treatment

PathMaker Neurosystems, which specializes in non-invasive devices to treat chronic neuromotor disorders, won the 2018 French-American Business (FAB) Award in the startup/small company category. PathMaker, based in Boston, is developed and testing MyoRegulator, a potential treatment for muscle spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy and other chronic conditions.

MS medications are expensive. Many people with MS are able to afford their high prices only because their insurance covers most of the cost, and what remains as their copay is often covered by many of the pharmaceutical companies that produce those meds. The companies offer patient assistance…

Two groups working to collect and promote patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in research and treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) announced they will jointly explore ways to “standardize and harmonize” these measures so as to make them more effective. The effort brings the iConquerMS People-Powered Research Network, managed by the nonprofit Accelerated Cure Project…

A chemical compound called indazole chloride promotes repair of myelin, the protective layer of nerve fibers, through “beneficial” inflammation in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The preclinical research, “Increase in chemokine CXCL1 by ERβ ligand treatment is a key mediator in…

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is partnering with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and its newly opened Autoimmunity Institute — based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — to study the costs of autoimmune disease to patients in the U.S., including that of just getting a correct diagnosis. AARDA, a non-profit that…

In the United States, the government can do very little to control the costs of our expensive MS medications. In the United Kingdom, it’s a different story. The U.K. has an organization called the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, better known as NICE. NICE provides healthcare…

Two multiple sclerosis medications that are both popular and expensive are on a new list that U.S. regulators hope will increase price competition. The medications are Ampyra (dalfampridine), made by Acorda, and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), by Biogen. They’re included on a list of more than 50…

A non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain may be more effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other patients if the rate of stimulation is slowed, a new study suggests, finding that neurons “tire” with overstimulation and may fail to respond. The research, “Less might be…

Treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) is associated with treatment satisfaction, which, in turn, is linked to a better quality-of-life in patients with 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…

First in a series. For a minute or two, I felt like I was in a time machine. It was late March, and I was test driving (perhaps test walking) the WalkAide System, a functional electronic stimulation (FES) device designed, according…

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…

National Nurses Week was earlier this month. I’m a little late saying it, but, “Thank you, nurses.” And doctors. I’m really a lucky guy. Lucky to have had fabulous nurses. Lucky to have had a couple of top-notch neurologists. My luck began in August 1980 with Dr. Stanley…

Sativex, a cannabis-based anti-spasticity medicine commercialized as oromucosal spray by GW Pharmaceuticals, improves the driving ability of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to researchers. The findings were published in the journal Brain and Behavior, in a study titled “The influence of THC:CBD oromucosal spray…

The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp  has launched mmj.org, an initiative to advance the scientific community’s understanding of medical marijuana and its derivatives through the creation of a comprehensive national patient registry. The Thomas Jefferson University center registry aims to enroll  100,000 medical marijuana patients…

Complications from Gilenya Treatment Managed Successfully, Case Report Says This wasn’t a minor complication. It was a version of PML, a brain disease that can be fatal. PML is also a known side effect of Tysabri, so the report of a successful treatment should be important to…

Fat-derived stem cells are a safe and feasible treatment strategy for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, results from a Phase 1/2 clinical trial show. Findings were published in the study, “Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSC) for the treatment of secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis: A triple blinded,…

Metabolites produced by microbes in the gut can ease inflammation in the central nervous system by limiting the damage done by microglia, an immune cell of the brain, an early study reports. Its scientists suggest this gut-brain axis may open new avenues to treatment. “These findings provide a clear understanding of how…

Until about a week ago, no medication was approved in the U.S. to treat patients with pediatric-onset MS (POMS). Now there is one. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its OK to use Gilenya (fingolimod) to treat relapsing MS in children and adolescents starting at…

Rituximab is generally safe and effective in treating multiple sclerosis — 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, “…

A Johns Hopkins University-initiated clinical trial is starting to enroll an estimated 900 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients to assess the benefits of switching therapies to prevent or reduce disability. The TREAT-MS study (NCT03500328) will evaluate whether RRMS patients with disease activity while on a traditional first-line disease-modifying therapy…

A case study reported the successful management of a multiple sclerosis (MS) patient who developed a rare condition in the brain — progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) — due to treatment with Novartis Pharmaceutical’s Gilenya (fingolimod). The study, titled “Fingolimod-associated PML with mild IRIS in MS: A…

After an agreement to lower their prices, four treatments for relapsing multiple sclerosis — Biogen’s Avonex and Merck KGaA‘s Rebif (both interferon beta-1a), Novartis’ Extavia (interferon beta 1b), and Teva’s Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) — were recommended as cost-effective and long-term therapy options within the National Health Service…

Gilenya (fingolimod) has become the first disease-modifying therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat children and adolescents with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This expanded approval allows Gilenya, previously indicated for adults patients 18 or older, to be used to treat pediatric relapsing MS…

Akili Interactive announced it has received a $55 million in financing to develop a digital platform to possibly treat people with cognitive impairment associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). The company is focused on creating products with therapeutic potential based on high-quality video game experiences. The financing was led…

A molecule responsible for preventing the repair of white matter in the brain, a process critical to treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and cerebral palsy, has been identified. The research, “A TLR/AKT/FoxO3 immune-tolerance like pathway disrupts the repair capacity of oligodendrocyte progenitors,” was published in The Journal…

I’m agonizing over an important decision and it’s driving me crazy. I’m usually a quick decision-maker, but this one is tough. I have my analytical hat on, trying to look at my choices from a scientific standpoint. Unfortunately, my anxiety kicks in, and my hat…

A new class of indoline derivatives shows potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities capable of decreasing inflammation in the brain, new research shows. This finding highlights the potential of the new compounds in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The study “Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Derivatives of Indoline as…

An approved lymphoma treatment, 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, “Efficacy of…

Mavenclad Effective in Treating Highly Active MS, New CLARITY Analysis Shows Mavenclad isn’t approved for use in the U.S. but it is approved in Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world. Here’s another positive study of the therapy. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer before Americans…

One thing we’ve all hoped for with our disease-modifying therapies (DMT) is a treatment that will improve our multiple sclerosis (MS) and not just keep it from worsening. The latest studies presented on Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) hold promise that this treatment may have finally arrived. According to recent reports,…