Cannabis ‘Highly Effective’ Against MS Symptoms, Some Users Report I would’ve expected many users to report that cannabis has been highly effective at treating MS symptoms, not just some. But comments about this study on the MS News Today Facebook page indicate that people have mixed results. Even…

Tysabri (natalizumab) given every six weeks was found to be similarly effective as the standard four-week dosing schedule at stopping nervous system damage in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). That’s according to the full results of the Phase 3b NOVA clinical trial, which compared Tysabri dosing schedules…

Treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) for up to four years was found safe and lowered relapse rates among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Czech Republic, according to a real-world study called GOLEMS. Older age, lower disability level, and fewer relapses prior to the treatment’s start were all…

Using a two-step machine learning strategy, researchers have developed an algorithm to predict the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse based on data gleaned from electronic health records. “The two-step machine learning model predicts a patient’s future one-year MS relapse risk with clinically actionable accuracy, comparable to other clinical…

The majority of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who stop taking Tysabri (natalizumab) before or when they become pregnant experience a disease relapse during pregnancy or shortly thereafter, according to a study out of Germany. In more than one out of every 10 cases, relapses were so severe that…

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) may be more effective than Gilenya (fingolimod) at preventing relapse in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients who recently transitioned from Tysabri (natalizumab), according to a new study. Ocrevus is “potentially a better exit strategy than [Gilenya] after [Tysabri] cessation, with an impressive reduction [in] risk…

While older multiple sclerosis (MS) patients whose conditions are stable commonly stop using disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), a study indicates this decision can shortly lead to a marked disease worsening in a substantial portion of them. “Our results raise important questions about the accepted practice of discontinuing medications once MS…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. People with …

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the…

Mutations in the John Cunningham virus may serve as an early predictor for a rare brain infection in multiple sclerosis patients receiving Tysabri (natalizumab), a study suggests. However, more research is required to investigate the specific mutations in the viral VP1 gene, and validate the risk of the…

Tysabri (natalizumab) given every six weeks was as safe and effective over nearly 1.5 years of use as its approved four-week dosing in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to top-line data from the Phase 3b NOVA study. Tysabri is typically administered every four weeks, or about…

Long-term disability outcomes tend to be better in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who are treated early on with highly effective therapies, a study based on patient registry data indicates. The study, “Long-term disability trajectories in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients treated with early intensive or…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected Biogen‘s request for approval of under-the-skin administration of Tysabri (natalizumab) as a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). “This response from the FDA does not affect the intravenous administration of Tysabri, a well-established high-efficacy treatment with a…

As comic Rodney Dangerfield might have said, older people with MS “just don’t get no respect.” By older, I mean those of us who are 55 and up. By respect, I mean from researchers and some neurologists. So, as I approach my 73rd birthday, I have to tip my cap…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17–22. Go here to read the latest stories from the conference. Treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) can improve mental and social health in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new…

The European Commission (EC) has approved a new method to administer Tysabri (natalizumab) as a treatment for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This new delivery route involves a subcutaneous injection in which Tysabri is injected under the skin. Compared with the previously approved intravenous (into the bloodstream) formulation,…

Previous treatment with oral Gilenya (fingolimod) is associated with a suboptimal response to Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) and an increased risk of secondary autoimmune disorders in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a study reports. However, Lemtrada showed an efficacy in patients switching from various other disease…

Off-label treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) significantly lessens disease activity and reduces the number of relapses per year in patients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), real-world data from Portugal show. The treatment also was considered safe in this population, in agreement with earlier studies. These findings support the usefulness…

The journal JAMA Neurology recently reported that a 78-year-old man with progressive multiple sclerosis died after being diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a brain disease. The man, diagnosed with MS about 30 years ago, had been treated for two years with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), and had no previous…

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) switching from Tysabri (natalizumab) to moderate-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are at a higher risk of showing signs of MS activity and experiencing disability progression than those switching to high-efficacy DMTs, a real-world study found. Based on these findings, the researchers are arguing that,…

The number of cases of Tysabri (natalizumab) that are associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) — a serious brain infection — in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients living in Sweden fell between 2006 and 2018, a study shows. Notably, the data highlighted that this drop was likely due to…

Age is a main driver of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) and has a key influence on patients’ therapeutic responses to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Tysabri (natalizumab), a study showed. Given those findings, age should be considered in the risk/benefit assessment that’s used in the decision-making process for…

Clene Awaits US Patent Covering Gold Nanocrystals’ Use in Treating MS This is a different approach to MS treatment. It uses very tiny crystals to produce a chemical reaction. It is hoped that this reaction will protect neurons and help to generate myelin. So far, there have only been…

Researchers from the Kessler Foundation will launch a new study investigating the effects of Tysabri (natalizumab) on cognitive fatigue — the type of fatigue that happens after strong mental concentration, such as in problem-solving — in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Cognitive fatigue, which is very…

One of the key considerations when choosing a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) is how much it will disrupt your life. It’s one of several factors that need to be evaluated. Unlike shots and pills, infusion treatments can require a significant amount of time. That’s why the U.S. Federal Drug Administration’s December…

Tysabri Affects Immune System Beyond Known MS Target, Study Finds Tysabri (natalizumab) slows multiple sclerosis progression by blocking some immune cells from entering the central nervous system, where they attack the myelin coating of nerves. Yet this study shows that Tysabri may also significantly reduce the number of proteins…

Lower levels of pro-inflammatory immune signaling proteins were found in the blood of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) and were associated with fewer relapses and less disability, a study has found.

Treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) was more effective than Gilenya (fingolimod) in helping people with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) achieve no evidence of disease activity, a head-to-head study suggested. The study, “BEST-MS: A prospective head-to-head comparative study of natalizumab and fingolimod in active relapsing MS,” was…

Phase 3 Trial of Sativex, Cannabis Extract Treatment for MS Spasticity, Opens in US This is a major step toward making a clinically tested, cannabis-based medication available in the U.S. I’ve always thought that medications containing a THC/CBD combination are useful to lessen some MS symptoms, but the lack…

Adults with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) had fewer new and accumulated lesions, and a lower relapse rate than those treated with Gilenya (fingolimod) for 24 weeks, according to…