a Phase 1 clinical trial involving a small patient group indicates. The trial, conducted in Australia, covered six people with primary or secondary progressive MS. B-cells are a…
March 7, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Older SPMS Patients More Likely to Suffer from Fatigue, Limited Leg Function, Study Says People with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS)Ā are more likely to feel exhausted and haveĀ limited leg function than those without progressive MS as they age, a preliminary study suggests. The findings will be presented atĀ the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 69th Annual Meeting, set for April 22-28 in Boston.
March 6, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Innate to Complete Phase 2b Trial for MIS416 Therapy in Secondary Progressive MS Patients Australia’sĀ Innate Immunotherapeutics confirmed that its Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating the drug MIS416 in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) will wrap up by April 30, as scheduled, and data is expected to be release in the fall. MIS416 is a biologically derived new immune modulator that can…
February 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Stem Cell Transplants of Greatest Benefit to RMS Patients at Earlier Disease Stages, Study Says Stem cell transplants are most effectiveĀ if doneĀ in young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in early disease stages, who have not gone through several rounds of other treatments, according to a large study that followed transplant patients for more than five years. Study results alsoĀ found that people with relapsing MS are much…
February 15, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Gilenya Could Help Treat SPMS by Countering Astrocytes, Study Says Gilenya (fingolimod)Ā a multiple sclerosis (MS) drug developed to target the immune system and control inflammation, can also reduce the negative action of astrocytes, further controlling inflammation, says a new study. The article, āSphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor Modulation Suppresses Pathogenic Astrocyte Activation and Chronic Progressive CNS Inflammation,ā appeared in the…
January 6, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Cyclophosphamide May Delay Disability in Secondary Progressive MS, but Tolerability Is an Issue, Study Shows Cyclophosphamide (CPM) may delay the progression of disability in the first years of secondary progressive multiple sclerosisĀ (SPMS), but patients must take it for two years — and many are unlikely to tolerate it for that long. The study, āDouble-Blind Controlled Randomized Trial of Cyclophosphamide versus Methylprednisolone in Secondary Progressive…
September 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Novartis’s Siponimod Appears to Slow SPMS Progression in Phase 3 Study AĀ presentation at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress gave patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) a reason for optimism, as Novartis reported that siponimod (BAF312) reduced the risk of disability progression in a Phase 3 study of patients with secondary progressive (SP) MS.
September 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Antioxidant Lipoic Acid Appears to Slow SPMS Patients’ Neurodegeneration A pilot study exploring the antioxidant lipoic acid in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) demonstrated that treatment for two years reduced the speed of brain tissue loss and improved the patients’ walking speed. The surprising finding was presented during the āNew directions in progressive MS researchā…
September 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Brain MRI Scans Can Predict Which Patients Will Progress into SPMS The presence of certain brain and spinal cord lesions can be used to predict if an MS patient with clinically isolated syndrome will progress into relapsing or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) within 15 years. Researchers agree that knowing which patients who will rapidly deteriorate will help physicians tailor both…
September 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Inflammatory Profiles of Brain Seen to Predict MS Disability Immune activity in brain membranes may be the key to determining inflammatory profiles in the brain. These profiles, in turn, are linked to levels of brain gray matterĀ damage,Ā and to disability, in both early and later stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers behind the study, which was presented during the Parallel…
August 29, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Gilenya-like Therapy Shows Benefit in Secondary Progressive MS Patients in Phase 3 Trial Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who were treated with BAF312 (siponimod), a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) inhibitor, in a Phase 3 clinical trial showed aĀ Ā significantly reduced risk for disability progression compared to placebo,Ā NovartisĀ recently announced. BAF312 is a selective modulator of specific types of the S1P receptor. This receptor is…
August 3, 2016 News by admin Phase 2 Study of Oral Antibiotic to Treat Relapsing MS, RHB-104, Nearing Finish RedHill Biopharma announced that theĀ final patient has completed the last step of itsĀ Phase 2 clinical study (CEASE-MS) of RHB-104 as a potential treatment forĀ people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). RHB-104 is an antibiotic oral medication that blocks inflammation in addition to killing bacteria. RHB-104 was originally developedĀ as a treatment for…
June 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Zealand Clinical Trial to Test Potential of Antipsychotics to Treat SPMS An immunologist atĀ Victoria University of WellingtonĀ is leading a clinical trial that will use existing drugs in a new way to try toĀ treat secondary progressiveĀ multiple sclerosis (SPMS), a disease form that affects more than one-third of all multiple sclerosisĀ patients but has no effective treatment options. Anne La Flamme, a professor…
April 15, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Innate Immunotherapeutics Fully Enrolls Phase 2 Study of Drug Candidate to Treat SPMS Innate Immunotherapeutics, Ltd., announced that it hasĀ completed patientĀ enrollment inĀ its ongoingĀ Phase 2B, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of theĀ drugĀ MIS416Ā as a once-weekly treatment forĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). MIS416 is a biologically derived immune modulator that targets myeloid cells, a subset of innate immune cells that can…
April 5, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Clinical Trial Data on Experimental MS Therapeutic Vaccine, Xemys, Released PJSC Pharmsynthez, a pharmaceutical company based in Russia, recently announced completed follow-up findings and data analysis from a Phase 2a proof-of-concept clinical trial ofĀ its novel therapeutic vaccine Xemys for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). XemysĀ utilizes Xenetic Biosciences patented ImuXen technology. In the open-label, dose-escalating trial, 20 patients…
March 23, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Potential Progressive MS Treatment, Ibudilast, Approved for Fast Track Development by FDA MediciNova, Inc.,Ā announced that MN-166 (ibudilast) has been approved for “fast track” development byĀ the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Ā as a potentialĀ treatment forĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Progressive MS includesĀ both the primary progressive (PPMS) and secondary progressive (SPMS) forms of the disease. MediciNovaās MN-166 was licensed from Kyorin Pharmaceuticals for its potential…
February 19, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc ACTRIMS 2016 Talk Weighs Clinical Differences, Similarities in 2 Major Forms of MS Dr. Wayne Moore, from the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver General Hospital, will present an overview and analysis of the major histology and pathology aspects that characterize and differentiate relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and progressive forms of the disease, primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS).
February 19, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Results of New SPMS Study to Be Presented at ACTRIMS At the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2016, being held from Feb. 18ā20 inĀ New Orleans, LA, researchers haveĀ gathered to discuss āProgressive MS: Bench to Bedside and Back,ā the meetingās theme. Secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) is one of four types of MS, and is…
February 18, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc NIH Study into Progressive MS Biomarkers to Be Presented at ACTRIMS 2016 Scientists fromĀ the Neuroimmunological Diseases Unit at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will present results ofĀ a study investigating several biomarkers that might leadĀ to a more sensitive and accurate diagnostic test of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation, aĀ keyĀ aspect ofĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The data is being reportedĀ today, Feb.18, at the…
January 19, 2016 News by admin Anti-LINGO-1: All You Need to Know Recently, Biogen released results from its Phase 2 acute optic neuritis (AON) RENEW trial which tested Anti-LINGO-1. Learn more about this results here. So what isĀ Anti-LINGO-1? According to the MS Society,Ā Anti-LINGO-1 (also known as BIIB033) is a treatment in development by the pharmaceutical company Biogen which is currently…
December 14, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD 2016 Multiple Sclerosis Forum to Focus on Distinctions in Disease Forms Dr. Jerry S. WolinskyĀ ofĀ the University of Texas in Houston, will giveĀ the first Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture at the opening day of the Americas Committee for the Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2016 in New Orleans, focusing on distinctions between relapsing and progressive disease forms. ACTRIMS…
December 4, 2015 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Some RRMS and SPMS Patients Share a Similar Gene Expression in Response to IFN Treatment In a new study entitled āTranscriptional response to interferon beta-1a treatment in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis,ā a team of researchers discovered a subgroup of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients (SPMS) exhibiting the same gene expression response to interferon (IFN) treatment as patients with relapsing-remitting MS…