Multiple Sclerosis News and Research

Latest Multiple Sclerosis News and Research

New research reveals possible therapeutic target for controlling inflammation in the brain

New research published online in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology showed for the first time that mature monocytes (a specific type of white blood cell) express the CXCR7 receptor on their surface.

3 Nov 2017

Targeting blood-clotting protein may help treat multiple sclerosis and other diseases

Picture a bare wire, without its regular plastic coating. It's exposed to the elements and risks being degraded. And, without insulation, it may not conduct electricity as well as a coated wire. Now, imagine this wire is inside your brain.

2 Nov 2017

Inflammation in mid-life may be linked to brain shrinkage decades later

People who have biomarkers tied to inflammation in their blood in their 40s and 50s may have more brain shrinkage decades later than people without the biomarkers, according to a study published in the November 1, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The brain cell loss was found especially in areas of the brain that are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

2 Nov 2017

Gene therapy prevents age-related learning and memory problems in mice

Researchers from the Institute of Neurosciences at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute are the first to demonstrate that regulation of the brain's Klotho gene using gene therapy protects against age-related learning and memory problems in mice.

31 Oct 2017

Study reveals unique molecules in the blood of people with MS

A breakthrough study led by the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital has revealed unique molecules in the blood of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that could become definitive diagnostic biomarkers of the world's most common neurologic disability in young adults.

30 Oct 2017

Biogen and Ionis awarded 2017 Prix Galien USA Award for SPINRAZA

Biogen and Ionis have been awarded the prestigious 2017 Prix Galien USA Award for Best Biotechnology Product for SPINRAZA (nusinersen). The Prix Galien USA Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in scientific innovation that improves the state of human health. The award was presented at a ceremony in New York City on October 26, 2017.

30 Oct 2017

Novartis PARADIGMS study shows safety and efficacy of new treatment in pediatric MS patients

Novartis today announced full results from the positive Phase III PARADIGMS study, investigating the safety and efficacy of Gilenya (fingolimod) vs. interferon beta-1a, in children and adolescents (ages 10 to 17) with multiple sclerosis (MS).

30 Oct 2017

Longevity Biotech receives award to evaluate novel drug candidate for MS in preclinical models

Longevity Biotech, Inc. has received an award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Fast Forward, the Society's commercial research funding program, to evaluate LBT-3627 in preclinical models as a potential disease-modifying therapeutic agent.

28 Oct 2017

Myelin sheaths restore impaired nervous system over the long haul

In the central nervous system of humans and all other mammals, a vital insulating sheath composed of lipids and proteins around nerve fibers helps speed the electrical signals or nerve impulses that direct our bodies to walk, talk, breathe, swallow or perform any routine physical act.

24 Oct 2017

RAND researchers estimate health care savings over next decade from biosimilars

Introducing "biosimilar" versions of complex biologic drugs used to treat illnesses such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis could cut health care spending in the United States by $54 billion over the next decade, according to new analysis from the RAND Corporation.

23 Oct 2017

Study provides deeper understanding on mechanisms of lipid-based autoimmune disease

Phospholipids - fat molecules that form the membranes found around cells - make up almost half of the dry weight of cells, but when it comes to autoimmune diseases, their role has largely been overlooked.

20 Oct 2017

Discovery may lead to new approach for treating MS

Around 2.5 million people are affected by the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the commonest central nervous system disease among young adults.

17 Oct 2017

MRI brain scans can reveal MS risk in children before clinical symptoms appear

By the time multiple sclerosis (MS) is diagnosed in children, it may be difficult to prevent the disabilities and relapses that come with the disease. In a new Yale School of Medicine study, researchers examined MRI brain scans to identify children at high risk of developing MS before symptoms appear, which may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.

13 Oct 2017

Researchers find significant increase in risk factors among people with stroke

Despite prevention efforts, researchers have found a significant increase over a 10-year period in the percentage of people with stroke who have high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and other risk factors for stroke.

12 Oct 2017

Allergy medication restores nervous system function in patients with chronic MS

In a remarkably rapid translation of laboratory research findings into a treatment with the potential to benefit patients, UC San Francisco scientists have successfully completed a Phase II clinical trial showing that an FDA-approved antihistamine restores nervous system function in patients with chronic multiple sclerosis (MS).

11 Oct 2017

Women with high blood pressure in their 40s may more likely develop dementia later

Women who develop high blood pressure in their 40s may be more likely to develop dementia years later, according to a study published in the October 4, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Oct 2017

Transcranial direct current stimulation leads to reduction in MS-related fatigue

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who underwent a non-invasive form of electrical brain stimulation experienced significant reductions in fatigue, a common and often debilitating symptom of the disease, according to new research from the Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center at NYU Langone Health.

3 Oct 2017

Caffeine may not relieve movement symptoms for people with Parkinson's

Contrary to previous research, caffeine may not relieve movement symptoms for people with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the September 27, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Sep 2017

Study identifies potential biomarker for onset, progression of MS

An article published in Experimental Biology and Medicine identifies Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) as a novel biomarker for the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).

27 Sep 2017

First-ever treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma receives approval in Japan

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc. today announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) has approved BAVENCIO (avelumab, genetically recombinant Injection 200mg/mL for intravenous use) as the first and only treatment indicated for curatively unresectable Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive cancer, in Japan.

27 Sep 2017