treatment

Long-term Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) improves physical and mental health and leads to greater satisfaction with therapy, new research shows. The study, ”Long-term natalizumab treatment is associated with sustained improvements in quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis,” appeared in the journal…

Abarca Health has signed a value-based reimbursement contract with Biogen for select products in its multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio. This is the first time such an agreement applies outcomes-based contracts to cover Medicaid patients in the United States. The deal offers a novel approach to connecting outcomes with the…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week: Q Therapeutics Approved to Start Trial of Cell Therapy Aiming to Restore Myelins Those of us with MS know that if something can…

Ocvevus (ocrelizumab) is off to a running start, Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) leads the pills and the four injectable multiple sclerosis drugs are being used by fewer MS patients. But Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) remains the leader of the pack of the disease-modifying therapies. Those are…

Five clinics in the Washington area that specialize in administering intravenous and injected treatments to people with chronic diseases are now offering the new multiple sclerosis therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). Arise Infusion Therapy Services said its staff is helping patients manage the authorization process that many insurers require before agreeing to cover…

Kezar Life Sciences announced that it is planning to move ahead with clinical testing of KZR-616, a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. The company recently concluded a Phase 1 safety study of the treatment, and raised $50 million in investment funding to support its development. KZR-616 is a first-in-class selective immunoproteasome inhibitor, meaning it works by blocking abnormal protein degradation. Cells eliminate proteins by sending them to a specialized cell compartment known as the proteasome. In immune cells, the proteasome is called immunoproteasome, and it regulates several selective inhibitors and participates in the regulation of the immune response associated with inflammatory diseases such as MS, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and lupus. "We are pleased with the results of our healthy volunteer study, and grateful for the support of such an excellent group of investors to finance our upcoming clinical trials," John Fowler, Kezar Life Sciences’ CEO, said in a news release. "The strong demand for this financing reflects growing excitement for the potential of immunoproteasome inhibition in treating autoimmune disorders and recognizes the clear leadership position enjoyed by Kezar." The Phase 1 trial enrolled 82 healthy subjects, who were assigned to receive either KZR-616 or placebo. In total, 61 volunteers were given KZR-616 as single or multiple doses at varying dose levels to identify the optimal dose for both tolerability and proteasome inhibition. Results will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology's Annual Meeting to be held in San Diego in November. "These initial clinical trial results demonstrate that KZR-616 is achieving the desired levels of immunoproteasome inhibition that correlate with anti-inflammatory activity seen in laboratory models,” said Christopher Kirk, PhD, company president and CSO. “By selectively targeting the immunoproteasome, we believe we can avoid the toxicities associated with dual proteasome inhibitors like Velcade and Kyprolis." The Series B financing round was led by Cormorant Asset Management and Morningside Venture and raised $50 million to support the development of KZR-616. Kezar announced it has the support of new investors, including Cowen Healthcare Investments, Pappas Ventures, Qiming Venture Partners, and Bay City Capital. "Cormorant is pleased to support Kezar as it enters an exciting series of patient studies, the first ever with a selective immunoproteasome inhibitor," said Bihua Chen, founder of Cormorant Asset Management. "While much work remains, I believe KZR-616 has the potential to be a transformative treatment in autoimmunity."

I have written multiple iterations of this column trying to keep pace with the disastrous healthcare bills being presented first in the U.S. House of Representatives and now the Senate. But I can’t keep up with them. There are just too many and…

A cell therapy intended to boost myelin regeneration — Q-Cells by Q Therapeutics — has received a green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to proceed with a clinical trial in patients with transverse myelitis (TM), a disease that like multiple sclerosis is characterized by myelin damage. FDA approval of the company’s Investigational New…

Canadian oilman Hank Swartout made a fortune as longtime founder and CEO of Precision Drilling. The Calgary native mortgaged his house to start the company, which by the time he left in 2009 had annual sales of $7 billion. But an early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) at the age…

Eli Lilly and Nektar Therapeutics have established a development and commercial agreement for the investigational T-cell stimulator therapy NKTR-358 for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis. NKTR-358, discovered and initially developed by Nektar, has the potential to modulate immune system responses to re-establish an immune balance in patients with autoimmune disorders. The treatment targets the interleukin 2 receptor complex (IL-2R) that is expressed on the surface of a subset of immune cells called regulatory T-cells, or Tregs. NKTR-358 activity stimulates the proliferation of Tregs, which in turn will regulate the activity of other immune cells that are uncontrolled and are responsible for the underlying mechanisms of autoimmune disorders. "We look forward to working with Nektar to study this novel approach to treating a number of autoimmune conditions," Thomas F. Bumol, PhD, senior vice president of biotechnology and immunology research at Eli Lilly, said in a press release. "NKTR-358 is an exciting addition to our immunology portfolio and reinforces Lilly's commitment to sustain a flow of innovative medicines in our pipeline." Bumol added. Under the agreement, Lilly and Nektar will continue to jointly develop NKTR-358. Nektar will be responsible for completing the ongoing Phase 1 clinical study; and Phase 2 clinical development costs will be shared by the two companies, with Lilly covering 75 percent of the costs and Nektar the remaining 25 percent. Nektar will have the option to take part of the Phase 3 development of NKTR-358 on an indication-by-indication basis. "We are very pleased to enter into this collaboration with Lilly as they have strong expertise in immunology and a successful track record in bringing novel therapies to market," said Howard W. Robin, president and CEO of Nektar. "Importantly, this agreement enables the broad development of NKTR-358 in multiple autoimmune conditions in order to achieve its full potential as a first-in-class resolution therapeutic." Based on the announced agreement, Lilly will pay an initial amount of $150 million to Nektar, which will also be eligible to receive up to $250 million from additional development and regulatory milestones. In the future, Nektar may also receive royalties from the product depending on its investment in NKTR-358’s Phase 3 development and future product sales. Lilly will cover all costs of global marketing of NKTR-358, and Nektar will have an option to co-promote the drug in the United States.

A new analysis of Phase 2 clinical data on Innate Immunotherapeutics’ investigational drug MIS416 to treat secondary progressive multiple sclerosis has confirmed that the drug failed to improve neuromuscular function or patient reported outcomes. The initial evaluation of data obtained from the one-year trial, announced in June, showed disappointing results. These results, gleaned from 70 patients who were randomly designated to receive either weekly injections of MIS416 or a placebo control, failed to demonstrate significant differences or clinically meaningful improvements in patients treated with MIS416 compared to those in the control group. After this initial setback, the Australian company sponsored an additional analysis of the trial results to identify any potential subgroup of clinical responders that could benefit from MIS416 and who might have been masked in the first population-based analysis. However, this post-hoc analysis also failed to show any positive effects of MIS416. Although the detailed report of this second analysis has not yet been released, the Sydney-based company conceded that the final outcome will not change. "All previous reports of MIS416 making a meaningful difference in the lives of many patients must either be dismissed as a very robust placebo effect or the trial failure is attributable to some other reason. It is my view that there may be other reasons," Innate CEO Simon Wilkinson said in a press release. "Patients with SPMS have a complex mix of symptoms and their disease can't be monitored by a simple blood test or MRI scan," he added. "We used the best assessment tools available as recommended by expert practitioners in MS, but we suspect they weren't sensitive enough to pick up the small but potentially significant changes that can lead to a substantial impact on patients' activities of daily living and quality of life." The lack of efficacy of MIS416 shown by the trial results is inconsistent with previous clinical experience, and the benefits reported by those receiving MIS416 for the past eight years.

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week: Ocrevus Is Popular Among Neurologists, but Insurance Is a Growing Concern, Report Concludes Some great marketing and PR efforts gave Ocrevus a…

According to a study by researchers at Cleveland's Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, pre-existing inflammatory diseases affecting the central nervous system make mesenchymal stem cells less effective in treating multiple sclerosis. The study notes that MSCs potentially produce several signaling proteins that can regulate immune system responses as well as help tissue regenerate. Preclinical studies have shown that this can reduce brain inflammation while improving neural repair in animal models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis -- an animal version of MS that is often used in laboratory studies, since it resembles the inflammation and neuronal damage seen in MS patients. Given the need for effective new MS therapies, the results will help MSCs to advance to human clinical trials. So far, results have reported good safety data, though such therapies have failed to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy. Most such trials so far have used stem cells collected from the patient, a process known as autologous transplantation — yet this may explain why MSCs have not been effective. It's possible that pre-existing neurological conditions may alter stem cells' responsiveness as well as their therapeutic activity. To see whether that is in fact the case, team members collected stem cells from the bone marrow of EAE mice. But these stem cells were unable to improve EAE symptoms, whereas stem cells collected from healthy mice retained all their therapeutic potential and improved EAE symptoms. A more detailed analysis showed that the MSCs derived from EAE animals had different features than their healthy counterparts. In addition, the team confirmed that MSCs collected from MS patients were also less effective in treating EAE animals, compared to MSCs from healthy controls. Indeed, these MSCs from patients produced pro-inflammatory signals instead of the protective anti-inflammatory ones. “Diseases like EAE and MS diminish the therapeutic functionality of bone marrow MSCs, prompting re- evaluation about the ongoing use of autologous MSCs as a treatment for MS,” the team wrote, adding that its study supports the advancement of MSC therapy from donors rather than autologous MSC therapy to treat MS while raising "important concerns over the efficacy of using autologous bone marrow MSCs in clinical trials."

About two years ago, a report by the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform stated that only 21% of MS patients in the United Kingdom were receiving any kind of disease-modifying therapy. This is compared to 40% in France and 69% in Germany. Now, the U.K. branch of pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has published a report of its own, "The Missing Pieces." The report tries to answer, "Why is this so?" Here are some of the answers that were received online from a small group of healthcare professionals and MS patients: Nearly three-quarters of U.K. healthcare professionals think that people with MS face delays in starting on disease-modifying treatments (DMTs). Nearly one-quarter of MS patients there reported being unaware of some treatments that could help delay the onset of disability. Only half of people with MS say disability was discussed with their healthcare professional when they were first diagnosed, yet 69% of the healthcare professionals say it was discussed. Only a third of those patients say that "disability" is discussed in their regular MS appointments. Two-thirds of people with MS say that maintaining independence is their main treatment goal, followed by reducing relapses. The report also says that healthcare professionals believe the primary reason that DMTs are slow to be prescribed is lack of access in the U.K. to neurologists who specialize in MS. And, it says, 62% of MS specialist nurses and 47% of MS specialists thought this delay is also because of a shortage of healthcare facilities needed to deliver DMTs. Now, it needs to be noted that this survey involved only 100 MS specialist healthcare professionals and 120 MS patients in the U.K. And, as mentioned earlier, the survey was conducted by Sanofi, which claims to be the fourth largest pharmaceutical company in the world. Sanofi makes two big-time MS drugs: Aubagio (teriflunomide) and Lemtrada (alemtuzumab). Naturally, it has a vested interest in seeing that MS patients are treated with DMTs. (Full disclosure: I recently was compensated by Sanofi Genzyme to attend a meeting of "digital influencers" that the company held at its U.S. headquarters.) But drug sales aside, a case certainly can be made for treating MS patients with DMTs quickly after patients are diagnosed, and many drugs currently on the market have shown that they are able to modify the course of MS. And there's a case to be made about a need for better patient-healthcare provider communication. So, my question is: How do MS patients in the U.K. feel about access to DMTs? And to MS care, in general? Is this small report correct about the lack of knowledge by patients about their treatment options? Is it correct about the lack of MS specialists and resources in the U.K.? Do MS patients outside of the U.K. have similar concerns?

Ocrevus' market introduction is off to a stellar start, with nearly half of neurologists surveyed by Spherix Global Insights saying they are using the therapy — the first ever approved for both relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Within six months, 80 percent of neurologists are expected to prescribe Ocrevus, according to a report in the second-quarter edition of RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis by Spherix Global Insights. But insurance is having an increasing impact on treatment decisions, the report also found, according to a Spherix press release. More patients are receiving less than optimal care because of inadequate or inferior insurance coverage, and neurologists report that insurers have become more aggressive in managing MS patients. Surveying 104 neurologists in June, the report showed that physicians followed through with their intent — reported in earlier surveys — to prescribe Ocrevus as it became available. With Ocrevus being the first approved drug for primary progressive MS, these patients make up a sizable part of those receiving it. But patients with relapsing forms of MS represent more than half of new users, according to the report. Ocrevus was also, by far, the drug that neurologists had learned most about, and felt most excited about using, the report added. Most of the patients on Ocrevus were switched from Biogen's Tysabri or Rituxan — a drug that, like Ocrevus, is also produced by Genentech/Roche. One in five patients was switched from an oral disease-modifying treatment, mainly Biogen’s Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). But for about 25 percent of Ocrevus-treated patients, the drug is the first disease-modifying therapy they have received. The survey also revealed that patients are the driving force behind new Ocrevus prescriptions. Seventy-one percent of neurologists receive requests from patients who want to start the treatment. While neurologists have to turn some of these requests down for various reasons, a large proportion of those who ask for the treatment receive it. Another insight from Spherix’s “RealWorld Dynamix: DMT Brand Switching in MS” survey was that patients' requests for a specific brand are often honored. Seventy-seven percent were prescribed the brand they requested, the survey showed. Interestingly, neurologists believed the number to be lower. Most patients who made a specific request, the report indicated, asked for Tecfidera in the past year and a half. Tecfidera is by far the leading oral disease-modifying drug prescribed in MS. Meanwhile, according to the report, Biogen's Avonex, Bayer's Betaseron, Teva's Copaxone, and EMD Serono's Rebif continue on a downward path. At least 30 percent of neurologists report lower use of these therapies in the past three months. Patients previously on these drugs are mainly switched to oral disease-modifying drugs. But this trend is projected to slow, with only Sanofi-Genzyme's oral Aubagio (teriflunomide) continuing to grow. But the choice of treatment may increasingly be driven by insurance. Compared with the same quarter of 2016 — when neurologists estimated that 14 percent of patients received suboptimal treatment because of poor insurance coverage — 20 percent of patients are now judged to be in this situation. Also, 60 percent of surveyed physicians feel that insurance companies have become more aggressive in MS treatment management. A similar percentage also say that insurance policies influence how they prescribe specific disease-modifying drugs.

Biogen is a big pharmaceutical company that produces a half-dozen MS drugs. Among them are Tysabri, Avonex and Tecfidera. And Biogen is doing all it can to protect its turf, particularly when it comes to its best seller, Tecfidera. Last month the company filed lawsuits against several…

Australia has become the first country to approve Genentech's Ocrevus for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis treatment since the therapy's initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2017. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration gave Ocrevus the green light on July 17, filling an unmet need for Australia's estimated 23,000 MS patients. “We are pleased that another regulatory body recognized for its rigorous review process has approved Ocrevus with a broad label as a new treatment option for people with relapsing or primary progressive MS in Australia,” Dr. Sandra Horning, Roche’s chief medical officer and head of global product cevelopment, said in a press release. “Approval in Australia is significant because of the high prevalence of MS in the country, making it the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults." The drug's developer, Genentech, and Genentech's parent company Roche have submitted applications to get Ocrevus approved in more than 50 countries in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Ocrevus trials showed that, among relapsing patients, relapse rates were nearly halved compared to those treated with Rebif. Many of these patients also reached a level of no disease activity — measures that Genentech has continued to explore after the drug's U.S. approval. In addition, data also showed that PPMS patients, who deteriorate more rapidly, benefit from Ocrevus treatment. “People with PPMS [primary progressive multiple sclerosis], who often experience faster and more severe disability, have not had any approved treatment until Ocrevus," Horning said. "We continue to work closely with regulatory authorities across the world to bring Ocrevus to people with multiple sclerosis as soon as possible." Ocrevus is an antibody that blocks the CD20 molecule on certain immune B-cells. Researchers believe these cells directly damage myelin — the protective coat that insulates nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Evidence also indicates that B-cells can directly damage neurons themselves. The drug continues to be evaluated in a range of clinical trials, including one that specifically focuses on how the drug’s B-cell depleting actions play out to harness MS disease processes.

A recent patient survey reveals that almost one in four people with multiple sclerosis in the U.K. are not aware of available treatments that could help delay the onset of disability, even though a clear majority put disability as a chief worry. The report, funded by Sanofi Genzyme, was conducted by Adelphi…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Experts Call for Tighter Regulation of Stem Cell Therapies in Use at Clinics Worldwide I read a lot of comments on various social…

In a pilot study with patients with multiple sclerosis, high-intensity interval training combined with resistance training improved physical capacity and quality of life in a pilot study of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients — whether or not they were disabled. French researchers at the University of Strasbourg assessed physical capacity, strength and quality of life before the training started, and then again after completing a 12-week exercise program. They divided participants into two groups: one of 18 patients with no disabilities, and a group of eight with disabilities. Participants followed a personalized exercise program involving both high-intensity interval training — a kind of cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods — and resistance training to improve muscular strength and endurance. Scientists used a French version of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality Of Life-54 test — a questionnaire filled out by MS patients to measure health-related quality of life — with five additional questions. After the exercise program, women improved significantly in vitality, general well-being and physical health composite scores in the quality of life assessment, while men showed no significant improvements. Vitality and general well-being only improved in the group with no disability. Peak oxygen consumption improved by 13.5 percent, and maximum tolerated power — a measure of maximum energy that can be expended — by 9.4 percent. Muscle strength increased in both quadriceps and hamstrings. Women showed better improvements than men in peak oxygen consumption, maximal tolerated power, strength in both quadriceps and hamstrings, and quality of life. Both groups showed increased peak oxygen consumption and strength. “Our study has shown that high-intensity interval training combined with resistance exercise training induced an improvement in physical capacity and quality of life. Moreover, this study allowed patients, irrespective of their sex or EDSS [Expanded Disability Status Scale] score, to resume exercise autonomously,” the team wrote. "High-intensity interval training is well tolerated too and can be used in clinical rehabilitation with resistance training, in both men and women with and without disabilities."

First-line treatment with Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) benefits relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients by boosting the number of anti-inflammatory immune cells and restoring the balance of regulatory immune cells, an Italian study shows. The study, “Biological activity of glatiramer acetate on Treg and anti-inflammatory monocytes persists for more than 10…

People with multiple sclerosis have high levels of pro-inflammatory TH17 immune cells in their intestines that correlate with change in the micro-organism mix in their gut and the levels of their disease activity, a study reports. Researchers said the findings suggest that diet, probiotics and therapies that regulate TH17 cells could help treat MS. Probiotics are supplements containing beneficial bacteria. The study, “High frequency of intestinal TH17 cells correlates with microbiota alterations and disease activity in multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal Science. Research has shown that TH17 cells, also known as T helper 17 cells, play a role in the development of MS. In fact, they were the first harmful immune T-cells to infiltrate the central nervous system, according to studies in animals Where TH17 cells become activated has been unclear, however. Studies in mice suggested it was mainly in the small intestine. Research has also indicated that their activation increases the potential for a person to develop an autoimmune brain disease like multiple sclerosis. An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system, which defends the body against disease, decides that a person's healthy cells are foreign, and attacks those cells. Researchers decided to see if the findings in mouse models of MS applied to people with the disease. They discovered a link between higher levels of TH17 cells in MS patients' intestines and autoimmune brain problems. They also found a correlation between higher levels of TH17 cells and changes in patients' gut microbiome. The team then identified which bacteria were changing in the gut. Patients with increased levels of TH17 cells and higher disease activity had a higher ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes bacteria and more Streptococcus strains in their gut, particularly Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis. Previous studies have shown that these species promote TH17 cell differentiation in humans. Cell differentiation involves a cell transforming from one cell type to another — usually a more specialized type. This dramatically changes a cell's size, shape, metabolic — or fuel-burning — activity, and responsiveness to signals. Some studies have suggested a link between T-cell differentiation and brain autoimmune diseases. “On the basis of our findings, we speculate that, under certain conditions, or because of still unknown virulence factors, these Streptococcus strains can colonize the small intestine and favor TH17 cell differentiation in the human gut mucosa [linings],” researchers wrote. In addition to more Streptococcus bacteria, the team detected lower levels of Prevotella bacteria in MS patients with disease activity than in healthy controls or patients with no disease activity. This decrease may also promote TH17 cell differentiation because “Prevotella is capable of producing the anti-inflammatory metabolite propionate that limits intestinal TH17 cell expansion in mice," the researchers wrote. Overall, the team concluded that “our data demonstrate that brain autoimmunity is associated with specific microbiota modifications and excessive TH17 cell expansion in the human intestine.” The findings suggest that regulating TH17 cell expansion, along with changes in diet aimed at regulating intestinal linings, could be ways to help treat MS.

Editor’s note: This column is second in a series. Read the first part here. Just you wait! How many times have we heard those words or said them to someone else? I find that now it’s my turn to wait. What I’m waiting for is six months…

A herpes virus that lies dormant in many people can hinder the repair of the neuron-protecting myelin sheath whose deterioration causes multiple sclerosis, a study reports. The finding about the HHV-6 virus may help explain differences in the symptoms and progression of the disease from person to person, researchers said.

According to a new clinical trial, the allergy treatment cetirizine fails to alleviate a flu-like condition that interferon-beta treatment generates in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The results, which surprised researchers, apply to flu-like syndrome, or FLS. Cetirizine is an over-the-counter medicine sold under the brand names Zirtec, Zyrtec, Reactine, and Triz. FLS affects roughly 75 percent of patients who take interferon-beta, also known as IFN-beta. It can cause fever, chills, muscle pain, weakness, and headache. The symptoms commonly occur three to six hours after an IFN-beta injection and last up to 24 hours. Although FLS usually subsides in the first three months of IFN-beta therapy, it persists in some patients, causing them to miss doses or even discontinue the treatment. Cetirizine is an antihistamine for hay fever and allergies. The purpose of the clinical trial was to determine whether cetirizine could alleviate RRMS patients' FLS. In order to determine study results, patients did self-assessments of how much discomfort their FLS caused them. There were no significant changes in the two groups' average self-assessment scores at four and eights weeks of treatment, suggesting that cetirizine does not offer significant benefits to RRMS patients with FLS. “The addition of a [cetirizine] to the standard of care for IFNβ-induced FLS in patients with RRMS does not seem to improve symptoms significantly compared with placebo," the team wrote. "FLS continues to be inadequately treated in many RRMS patients. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of IFNβ-induced FLS and develop adequate strategies for prevention and treatment."

A new study on rats indicates that the antidepressant Luvox promotes the production of the neuron-protecting coating that is deficient in multiple sclerosis. It also significantly decreased the severity of the animals' disease, researchers said, adding that Luvox promoted the production of the protective coating by helping stem cells evolve into oligodendrocytes, or cells that generate what is known as the myelin sheath. Patients with MS often experience anxiety and depression, with recent studies suggesting their rate of depression is three times higher than those with other long-term medical conditions. In addition to drugs targeting the underlying mechanisms of MS, such as inflammation and myelin loss, doctors often recommend that patients take antidepressants. The most common treatments they prescribe for moderate or severe depression are a class of serotonin re-uptake inhibitors that include Luvox. Few studies have looked at antidepressants' effects on animal models of MS, however. That prompted researchers to investigate Luvox's impact on both laboratory and rat models of the disease. Researchers used embryonic neural stem cells in their study. Luvox prompted laboratory stem cells to evolve into other types of cells, including neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes, which have several roles, including supporting and repairing neurons. Prozac also promoted stem cell differentiation — but at levels 10 times higher than those of Luvox. A key finding was that that Luvox significantly decreased the severity of the disease in the rats. Another important finding was that Luvox significantly reduced demyelination and immune cell infiltration in the rats' spinal cords. It also decreased the rats' expression of pro-inflammatory proteins known as cytokines. Overall, this study “demonstrated that fluvoxamine, in addition to its confirmed role in mood disorder therapy, could serve as a candidate clinical treatment for attenuating [reducing] neuro-inflammation and stimulating oligodendrogenesis in neurological diseases, particularly MS patients.”

A recent study has found that continued use of Ampyra (dalfampridine extended-release, sold in the U.S. by Acorda Therapeutics) by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) lowers both inpatient hospital visits and overall healthcare costs. Results from the study, titled “Inpatient Admissions and Costs Associated with Persistent…

The European Medicines Agency has restricted the use of Zinbryta (daclizumab) for relapsing multiple sclerosis after reports of patients experiencing severe liver damage and one dying of liver disease. The temporary order restricts Zinbryta to European Union patients with a highly active disease who have failed to respond to…

One of the earliest symptoms that appeared before my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis was imbalance. I remember turning my head to look at something and feeling slightly off-balance. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but that wobbly sensation gradually increased through the years. Occasionally, I…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Younger MS Patients Who Are Hospitalized May Be at Higher Risk of Quitting Treatment, Study Reports   Why would young patients, whose MS is…