MS-UK Latest MS News

Immune cell activation in multiple sclerosis

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:32:00 EDT

New indicator molecules visualise the activation of auto-aggressive T cells in the body as never before.

Biological processes are generally based on events at the molecular and cellular level. To understand what happens in the course of infections, diseases or normal bodily functions, scientists would need to examine individual cells and their activity directly in the tissue. The development of new microscopes and fluorescent dyes in recent years has brought this scientific dream tantalisingly close...... Read More - http://www.ms-uk.org/index.cfm/immunecells

New grant to fund multiple sclerosis trials, research

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:48:00 EDT

A new Commonwealth grant for researching multiple sclerosis (MS) is expected to advance existing research collaborations and enable new ones.....

Application submitted to FDA for approval of Plegridy� (peginterferon beta-1a) in multiple sclerosis

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:23:00 EDT

Biogen Idec has announced it has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of Plegridy™ (peginterferon beta-1a), the company’s pegylated subcutaneous injectable candidate for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS).....

XenoPort to drop multiple sclerosis drug after trial failure

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:07:00 EDT

XenoPort Inc said it will stop developing its experimental multiple sclerosis treatment after data from a late-stage trial showed the drug did not improve patients' condition significantly compared with a placebo.........

Scientists detect novel molecular target for multiple sclerosis

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:23:00 EDT

Working with lab mice models of multiple sclerosis (MS), UC Davis scientists have detected a novel molecular target for the design of drugs that could be safer and more effective than current FDA-approved medications against MS.....

Mechanism found for Alemtuzumab side effect

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:56:00 EDT

Researchers think they may have figured out why a drug that is highly effective against one autoimmune disease can sometimes trigger another....

Has Iran found a "cure" for MS?

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:05:00 EDT

Reports are coming out of Iran that a so-called "cure" has been found for Multiple Sclerosis.

Iran Multiple Sclerosis Society Deputy Chairman, Mohammad Ali Saraian said, that Iran will be releasing a new oral Multiple sclerosis treatment on the local markets in October of 2013...........

Smartphones as memory aids may help those with multiple sclerosis

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:59:00 EDT

Smartphone apps to store your grocery list, find your car, and remind you to take your medication can help combat memory loss caused by multiple sclerosis......

Blocking protein expression delays onset of multiple sclerosis in mice

Fri, 10 May 2013 05:43:00 EDT

Blocking the expression of just one protein in the brain delays the onset of paralysis in mice with a form of multiple sclerosis, say researchers at the School of Medicine.

Exactly why this happens is still unclear. It may be, in part, that blocking expression of the protein, SIRT1, enhances the production of cells that make the insulating myelin sheath necessary for the transmission of nerve signals. This myelin coating is damaged in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barre syndrome.......

Researchers make possible multiple sclerosis treatment breakthrough

Fri, 10 May 2013 05:16:00 EDT

A potential new treatment for multiple sclerosis lies within modified adult stem cells, University of Adelaide researchers say.<br><br>

The researchers are embarking on a new project which uses stem cells from fat tissue to send cells with special anti-inflammatory properties directly to the damaged site in the central nervous system...............

Xenetic Bioscience's MS treatment moves to phase II

Fri, 10 May 2013 04:50:00 EDT

Xenetic Biosciences has completed the Phase I, safety trial for its multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment MyeloXen and is now treating patients to establish dosing levels.
The Phase I trial passed without any adverse event on six healthy volunteers and its Russian partner, Pharmsynthez, has now started Phase II where 12 patients will receive escalating dosing levels to establish the safe dose level for MyeloXen......

Surgery and risk for MS: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case--control studies

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:40:00 EDT

Although the precise etiology of multiple sclerosis is largely unknown, there is some speculation that a prior history of surgery may be associated with the subsequent risk for developing the disease. Therefore, we aimed to examine surgery as a risk factor for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis......

Mapi Pharma receives US patent for multiple sclerosis treatment

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:12:00 EDT

Mapi Pharma, developer of complex bulk Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), has been granted a US patent for a long acting depot formulation of glatiramer acetate, which is under the development as a once-a-month treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)....

Oral treatment for MS, Tecfidera, approved for use in Canada

Wed, 08 May 2013 05:40:00 EDT

A new oral treatment for those living with multiple sclerosis has been approved for use in Canada.

Tecfidera is an oral medication recently approved by Health Canada.....

Sativex� commercialisation approval in Italy

Tue, 07 May 2013 05:06:00 EDT

GW Pharmaceuticals plc has announced that it has received commercialisation approval for its prescription medicine Sativex® in Italy. A full marketing authorization has been granted by the authorities in Italy for the treatment of moderate to severe spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medications.......

Peli1 identified as pivotal actor in animal model Of multiple sclerosis

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:48:00 EDT

Scientists have identified an influential link in a chain of events that leads to autoimmune inflammation of the central nervous system in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS).......

Multiple Sclerosis more common in black women than white

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:26:00 EDT

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is more common in black women than in white women, according a new study.

The research was conducted by Kaiser Permanente and was published in the journal Neurology. The results contradict the widely believed notion that black people are less vulnerable to the disease........

Acclaimed Brambles MS respite care centre to close

Thu, 02 May 2013 03:46:00 EDT

Acclaimed Brambles Respite Care Centre for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has announced it is to close this Saturday (May 4).....

Aubagio� delays onset of clinically definite multiple sclerosis, study

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:54:00 EDT

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced today positive top-line results from the TOPIC trial for Aubagio (teriflunomide). The trial was designed to assess whether early initiation of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in patients who experienced their first neurological symptoms consistent with Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) can prevent or delay conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS).....

Ingredient in new MS drug, Tecfidera, linked to PML

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:24:00 EDT

The active ingredient in a drug that’s expected to become a popular treatment for multiple sclerosis has been linked to four European cases of a rare but sometimes fatal brain disease called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)........

Initiation of phase 1 trial of remyelinating antibody in people with multiple sclerosis announced

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:46:00 EDT

Mayo Clinic and Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the first clinical trial of rHIgM22, a remyelinating antibody being studied for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a Phase 1 clinical trial enrolling people with MS to assess the safety and tolerability of rHIgM22. The study also includes several exploratory efficacy measures.......

Scientists find way to turn stem cells into brain cells

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:11:00 EDT

Scientists have discovered an antibody that can turn stem cells from a patient's bone marrow directly into brain cells, a potential breakthrough in the treatment of neurological diseases and injuries...........

Natural supplement combination appears to help multiple sclerosis

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:45:00 EDT

Multiple sclerosis is a challenging disease on many fronts, including the search for effective ways to treat and manage symptoms and relapse. Results of a novel trial using omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamins, have shown some promise for people with multiple sclerosis.....

Atrophy in key region of brain associated with multiple sclerosis

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:01:00 EDT

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of atrophy in an important area of the brain are an accurate predictor of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. According to the researchers, these atrophy measurements offer an improvement over current methods for evaluating patients at risk for MS.......

US patent allowance for MS drug Sativex� formulation spray device

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:37:00 EDT

GW Pharmaceuticals plc has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Application Serial Number 13/606,742, a patent application directed to the spray device of its Sativex® product formulation.

A Notice of Allowance is issued after the USPTO makes a determination that a patent can be granted from an application..........

Scottish pharmacies set to hand out free vitamin D tablets in attempt to fight illnesses linked to lack of sunshine

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:04:00 EDT

A lack of sunshine in Scotland has left Scots more prone to suffering illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Pharmacies are to dish out free vitamin D pills to fight diseases linked to a lack of sunshine.......

Alternative medicine use by MS patients mapped

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:29:00 EDT

A major Nordic research project involving researchers from the University of Copenhagen has, for the first time ever, mapped the use of alternative treatment among multiple sclerosis patients - knowledge which is important for patients with chronic disease and the way in which society meets them......

$18 million in new research projects launched to stop multiple sclerosis

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:41:00 EDT

The US National Multiple Sclerosis Society has committed another $18 million to support up to 65 new MS research projects. These new awards are part of a comprehensive research strategy aimed at stopping MS, restoring function that has been lost, and ending the disease forever...... Read More - http://www.ms-uk.org/index.cfm/MSnews

Pain measurement study could help those with multiple sclerosis

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:43:00 EDT

MS pain is a pain most patients have a hard time describing. It can be described as a burning sensation, pins and needles or even like a toothache and it can be incredibly frustrating for both the sufferer and the doctor.

A team of researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder was able to look at a person’s brain and predict how much pain that person was feeling, resulting in what could create the first objective test for pain...........

Myelin regenerated in multiple sclerosis models

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:07:00 EDT

Ordinary skin cells have been directly converted into the myelinating cells destroyed in multiple sclerosis, according to two new papers in Nature Biotechnology......

Cannabis-based oral spray approved for use in Ireland

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 06:56:00 EDT

The Irish medical board has approved a cannabis-based spray, which can ease symptoms and significantly improve the quality of life of people suffering from illnesses like multiple sclerosis.......

MS medicaton Sativex� moved to schedule 4 of UK drugs act

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:48:00 EDT

Legal step lessens restrictions, recognises low potential for abuse and low risk of diversion.

GW Pharmaceuticals, the biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercialising novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform, announced that Sativex®, its treatment for spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis, has today been rescheduled in the UK from Schedule 1 under the Misuse of Drugs Act to Schedule 4, Part 1. The move follows a recommendation to the Home Office by the Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which determined that Sativex® has a low potential for abuse and low risk of diversion........

Natalizumab treatment reduces fatigue in multiple sclerosis

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:53:00 EDT

Fatigue is a significant symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. First-generation disease modifying therapies (DMTs) are at best moderately effective to improve fatigue.

Observations from small cohorts have indicated that natalizumab, an antibody targeting VLA-4, may reduce MS-related fatigue. The TYNERGY study aimed to further evaluate the effects of natalizumab treatment on MS-related fatigue......

Aubagio� (teriflunomide) approved in Argentina for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:59:00 EDT

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT) has approved once-daily, oral Aubagio® 14 mg as a new treatment indicated for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).....

Study suggests babies' birth month may affect risk of multiple sclerosis

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:29:00 EDT

A study conducted in London found that babies born in May have significantly lower levels of vitamin D and a potentially greater risk for developing MS than babies born in November.

Multiple sclerosis is a disabling neurological condition that can lead to problems with vision, muscle control, hearing and memory.......

Amyloid-forming proteins may lead to therapies for MS and other neurodegenerative diseases

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:48:00 EDT

Amyloids - clumps of misfolded proteins found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders - are the quintessential bad boys of neurobiology.

They're thought to muck up the seamless workings of the neurons responsible for memory and movement, and researchers around the world have devoted themselves to devising ways of blocking their production or accumulation in humans.....

U.S. patent issued covering combination of estriol and Copaxone� for multiple sclerosis

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:17:00 EDT

Synthetic Biologics, Inc, a developer of synthetic biologics and innovative medicines for serious infections and diseases, announced today that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 8,372,826 entitled, Estriol Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis and Other Autoimmune Diseases, to the Regents of the University of California which includes claims to the use of the Company's drug candidate, Trimesta™ (oral estriol), in combination with glatiramer acetate injection (Copaxone®).

Copaxone® is the number one selling drug for multiple sclerosis with approximately $4 billion in annual sales. Currently marketed exclusively by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Copaxone® is expected to face generic competition as certain patent terms begin to expire in 2014.[1] Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Synthetic Biologics holds the exclusive worldwide license to U.S. Patent 8,372,826 and 6,936,599 and pending patents for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases covering the uses of its drug candidate, Trimesta™......

Efficacy and safety of daclizumab HYP in multiple sclerosis study results released

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:07:00 EDT

Biogen Idec announced that results from the daclizumab high-yield process (DAC HYP) SELECT clinical trial have been published as an online article in The Lancet.

SELECT was a Phase 2b study designed to determine the efficacy and safety of DAC HYP in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).....

Low body weight linked to PML risk with natalizumab in MS

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 06:52:00 EDT

An intriguing new study suggests that low body mass may be associated with an increased risk for developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in the setting of therapy with natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen Idec) for multiple sclerosis (MS)........

http://www.ms-uk.org/index.cfm/bonemarrow

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:55:00 EDT

A team of Ottawa doctors is preparing to publish a full report on its breakthrough multiple sclerosis treatment study that has so far eliminated the disease in those treated........................

MS Patients on Oral Therapies Are More Optimistic About Their Disease - Survey

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:49:00 EDT

Multiple sclerosis patients who are taking oral disease-modifying drugs (DMD) are more optimistic about their future expectations for their disease than patients who are taking non-oral DMDs, according to new research from Kantar Health, a leading global healthcare advisory firm..............

An MS Drug Takes a Feisty Approach Aimed at Younger Patients

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:36:00 EDT

The Swiss drug maker Novartis is taking a sassy new tack to win converts to its oral multiple sclerosis treatment, Gilenya. Its “Hey MS, Take This!” campaign shows patients sticking out their tongues with Gilenya capsules on them to show their willingness to fight back against the neurological condition...........

Biogen prices Tecfidera below oral MS rival Gilenya

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:51:00 EDT

The highly anticipated number is in: Biogen Idec's newly approved Tecfidera has a wholesale price of $54,900 per year, the biotech giant revealed on Friday. With the U.S. market debut of the oral multiple sclerosis drug set for Monday, Biogen plans to hit the market for MS pills with a lower price than Novartis' Gilenya, which is arguably the company's top competition.............

FDA approves new oral multiple sclerosis drug, Tecfidera

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:37:00 EDT

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it approved a new drug from Biogen Idec to control multiple sclerosis in adults with hard-to-treat forms of the disease.

The twice-a-day capsules, called Tecfidera, offer a new option for multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease in which the body attacks its own nervous system. Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen Idec already sells two other drugs for the disease, but both require injections.......

Multiple Sclerosis, Other Autoimmune Diseases May Be Controlled By Hunger-Spiking Neurons

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:15:00 EDT

Neurons that control hunger in the central nervous system also regulate immune cell functions, implicating eating behavior as a defense against infections and autoimmune disease development, Yale School of Medicine researchers have found in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Autoimmune diseases have been on a steady rise in the United States. These illnesses develop when the body's immune system turns on itself and begins attacking its own tissues. The interactions between different kinds of T cells are at the heart of fighting infections, but they have also been linked to autoimmune disorders........

Major Advance in Understanding Risky but Effective Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:41:00 EDT

Major Advance in Understanding Risky but Effective Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

A new study by multiple sclerosis researchers at three Canadian centres addresses why bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has positive results in patients with particularly aggressive forms of MS. The transplantation treatment, which is performed as part of a clinical trial and carries potentially serious risks, virtually stops all new relapsing activity as observed upon clinical examination and brain MRI scans. The study reveals how the immune system changes as a result of the transplantation. Specifically, a sub-set of T cells in the immune system known as Th17 cells, have a substantially diminished function following the treatment.......

MS Research Gears Up for New Drugs

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:10:00 EDT

A host of upcoming and recently approved multiple sclerosis drugs are on the horizon. Here's a look at four of them, plus a peek at an entirely novel treatment approach.

For physicians interested in the newest MS therapies, last week's meeting of the American Academy of Neurology offered a feast of well-funded research on investigational agents including alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), dimethyl fumarate (BG-12), ocrelizumab, and laquinimod...........

NICE calling for evidence for public health guidance on vitamin D

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 06:41:00 EDT

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom is calling for evidence to help implement guidance to prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Such evidence will help NICE develop guidance for public health officials on best practices to spread awareness and implement interventions on a community level to prevent vitamin D deficiency......

Gilenya� Demonstrates Consistent Benefits In Reduction Of Relapses And Brain Volume Loss In Relapsing-Remitting MS

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 03:25:00 EDT

Data presented at the 65th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) show Gilenya® (fingolimod), the first and only once-daily oral therapy reimbursed to treat highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), significantly and consistently reduced the rate of brain volume loss and reduced relapse rates compared to interferon beta-1a IM or placebo.

The new data add to the growing body of evidence for fingolimod regarding its early efficacy benefits and long-term safety profile...............

MS researchers infect patients with hookworms

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:27:00 EDT

People with MS are taking part in a new research trial by being infected with hookworms.

Researchers at Nottingham's Queen Medical Centre are looking at how the worms can affect the immune system of people living with the illness......