treatment

Zeposia’s recent approval in the U.S. is exciting news for all in the MS community. Unfortunately, we will need to table that excitement a bit longer. Despite its approval, the treatment’s commercial distribution will be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am confident, however, that it will be…

Ursolic acid, a compound found in some herbs and in the peels of certain fruits, promoted nerve cell repair and restored the myelin sheath covering and protecting nerve endings in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported. Due to its strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory…

Changing the gut’s microbial community (microbiota) with antibiotics prevented the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), but not its progression after the disease was established, data from a mouse model of the disease show. These findings support evidence that microbiota manipulations affect inflammatory immune responses involved in MS development, but…

Specialist inpatient rehabilitation is a cost-effective strategy that can improve the clinical outcomes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly those at more advanced stages of the disease, a study in the United Kingdom (U.K.) found. The study, “Cost-efficiency of specialist inpatient rehabilitation for adults with…

Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a) and Avonex (interferon beta-1a), both by Biogen, may be used — if necessary — by women with relapsing multiple sclerosis who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in updating prescribing information for these MS treatments. Due to the limited…

Dr. Aaron Boster assessed the gait of his multiple sclerosis patient, who walked forward and back. Earlier, he had checked the patient’s seventh cranial nerve by having him close his eyes tightly and smile. Then, Boster checked the ninth, 10th, and 12th cranial nerves by having him stick out his…

New or worsening headaches are a more common side effect of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than previously appreciated, a new study suggests. The study, “Interferon-Beta-Induced Headache in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Frequency and Characterization,” was published in the Journal of Pain Research.

For multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with considerable disability, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) appears to lower the risk of continued progression in both relapsing and primary progressive forms of the disease, data from an exploratory and post-hoc analysis of three Phase 3 trials report. These findings were in the study, “…

Truxima, a biosimilar of rituximab, is comparable to the originator therapy in terms of effectiveness and safety for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. Rituximab — marketed as Rituxan in the United States — is an antibody-based therapy that works by killing B-cells, which are immune cells…

EHP-101, a cannabidiol-derived investigational therapy being developed by Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), is not a controlled substance in Canada, the company announced. The active ingredient in EHP-101 is a derivative of cannabidiol, abbreviated CBD. This is one of the most well-known active compounds in…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have lower than usual levels of molecules called bile acids circulating in their blood, a  study found. These molecules, produced in the liver to aid fat absorption in the gut, also appear to block inflammation and nerve cell damage in the brain. Oral treatment with …

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended Zeposia (ozanimod) oral capsules to be approved in the European Union (EU) to treat adults with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Opinions released by CHMP, an arm of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), are generally accepted by the European Commission,…

Researchers developed a way of reprograming cells to use synthetic materials — provided by the team — to create artificial, working structures within or about the cells. This approach may be a way to reprogram nerve cells to produce myelin-like protective polymers — large molecules made of many repeating…

ANI Pharmaceuticals is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the right to reintroduce in the U.S. market its Cortrophin Gel (repository corticotropin injection, 80 U/ml) to treat acute exacerbations in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases. Currently, the only repository corticotropin injection available in…

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. Leave a comment here or at the original forum category. I’m moved (and, truth be told, empowered) by the #HighRiskCOVID19 hashtag trending…

The neurotechnology company Helius Medical Technologies has received authorization from Health Canada to market its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficit in patients with mild-to-moderate multiple sclerosis…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zeposia (ozanimod) oral capsules to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS),  active secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, when it will arrive in clinics…

Continuous production of fatty molecules (lipids) is crucial to the maintenance of the myelin sheath that wraps nerve fibers to protect them, ensuring the transmission of electrical impulses between nerve cells, a study reported. These findings may have strong implications for treating disorders caused by myelin loss, including…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted the clinical hold and cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application to assess IMS001 in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), ImStem Biotechnology announced. The company plans to start a Phase 1 study in the U.S. this…

A planned Phase 2 clinical trial of a potential treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis has been postponed to keep hospital resources open to treat people with COVID-19 during the ongoing global outbreak, and to reduce the risk of exposure to MS patients, GeNeuro, the investigate therapy’s developer, announced. The…

What happens if you have MS and you’ve tested positive for COVID-19? How will the disease affect your disease-modifying therapies and your MS? Dr. Barry Singer, (@drbarrysinger), a neurologist who directs The MS Center for Innovations in Care in St. Louis, has posed…

Janssen has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for ponesimod to be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Ponesimod, formerly ACT-128800, is an experimental treatment that targets the protein sphingosine-1-phosphate…

Oral treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) is more effective than Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for controlling brain lesion activity and brain volume loss in children with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), two-year results of the PARADIGMS study show. That means Gilenya provides an effective treatment option for…

About 85% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) using cannabis find it to be helpful for pain, and 79% find it eases spasticity, a new study reports. The study, “Cannabis use in people with multiple sclerosis and spasticity: A cross-sectional analysis,” was published in…

Second Phase 3 Trial of MedDay’s MD1003 for Progressive MS Fails to Meet Goals This is disappointing news about what scientists had hoped would be another oral disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis. It’s doubly disappointing because MD1003 is aimed at progressive forms of MS and demyelination, and we need…

An investigational therapy that uses nanocrystals of gold to help the brain repair itself represents a breakthrough in the multiple sclerosis (MS) field, says Clene Nanomedicine‘s chief medical officer Robert Glanzman. Glanzman, MD, recently presented promising results at the ACTRIMS Forum 2020 indicating that Clene’s lead…

A short-chain fatty acid produced by gut bacteria helps to counteract inflammatory responses in multiple sclerosis (MS) by promoting greater numbers of regulatory immune cells, a study reports. But the bacterial composition of the gut (its microbiome) of MS patients is deficient in bacteria that produce this acid —…

People with multiple sclerosis have unique concerns about the new coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it causes. Many of us use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that suppress our immune systems and give us an extra element to worry about when we plan our defense against this virus. To help us…

Monthly under-the-skin injections of Novartis’ investigational candidate ofatumumab show promise as a convenient, effective, and safe therapeutic option for people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Data from the ASCLEPIOS and APLIOS clinical trials showed that ofatumumab — currently under regulatory review for possible approval in the U.S. and Europe…

Sativex (nabiximols), a THC:CBD oral spray, consistently relieves the pain and severity of treatment-resistant spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a recent study. An analysis of the Sativex as Add-on therapy Vs. further optimized first-line ANTispastics (SAVANT) study revealed that Sativex, used in…