MSRC Latest MS Research News

Muscling in on MS

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:06:00 EDT

Muscle endurance tests can detect abnormalities in the early stages of multiple sclerosis, Tel Aviv University researchers say

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease, causes periodic attacks of neurologic symptoms such as limb weakness and mobility defects. And while MS patients' walking abilities and muscle strength are examined on a regular basis, doctors have yet to determine when the lower limb muscles begin to deteriorate. That's important because with earlier identification of mobility problems, doctors would be able to implement early intervention programs that could make all the difference for those with MS.... [Read More]

ASCEND study to evaluate the effectiveness of Tysabri in secondary progressive MS

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:54:00 EDT

Biogen Idec today announced a global Phase 3b study, ASCEND, that is being conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Tysabri as a treatment for secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, approximately half of all people initially diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) - the most common form of multiple sclerosis (MS) - will transition to SPMS within 19 years.

Patients with RRMS typically experience unpredictable relapses; the time between relapses is characterised by full or partial recovery and a lack of disease progression. SPMS is characterized by a steady progression of nerve damage, symptoms and disability, but the exact reasons for the progression are unknown. The potential for greater disease burden in SPMS typically includes decreased mobility, impaired activities of daily living, loss of independence and reduced quality of life.... [Read More]

Scientists provide new understanding of chronic pain

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:11:00 EDT

Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective.

But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, using a new approach known as metabolomics, has now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a small-molecule byproduct of cellular membranes in the nervous system.

In their new study, the scientists found that DMS is produced at abnormally high levels in the spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain and appears to cause pain when injected. The findings suggest inhibiting this molecule may be a fruitful target for drug development.... [Read More]

EU says MS drug Gilenya needs heart monitoring

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:26:00 EDT

The European Medicines Agency advised doctors to continuously monitor patients for six hours after giving them a first dose of Novartis AG's multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya, casting a shadow over the potential blockbuster product.

The move came as the organisation started a review into the safety of the medicine, following reports of heart problems in patients and the death of one person in the United States within 24 hours of starting treatment.

The Swiss drugmaker said last month it was investigating whether Gilenya, seen by analysts as a potential multibillion-dollar seller, caused the death of the 59-year-old U.S. patient.... [Read More]

Adeona commences multiple sclerosis drug Trimesta trial

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:53:00 EDT

Adeona Pharmaceuticals has begun the Phase II study of its Trimesta drug, used for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Trimesta is an oral estriol designed for treating relapsing-remitting MS and for cognitive dysfunction in MS, both in female patients, and has been approved throughout Europe and Asia to treat post-menopausal symptoms.

The Phase II trial is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study expected to enroll 64 relapsing-remitting or secondary-progressive female MS patients.... [Read More]

Greater brain activation after cognitive rehabilitation for MS

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:38:00 EDT

Neuroscientists at Kessler Foundation have documented increased cerebral activation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) following memory retraining using the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT). This is the first study to demonstrate that behavioral interventions can have a positive effect on brain function in people with cognitive disability caused by MS, an important step in validating the clinical utility of cognitive rehabilitation.

According to Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation, "This demonstrates that an effective cognitive rehabilitation protocol can lead to changes in the way the brain is actually processing information." Dr. Chiaravalloti is lead author of the article, which was published online by the Journal of Neurology on January 12.... [Read More]

Functional weakness: clues to mechanism from the nature of onset

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:46:00 EDT

Study finds factors that occur commonly with functional weakness.

What do we know already?
Functional weakness is a loss of strength in a part of the body, usually the arms or legs, which is caused by a person’s nervous system not working properly. Unlike other kinds of limb weakness, it is not due to damage to or a disease of the nervous system.

People with functional weakness can experience symptoms which can be disabling and frightening. It can cause difficulty walking as they may drag their feet or legs behind them, or have a feeling of a ‘heaviness’ on one side of their body. They can have trouble holding things, or can experience a feeling that a limb just doesn’t feel normal or ‘part of them’. This is called dissociative disorder. ... [Read More]

Medical device can now help diagnose and monitor disease development in MS patients

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:55:00 EDT

EyeBrain, a company developing medical devices for the early diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases, announces today that it is launching a new software version of its medical device, the EyeBrain Tracker.

This means it can now contribute to the diagnosis of this pathology by confirming eye motricity impairment, which is a sensitive marker for multiple sclerosis, as well as monitoring patients’ progress and verifying the effect of therapies prescribed by practitioners.

People with multiple sclerosis often suffer from transitory or permanent neuro-ophthalmological problems, with disruptions in eye movements affecting between 60 - 80 per cent of these patients. The most frequently observed peculiarities are alterations in saccades and pursuits (tracking movements), as well as anomalies in patients’ ability to focus and hold a look.... [Read More]

Omega-3 fatty acids could prevent and treat nerve damage

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:36:00 EDT

Research from Queen Mary, University of London suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate.

When nerves are damaged because of an accident or injury, patients experience pain, weakness and muscle paralysis which can leave them disabled, and recovery rates are poor.

The new study, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that omega-3 fatty acids could play a significant role in speeding recovery from nerve injury.... [Read More]

Firategrast for relapsing remitting MS trial reported

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:01:00 EDT

Summary

Background
Monoclonal antibody therapy against α4β-integrin is efficacious in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with some safety concerns. We assessed the safety and efficacy of firategrast, a small oral anti-α4β-integrin molecule, in patients with relapsing remitting MS.... [Read More]

Multiple sclerosis research links brain activity to sharper cognitive decline

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:01:00 EDT

When it comes to communication in the brain, more is usually better. But now scientists have linked increased communication in a network of brain regions to more severe mental impairment in patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS).

“Measuring how well this network’s connections are working may provide a way to look beyond the wide-ranging symptoms of MS to help us quantify the disorder’s effects on the brain,” says co-author Maurizio Corbetta, MD, the Norman J. Stupp Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “This assessment could be very useful in diagnosing the disease and tracking the effectiveness of new treatments.”

Scientists at Washington University and the University Medical Center at Hamburg-Eppendorf and the University of Tübingen, both in Germany, published the results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.... [Read More]

Clues to causes of nerve cell degeneration provided by spasticity gene finding

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:17:00 EDT

The discovery of a gene that causes a form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) may provide scientists with an important insight into what causes axons, the stems of our nerve cells, to degenerate in conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, an international team of scientists led by Dr Evan Reid at the University of Cambridge, and Dr Stephan Zuchner from the University of Miami, report that mutations in the gene known as 'reticulon 2' on chromosome 19 cause a form of HSP, a condition characterised by progressive stiffness and contraction (spasticity) of the legs, caused by selective and specific degeneration of axons

The team identified three mutations in the reticulon 2 gene as causing a type of HSP - in one case, this mutation included an entire deletion of the gene. In addition, the researchers showed that reticulon 2 interacts with another gene, spastin. Mutations in this latter gene cause the most common form of hereditary spastic paraplegia.... [Read More]

Three novel Multiple Sclerosis susceptibility loci identified

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:31:00 EDT

Three novel multiple sclerosis (MS) genetic susceptibility loci have been identified, according to a meta-analysis published in the December issue of the Annals of Neurology.

Nikolaos A. Patsopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues investigated MS susceptibility and explored the functional consequences of novel susceptibility loci.

They performed a one-stage meta-analysis of seven genome-wide association studies involving 2,529,394 unique single nucleotide polymorphisms obtained from 5,545 patients with MS and 12,153 controls. Quantitative trait analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 228 individuals with demyelinating disease were used to explore RNA expression data.... [Read More]

Study finds age-related effects in MS may be reversible

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:39:00 EDT

Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge have found that the age-related impairment of the body’s ability to replace protective myelin sheaths, which normally surround nerve fibers and allow them to send signals properly, may be reversible, offering new hope that therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring efficient regeneration can be effective in the central nervous system throughout life.

In a proof-of-principle study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the researchers report that defects in the regeneration of the myelin sheaths surrounding nerves, which are lost in diseases such as multiple sclerosis may be at least partially corrected following exposure of an old animal to the circulatory system of a young animal. Myelin is a fatty substance that protects nerves and aids in the quick transmission of signals between nerve cells.... [Read More]

Diabetic mice provide a surprising breakthrough for MS research

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:44:00 EDT

In humans, active periods of the debilitating disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can last for mere minutes or extend to weeks at a time. They're caused by lesions in the brain that develop, partly heal, and then recur.

Research into a cure has been difficult, because to date scientists have not been able to replicate these brain recurring symptoms in laboratory mice. That's frustrating because these lab animals, known as animal "models," are the primary tool for research into the mechanisms and potential treatments for MS.

But now, by using a mouse model for diabetes instead, Dr. Dan Frenkel of Tel Aviv University's Department of Neurobiology, working alongside Prof. Yaniv Assaf and Ph.D. student Hilit Levy, may provide a surprising breakthrough for research into a cure for MS.... [Read More]

Latent virus sparks inflammation in MS

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:41:00 EDT

Epstein-Barr virus may play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) by activating innate immune responses, researchers found.

Examination of postmortem brain tissue turned up RNA segments of the virus specifically in areas of active MS lesions overexpressing an inflammatory cytokine involved in innate immunity, according to a study by Ute C. Meier, DPhil, of Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues.

That cytokine, interferon-alpha, was overexpressed in active areas of white matter MS lesions but not in inactive lesions, normal-appearing white matter, or normal brain tissue from controls, the group reported online in Neurology.... [Read More]

Copaxone appears to repair nerve tissue in MS patients

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:27:00 EDT

Copaxone repairs nerve tissue in multiple sclerosis patients, said Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. in reporting the results of a 12-month MRI study on the evolution of multiple sclerosis lesions. The study was published in the January issue of "Frontiers in Bioscience".

“These data indicate that treatment with Copaxone resulted in a measureable amount of tissue repair in study patients,” said the lead research Dr. Robert Zivadinov, Director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center at the University at Buffalo. “The observed increases in magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) point to a potential for remyelination.
Overall, these findings contribute to the vast body of research that supports the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy."... [Read More]

Brainsway announces interim results in Multiple Sclerosis clinical trial

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:47:00 EDT

Brainsway Ltd. announced that it had received interim results with respect to 26 patients from a double-blinded clinical trial being conducted at the Charite Hospital in Berlin and at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg to assess the safety and efficacy of the Company's Deep TMS device for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

The trial subjects were divided into three groups: a sham-stimulation control group, a treatment group that received high-frequency (18 Hz) left prefrontal stimulation, and an additional treatment group that received low-frequency (5 Hz) motor cortex stimulation. Each subject received a series of treatments three times per week over a period of six weeks. The effects of the treatment were evaluated over the course of the subsequent six-week period.... [Read More]

Researchers link multiple sclerosis to different area of brain

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:17:00 EDT

Radiology researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have found evidence that multiple sclerosis affects an area of the brain that controls cognitive, sensory and motor functioning apart from the disabling damage caused by the disease's visible lesions.

The thalamus of the brain was selected as the benchmark for the study conducted by faculty at the UTHealth Medical School. Lead researchers include Khader M. Hasan, Ph.D., associate professor, and Ponnada A. Narayana, Ph.D., professor and director of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging; and Jerry S. Wolinsky, M.D., the Bartels Family and Opal C. Rankin Professor in the Department of Neurology.

Results of the research were published in a recent edition of The Journal of Neuroscience.... [Read More]

Multiple Sclerosis not disease of immune system?

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:21:00 EDT

An article to be published Friday (Dec. 23) in the December 2011 issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology argues that multiple sclerosis, long viewed as primarily an autoimmune disease, is not actually a disease of the immune system.

Dr. Angelique Corthals, a forensic anthropologist and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, suggests instead that MS is caused by faulty lipid metabolism, in many ways more similar to coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) than to other autoimmune diseases.

Framing MS as a metabolic disorder helps to explain many puzzling aspects of the disease, particularly why it strikes women more than men and why cases are on the rise worldwide, Corthals says. She believes this new framework could help guide researchers toward new treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease.... [Read More]

Death of MS patient prompts FDA Gilenya review

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:02:00 EDT

The death of a multiple sclerosis patient shortly after a first dose of fingolimod (Gilenya) is under review by the FDA, the agency said.

No specific cause of death has been determined in the case, which occurred on Nov. 23, and the FDA emphasized that it had not ascertained that the drug was related to the fatal outcome.

Fingolimod's prescribing information includes a warning about bradycardia and/or atrioventricular conduction block in the first hours after starting the drug. Clinicians are advised to monitor patients for six hours following the first dose.

In the fatal case, the patient was also taking the beta-blocker metoprolol and the calcium channel antagonist amlodipine. These drugs are associated with increased risk for bradycardia and heart blocks, the FDA noted.... [Read More]

Sativex� approved in Sweden for the treatment of MS spasticity

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:47:00 EDT

GW Pharmaceuticals plc today announced that the Medical Products Agency in Sweden has granted regulatory approval for Sativex® (Delta-9-Tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD)) oromucosal spray as a treatment of moderate to severe spasticity due to MS in patients who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medicationi. Sativex® is a first in class endocannabinoid system modulator and is currently available in the UK, Germany, Spain and Denmark.

Evidence generated from clinical trials shows that Sativex® has a positive impact on spasticity in multiple sclerosis, while alleviating associated symptoms including pain, bladder or sleep disturbance. By relieving the symptoms of MS, Sativex® can improve patients' quality of life and allow them greater independence in performing their daily activities.... [Read More]

MorphoSys initiates phase 1b clinical trial with MOR103 for MS

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:24:00 EDT

MorphoSys AG announced today that a phase 1b clinical trial evaluating MOR103, a human monoclonal antibody to GM-CSF (granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor), in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is now open for enrollment, thereby adding a second indication to the development program.

A phase 1b/2a trial in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis is ongoing and is on track to report data by mid of 2012. Additionally, a phase 1 pharmacokinetic (PK) study in healthy volunteers to evaluate a subcutaneous formulation of MOR103 will commence shortly.... [Read More]

Call for vitamin D supplements to tackle Scots MS rates

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:02:00 EDT

Rates of multiple sclerosis are so "dire" in Scotland that essential foods should be fortified with vitamin D, according to an Oxford academic.

Professor of clinical neurology, George Ebers, has published a study showing a strong link between the condition and vitamin D deficiency.

He says the Scottish government could face legal action from people who go on to develop MS in future.

Scotland's chief medical officer said trials of supplements were needed.

Scotland has the highest levels of MS in the world and the lowest levels of vitamin D, due to a lack of sunshine and a diet low in oily fish.

Prof Ebers has published the latest study to show a link between the vitamin and multiple sclerosis, but he says efforts to convince the Scottish government and its top health advisor, Sir Harry Burns, that the whole population needs to take vitamin D have come to nothing.... [Read More]

Oral Teriflunomide in relapsing Multiple Sclerosis study reported

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:04:00 EDT

Genzyme, a Sanofi company , today reported top-line results from TENERE, a Phase III clinical trial comparing the effectiveness, safety and tolerability of once-daily oral teriflunomide to interferon beta-1a (Rebif(R)), an approved injectable therapy, in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS).

The TENERE trial, which included 324 patients, is the second completed study of five efficacy studies of teriflunomide in MS, making the clinical program one of the largest and broadest of any multiple sclerosis agent under development..... [Read More]

193 PML cases and one more death in Tysabri MS patients

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:05:00 EDT

Biogen have released the figures for December for cases of PML and deaths caused by it in Tysabri patients with MS.

As of December 1, 2011, there have been 193 PML cases, of which 112 have been in the European Economic Area (EEA), 71 in the US and 10 in rest of world (ROW).
39 of the 193 patients with PML have died.

In 45 natalizumab-treated MS patients who developed PML and in whom serum samples were available 6-187 months prior to the onset of PML, all 45 patients had anti-JCV antibodies detected.... [Read More]

Using powerful MRI to track iron levels in brain could be new way to monitor progression of MS

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:37:00 EDT

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a new way to track the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in those living with the disease, by using a powerful, triple strength MRI to track increasing levels of iron found in brain tissue.

The researchers discovered that iron levels in MS patients are increasing in grey matter areas of the brain that are responsible for relaying messages. High iron levels in a specific "relay area" were noted in patients who had physical disabilities associated with MS.

Iron is very important for normal function of the brain and the amount of iron is a tightly controlled system by the brain tissue. The discovery suggests there is a problem with the control system. Too much iron can be toxic to brain cells and high levels of iron in the brain have been associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. But to date, no tests have been able to quantify or measure iron in living brain.... [Read More]

Intestine crucial to function of immune cells, research shows

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:41:00 EDT

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found an explanation for how the intestinal tract influences a key component of the immune system to prevent infection, offering a potential clue to the cause of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

"The findings shed light on the complex balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut," said Prof. Jennifer Gommerman, an Associate Professor in the Department of Immunology at U of T, whose findings were published online by the scientific journal, Nature. "There has been a long-standing mystery of how certain cells can differentiate between and attack harmful bacteria in the intestine without damaging beneficial bacteria and other necessary cells. Our research is working to solve it." ... [Read More]

Gilenya� shows positive clinical outcomes in third phase III clinical trial

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:44:00 EDT

Novartis announced today new data from the Phase III 2309 study showing patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Gilenya® (fingolimod) had a statistically significant 48% reduction in annualized relapse rates (ARR) at 24 months compared to placebo. Study 2309 is the third Phase III clinical trial to demonstrate a significant reduction of relapse rates with Gilenya treatment in patients with RRMS.

The two previous Gilenya studies involved a two-year, placebo-controlled trial and a one-year, head-to-head trial against interferon-beta-1a (IM) in which the once-daily oral medicine showed a 54% and a 52% relative reduction in ARR, respectively... [Read More]

Utah firm developing blood tests for multiple sclerosis

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:57:00 EDT

A Salt Lake City company has received a boost in its quest to develop diagnostic tests for multiple sclerosis, which could improve the lives of those with the devastating, unpredictable autoimmune disorder that disrupts nerve function.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society on Wednesday announced a $622,000 pledge, through its nonprofit subsidiary Fast Forward, to Lineagen Inc., a molecular diagnostic company that was spun off from the University of Utah in 2005. The grant will fund ongoing U. research programs at the labs of neurologist John Rose, a leading clinical MS researcher, and his longtime collaborator geneticist Mark Leppert, Lineagen’s chief science adviser and co-founder.... [Read More]

Novartis investigating death possibly linked to oral MS medication Gilenya

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:28:00 EDT

One year after Novartis won FDA approval for a new type of drug to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis and delay the progression of physical disabilities, the drugmaker is now investigating a death tied to its pill, which is called Gilenya. The disclosure, which was made by a Wall Street analyst, has the potential to cast a pall over a drug that has been expected to generate blockbuster sales.

Specifically, this is the first death of a patient within 24 hours of taking a first dose. For now, an exact cause of death has not been disclosed, and the drugmaker suggests that it remains unclear whether its pill was the reason.

However, in an investor note, Sanford Bernstein analyst Tim Anderson write that, “to us, it seems likely the company has a reasonable idea of the cause of death given the fact that this occurred about 20 days ago.”... [Read More]

Fooling immune system reverses MS-like symptoms in mice

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:51:00 EDT

To fight an autoimmune disease, you've got to outwit a rogue immune system that has turned on itself. By doing just that, symptoms of multiple sclerosis have been reversed in mice.

MS occurs when the fatty myelin sheath that enwraps nerve fibres to improve their electrical conductivity comes under attack from the immune system. Impaired signal transmission can cause muscle weakness, vision problems and paralysis.

To switch off the attack, Marco Prinz at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and colleagues, took mice genetically modified to present symptoms of MS and injected them with RNA that stimulates the production of a protein called interferon-b (IFNb).... [Read More]

Rare gene links vitamin D and multiple sclerosis

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:45:00 EDT

A rare genetic variant which causes reduced levels of vitamin D appears to be directly linked to multiple sclerosis, says an Oxford University study.

UK and Canadian scientists identified the mutated gene in 35 parents of a child with MS and, in each case, the child inherited it.

Researchers say this adds weight to suggestions of a link between vitamin D deficiency and MS.

The study is in Annals of Neurology..... [Read More]

Cortical demyelination, inflammation found in early MS

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:01:00 EDT

Cortical demyelination is common early in the course of multiple sclerosis and is inflammatory in nature, according to an analysis of brain biopsy samples containing cortical tissue.

"These findings do not support a primary (noninflammatory) neurodegenerative process during early-stage multiple sclerosis," Dr. Claudia F. Lucchinetti of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and her associates wrote in the Dec. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Most previous studies of cortical lesions have focused on autopsy findings in patients with longstanding multiple sclerosis and "have suggested that neurodegeneration proceeds independently of parenchymal inflammation," the investigators noted.... [Read More]

Study shows Laquinimod targets immune cells to increase neuroprotection

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:07:00 EDT

Laquinimod is an orally available synthetic compound that has been successfully evaluated in phase II/III clinical studies for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

The mechanism of action of laquinimod has not been fully elucidated, but a study published in the January 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology suggests that laquinimod triggers immune cells within the central nervous system to produce and release brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), contributing to the repair or survival of neurons and thus limiting brain damage.

"Our data are indicative of a direct and sustained effect of laquinimod on the up-regulation of bioactive BDNF in patients with RRMS. Additionally, we demonstrate that laquinimod targets monocytes and skews the phagocyte population towards a regulatory phenotype, which in turn mediates immune modulation in vivo," explained Jan Thöne, MD, of the Department of Neurology at St. Josef-Hospital Bochum and Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.... [Read More]

What you eat and drink may affect your MS

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:35:00 EDT

If you have multiple sclerosis, will drinking wine make the disease worse? How about smoking? Or eating fish? How do daily choices affect your condition?

Researchers from Belgium and the Netherlands wanted to take an in-depth look at some of the most common daily life choices, and learn how they affected the progression of disease in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The results were maybe not what you'd expect: Alcohol, coffee, and fish consumption reduced the risk of relapsing onset MS patients needing to use a cane to walk. Only smoking increased the risk.

The research was conducted by the National MS Center in Belgium, the Flemish MS society and the neurological and statistical department from the University of Brussels. Previous studies have suggested that lifestyle factors have an influence on how MS progresses, or worsens, in a patient.... [Read More]

Success of immunomodulators in MS shifts discovery focus to neuroprotection

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:30:00 EDT

With six immunomodulatory agents in late-stage development for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, this area of the therapeutic space has become highly competitive. Could remyelination therapies that provide neuroprotection be the next frontier?

Close on the heels of the approval last year of the first oral disease-modifying drug for multiple sclerosis (MS), Novartis's fingolimod, six more late-stage contenders — including novel oral agents and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) — are next up. As a result, the landscape for immunomodulatory agents is becoming increasingly crowded.

The latest clinical trial results for these relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) treatment contenders were presented in October at the joint ECTRIMS–ACTRIMS meeting in Amsterdam. A highlight was data for Biogen Idec's BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate), an orally available small molecule (with a relative molecular mass of < 150) that is thought to act in part by modulating the activity of the transcription factors nuclear factor-κB and NRF2, which have important roles in inflammation. Results from the Phase III DEFINE trial of the drug showed that the drug met its primary end point, significantly reducing the proportion of patients who relapsed at 2 years. Top-line data from the CONFIRM trial — which included Teva's injectable immunomodulator glatiramer acetate as an active comparator — were reported days after the meeting and provided similarly positive results.... [Read More]

Sonic Hedgehog protein: Breakthrough in pinpointing protective mechanisms in MS

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:58:00 EDT

In an article published today in the prestigious journal Science, a team of researchers led by Dr Alexander Prat and postgraduate fellow Jorge Alvarez at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) sheds light on how the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) works to prevent the incursion of the immune system into the brain. "Our findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms used by the brain in mounting a natural defence against immune system aggression, as is the case in Multiple Sclerosis" explains Dr Prat.

There is no known cure for this auto-immune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). One of the characteristics of this debilitating disease is the inability of the BBB to restrict and control the passage of immune cells into the brain. This intrusion of the body's immune system into the brain affects the ability of neurons in the brain and in the spinal cord to communicate efficiently with one another, producing extensive and recurrent central nervous system damage.... [Read More]

Mayo Clinic research improves diagnosis and potential treatment of Neuromyelitis Optica

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:02:00 EDT

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified critical steps leading to myelin destruction in neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a debilitating neurological disease that is commonly misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings could lead to better care for the thousands of patients around the world with NMO. The paper was published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA.

NMO is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that damages the optic nerves and spinal cord, causing vision loss, weakness, numbness and, sometimes, arm and leg paralysis and loss of bowel and bladder control. NMO was historically misdiagnosed as a severe variant of MS until 2005 when a team led by Vanda A. Lennon, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic research immunologist, identified an antibody unique to NMO, and discovered that its unexpected target was the major water channel of the central nervous system (aquaporin-4). A blood test emerging from this discovery has revolutionized the diagnosis of NMO, allowing its distinction from multiple sclerosis and introducing more appropriate treatments.... [Read More]

Oral MS drug Gilenya fails to win NICE backing in draft guidance

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:58:00 EDT

The UK's health cost body National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, in its revised draft guidance did not recommend Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis' multiple sclerosis pill Gilenya, as it believes the drug would not be cost effective for the National Health Service, or NHS, in comparison with other available treatments. NICE has not yet issued guidance for the NHS.

Gilenya, or fingolimod, is a daily capsule that could reduce relapses in some people who have a particular type of multiple sclerosis.

Even after a proposed discount from Novartis, NICE's independent appraisal committee is not convinced that offering the drug would be a cost effective option for the NHS, when compared with existing treatments such as beta interferons.... [Read More]

HLA-DRB1*15:01 and multiple sclerosis: a female association?

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:45:00 EDT

Abstract

Background: The association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and the HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype has been proven to be strong, but its molecular basis remains unclear. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene variants and sex have been proposed to modulate this association.

Objectives: 1) Test the association of MS with *15:01 and VDR variants; 2) check whether VDR variants and/or sex modulate the risk conferred by *15:01; 3) study whether *15:01, VDR variants and/or sex affect HLA II gene expression.... [Read More]

Higher patient adherence to disease modifying therapies reduces MS costs

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:38:00 EDT

Avi Dor, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Policy, GW School of Public Health and Health Services, was a co-author of a study, in collaboration with Teva Pharmaceuticals, that found that higher patient adherence to disease modifying therapies, like glatiramer acetate (GA), an immunomodulator drug currently used to treat multiple sclerosis, reduced inpatient costs, outpatient costs, and other medical expenses in a national sample of multiple sclerosis patients.

This research was published in the December issue of the Journal of Medical Economics.... [Read More]

MS Society of Canada announces $3.8 million to study progressive forms of MS

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:18:00 EDT

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation announced a $3.8 million grant to investigate the complex interplay between degeneration and inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS).

The grant will fund a study led by Dr. Peter Stys from the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute, which would investigate damage that occurs in MS prior to inflammation. This research may have special relevance for those with progressive forms of MS.

Collaborative grants funded by the MS Scientific Research Foundation support large, innovative, multi-centre studies that will lead to major advances in the field of multiple sclerosis. Key collaborators of the study include colleagues from the University of Calgary, the University of British Columbia, and Laval University and the VU University in Amsterdam. The MS Scientific Research Foundation receives the majority of its funding from the MS Society of Canada.... [Read More]

Neuron transplants can repair brain circuits

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:07:00 EDT

A new study by Harvard University neuroscientist Jeffrey Macklis and colleagues suggests it is possible to transplant fetal neurons into a part of the mouse brain that does not normally generate new brain cells, and they will repair abnormal circuits. In this case, the researchers repaired a genetic defect that causes obesity, but that was not the goal of their work which was to establish proof of principle that transplanted neurons can integrate into existing faulty brain circuits and restore them.

The study, published online in the journal Science on 25 November, challenges the idea that you can't repair key parts of the mammalian brain.... [Read More]

Monoclonal antibody daclizumab (Zenapax) cuts MRI lesions in MS

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:52:00 EDT

Treatment with the monoclonal antibody daclizumab (Zenapax) resulted in significant decreases in contrast-enhancing lesions on MRI in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small, open-label study found.

After 54 weeks of treatment, the number of new contrast-enhancing lesions decreased from a pretreatment median of 2.042 to 0.250, which represented an 87.6% reduction (P<0.001), according to Bibiana Bielekova, MD, of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues.

The total volume of these lesions also fell, from 0.328 mm2 to 0.034 mm2, which was an inhibition of 89.7% (P<0.001), the researchers reported in the November 22 issue of Neurology.... [Read More]

Non-MS spine disease linked to low vitamin D

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:32:00 EDT

A retrospective study has found low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in people who developed recurrent non–multiple sclerosis (MS) spinal cord diseases, including transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

In contrast, vitamin D levels were normal in people with monophasic spinal cord disease such as idiopathic transverse myelitis.

"There is a well-recognized link between low vitamin D levels and risk of development of MS," study author Michael Levy, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and medical director of Inpatient General Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, told Medscape Medical News.... [Read More]

GW Pharma files new regulatory application to expand Sativex� approvals in Europe

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:56:00 EDT

GW Pharmaceuticals plc today announced that it has submitted an application under the European Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) to seek to expand the marketing authorization for Sativex® to a number of additional European member states.

The new MRP follows successful completion of a previous MRP earlier this year in which recommendation for approval of Sativex® was obtained from regulatory authorities in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Austria and the Czech Republic. Prior to this, Sativex® received approval in 2010 in the UK and Spain.

The complete list of countries to which the MRP application is being made is currently being finalised. The list is expected to include approximately ten new countries and will mean that if this MRP process is successful, approaching twenty European countries will have recommended approval of Sativex.... [Read More]

High dose vitamin D pills 'can double heart condition risk'

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:10:00 EDT

Taking high doses of vitamin D could more than double the chance of having a type of serious heart complaint, according to results of a large-scale survey.

Those with "excess" levels of the vitamin in their blood were 2.5 times more likely than those with normal levels to have atrial fibrillation (AF), a type of heart flutter common in old age which can lead to stroke.

More than a million people in Britain are thought to have AF, the vast majority over 70.

The results, presented this week at a meeting of the American Heart Association, are perhaps most concerning for post-menopausal women, who commonly take supplements of the vitamin with calcium to help fend off osteoporosis.... [Read More]

Acute myeloid leukemia in Italian MS patients treated with mitoxantrone

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:44:00 EDT

Summary: The Italian Mitoxantrone group report data following their evaluation of the incidence and dose-dependency of mitoxantrone (MTX)-associated acute myelocytic leukemia (AML)

This multicentre study was performed retrospectively and incorporates data from 3,220 patients (63% women) from 40 Italian MS centres. 30 cases of AML in total were identified and as might be expected the mean cumulative dose of MTX was higher in patients with AML. The median interval from the start of therapy to AML diagnosis was longer than expected at 33 months and the rate of mortality associated with AML was 37%.

The study has identified a higher than expected risk of AML and related mortality in MS patients treated with MTX and the authors recommend that given that AML onset can be quite delayed, exposed MS patients must be monitored for hematologic abnormalities for at least 6 years from the end of therapy.... [Read More]

Benefit seen with interferon lasts into progressive MS

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:11:00 EDT

Patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) who took interferon-beta-1b for two years in a randomized trial continued to show improvement relative five years later, Spanish researchers said.

Although the patients received no further interferon treatment after the randomized trial ended, those who had taken the drug during the study had both better scores for functional outcomes and better MRI evaluations at follow-up than those who had been treated with placebo, according to Xavier Montalban, PhD, of Autonomous University of Barcelona, and colleagues.

In addition, the study suggested that interferon-treated patients with better than average benefit during the trial showed less disability progression when they went off the drug, they wrote in the November issue of Archives of Neurology.... [Read More]

Effects of 3 weeks� whole body vibration training on MS

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:14:00 EDT

Abstract

Background: Exercise therapy in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) is effective for improving muscle strength and functional mobility.

Objective: To investigate, in MS patients attending an in-patient rehabilitation program, the additional effects of a 3-week exercise program, performed on a whole body vibration platform, on muscle strength and functionality. ... [Read More]

Successful phase III results for Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada(TM*)) in Multiple Sclerosis

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:23:00 EDT

Genzyme, a Sanofi company , reports today that the Phase lll CARE-MS ll trial met both of its co-primary endpoints.

Relapse rate and sustained accumulation (worsening) of disability (SAD) were significantly reduced in multiple sclerosis patients receiving alemtuzumab (Lemtrada(TM)) as compared with Rebif(R) (44 mcg subcutaneous interferon beta-1a).

Results for both of these co-primary endpoints were highly statistically significant. CARE-MS II is the randomized Phase III clinical trial comparing the investigational drug alemtuzumab to interferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Patients were required to have experienced a relapse while on a prior therapy to be eligible for CARE-MS II. Genzyme is developing alemtuzumab in MS in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare.... [Read More]

Genetic variations and glandular fever narrow down MS likelihood

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:24:00 EDT

Western Australian scientists are helping to solve the mysteries of multiple sclerosis (MS) with research finding a link between MS development and past infection with glandular fever.

Combined with genetic variations in the immune system, glandular fever has been found to be one of the factors believed to greatly increase the risk of developing MS.

A Murdoch University study is working to find out how these factors affect the development of MS.

Led by Associate Professor David Nolan and funded by the McCusker Charitable Foundation, the study will work with collaborators who will provide specialist medical care for hundreds of men and women affected by MS in Western Australia.... [Read More]

Gabapentin enacarbil in the treatment of moderate to severe primary restless legs syndrome

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:15:00 EDT

According to the authors of a study from Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, "We assessed the efficacy and tolerability of gabapentin enacarbil in the treatment of moderate to severe primary restless legs syndrome and associated sleep disturbance. This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-period crossover polysomnography study of gabapentin enacarbil 1200 mg or placebo taken once daily."

"Subjects were randomized 1:1 to a sequence of gabapentin enacarbil: placebo or placebo: gabapentin enacarbil, receiving each treatment for 4 weeks. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline at weeks 4 and 10 (4/10) last observation carried forward in wake time during sleep. ... [Read More]

Tovaxin(R) for MS granted fast track designation by FDA

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:35:00 EDT

Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that its lead drug candidate Tovaxin(R) has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS).

The FDA's Fast Track program is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.

According to the FDA, products with a Fast Track designation often receive priority review, which may offer a significant benefit in that, historically, the review time of a priority product is almost half that of a standard review. Additionally, as per the FDA, Fast Track priority review products are more likely to be approved on the first review cycle than those without the designation. Fast Track also entitles Opexa to more frequent interactions and dialogue with the FDA, further benefiting the development of Tovaxin.... [Read More]

Tysabri an option for paediatric MS?

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:09:00 EDT

A new study suggests that natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen Idec/Elan) may be an effective option for the treatment of active paediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).

The study, a cohort study of 35 pediatric patients treated out to 23 months with natalizumab, showed that the drug was safe and well-tolerated and was effective in suppressing disease activity in almost all patients.

"I think the message is that the pediatric patient is no different in their response," to natalizumab than adult patients, senior author Giancarlo Comi, MD, director of the Department of Neurology and Institute of Experimental Neurology at the Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan, Italy, told Medscape Medical News. "So there is absolutely no reason not to treat paediatric patients."... [Read More]

MRI parameters for prediction of MS diagnosis in children with acute CNS demyelination

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:34:00 EDT

Summary

Background
Multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria incorporate MRI features that can be used to predict later diagnosis of MS in adults with acute CNS demyelination. To identify MRI predictors of a subsequent MS diagnosis in a paediatric population, we created a standardised scoring method and applied it to MRI scans from a national prospective incidence cohort of children with CNS demyelination.... [Read More]

Persian spice saffron holds potential treatment for MS

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:59:00 EDT

An active ingredient in the Persian spice saffron may be used to treat diseases involving neuroinflammation, such as multiple sclerosis, according to Medical researchers at the University of Alberta.

"We found there is a compound in saffron, known as crocin, that exerts a protective effect in brain cell cultures and other models of MS. It prevented damage to cells that make myelin in the brain," said researcher Chris Power of the University.

"Myelin is insulation around nerves. MS is characterized by inflamed brain cells that have lost this protective insulation, which ultimately leads to neurodegeneration," he explained.

Power noted they are not close to a clinical trial stage yet, but the finding is still exciting.... [Read More]

MS markers match disability progression in Rebif study

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:53:00 EDT

Two surrogate markers commonly used in multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials are near-perfect measures of the effect of treatment with interferon, researchers reported.

In a statistical analysis of patients in a major clinical trial, the two markers -- T2 lesions seen on MRI and relapses -- accounted for all of the effect of interferon ß-1a on disease progression, according to Maria Pia Sormani, PhD, of the University of Genoa in Italy, and colleagues.

The findings provide "strong scientific support" for the use of the two markers in clinical trials of interferon and drugs with a similar mechanism, Sormani and colleagues reported in the November 1 issue of Neurology.... [Read More]

Fampyra launched in the UK to aid MS walking

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:27:00 EDT

Fampyra (fampridine) is indicated for use in multiple sclerosis to improve walking in patients who have a walking disability (EDSS 4-7).

Pharmacology

Fampridine is a potassium channel blocker. It prolongs channel repolarisation which enhances action potential formation in demyelinated axons, leading to improved neurological function.... [Read More]

Oral MS drug Laquinimod submission put on hold

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has revealed that it will not be filing for US approval of its multiple sclerosis drug laquinimod in the near future.

Teva chief executive Shlomo Yanai noted that the company met with the US Food and Drug Administration last week to discuss the New Drug Application for the late-stage oral MS drug and following the meeting, he said "we now believe that it would be premature to file the NDA at this time". Mr Yanai added that "the FDA has offered to work with us to determine the best design for conducting an additional trial".

Mr Clark told PharmaTimes World News that the decision to put the submission on hold was "prudent". In August, initial results from the Phase III BRAVO study, the second of two late-stage trials on laquinimod, showed that the drug failed to meet its primary endpoint of reducing the annualised relapse rate when compared with placebo.... [Read More]

First patient enrolled in PRIME Study of AVP-923 in MS central neuropathic pain

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:20:00 EDT

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. AVNR -0.69% today announced the enrollment of the first patient in the PRIME study. The PRIME study is a Phase II clinical trial investigating the use of AVP-923 for the treatment of central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)."With approximately 400,000 people in the U.S. suffering from MS, there is clearly a need for effective and safe therapies to treat symptoms associated with this disease such as central neuropathic pain," said Andrew Goodman, MD, professor of neurology at the University of Rochester.

"Neuropathic pain remains inadequately treated in many people with MS and significantly interferes with daily functioning of those affected."... [Read More]

Brain iron serves as marker for MS

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:00:00 EDT

Iron accumulation in the basal ganglia was found in patients with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS), but not in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) that is suggestive of MS, Austrian researchers reported.

In this quantitative study, 113 MS and CIS patients, as well as 35 healthy controls, underwent 3T MRI imaging, which showed increased levels of brain iron in MS patients compared with CIS patients (P<0.001) and healthy controls (P<0.005), wrote Franz Fazekas, MD, of the Medical University of Graz, and colleagues in Neurology.

MRI-based iron mapping has been proposed as a marker of neurodegeneration in various neurologic disorders, including MS, explained Alex Rovira, MD, from the Hospital Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, in an accompanying editorial. "Iron is an essential trace element with a vital role in normal brain metabolism, oxygen transport, myelin production, and neurotransmitter synthesis, and in reactions critical to oxidative stress," he wrote.... [Read More]

Potential cognitive decline biomarker identified for earlier disease diagnosis

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:37:00 EDT

Researchers from the Department of Neurology at NYU Langone Medical Center identified for the first time that changes in the tissue located at the junction between the outer and inner layers of the brain, called "blurring", may be an important, non-invasive biomarker for earlier diagnosis and the development of new therapies for degenerative brain conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

"The findings are significant because this is the first time we have mapped the distinct relationship between blurring of the boundary in the left hemisphere, where verbal language skills are managed, and the impact that changes in this area have on cognitive ability," said Karen Blackmon, PhD, research assistant professor, Department of Neurology and lead author of the study. "The fact that this occurs in healthy brains and appears to be connected with a person's cognitive function has significant implications for our ability to diagnose brain disease earlier and for the potential development of new therapies." ... [Read More]

Proprietary recombinant human interferon beta-1b (NU100) in RRMS study launched

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:07:00 EDT

Nuron Biotech Inc., a specialty biologics and vaccines company, today announced the initiation of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pivotal Phase 3 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of NU100 in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

NU100 is a proprietary recombinant human interferon beta-1b (IFN beta-1b) being developed as a new molecular entity. The product is an essentially aggregate-free liquid formulation produced utilizing an advanced processing technology.

"Nuron Biotech has assembled a proven management team, established a quality pipeline in multiple disease areas and worked very diligently to advance our lead compound into Phase 3," said Shankar Musunuri, Ph.D., MBA, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Nuron Biotech. "We are making excellent progress toward our goal of bringing innovative and improved biologics to markets in need."... [Read More]

Objective assessment of motor fatigue in MS using kinematic gait analysis

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:29:00 EDT

Abstract (provisional)
Background
Fatigue is a frequent and serious symptom in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, to date there are only few methods for the objective assessment of fatigue.

The aim of this study was to develop a method for the objective assessment of motor fatigue using kinematic gait analysis based on treadmill walking and an infrared-guided system. Patients and Methods: Fourteen patients with clinically definite MS participated in this study.... [Read More]

Fast, accurate test for JC virus benefits patients with MS

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:06:00 EDT

A laboratory test developed by scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is helping clinicians around the world in diagnosing a rare and potentially life-threatening brain disease called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The test, or assay, can quickly and precisely detect trace amounts of the virus responsible for PML.

In recent years, cases of this little known condition have appeared in some individuals receiving certain types of monoclonal antibody therapies, cutting-edge medications that can successfully treat multiple sclerosis (MS), Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders. For medical teams who monitor and safeguard the health of patients on these medications, the NINDS innovation has become an important resource.... [Read More]

Ocrelizumab shows promise in MS

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:31:00 EDT

An investigational biologic drug that deactivates antibody-producing B cells reduced gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions in multiple sclerosis patients, potentially offering yet another treatment approach to the disease, researchers said.

After 24 weeks of the phase II trial, lesion burden as measured by MRI was reduced by 89% in 55 patients treated with a low dose ocrelizumab relative to the 54-patient placebo group (95% CI 68% to 97%), according to Ludwig Kappos, MD, of University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland, and colleagues.

Lesions were reduced by 96% in 55 patients receiving a high dose of the drug (95% CI 89% to 99%), the researchers reported online in The Lancet.... [Read More]

MS cognitive research yields myelin repair surprise

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:52:00 EDT

By taking a different approach, researchers have discovered what could eventually be a new type of treatment.

Sometimes in scientific research, taking a new angle can unearth unexpected but welcome discoveries. And that’s what happened when researchers in University College Dublin’s Conway Institute looked at a type of tissue damage associated with multiple sclerosis.

It’s early days yet, but by analysing the effects of a cognition-enhancing agent on nerve cells in the lab, they have identified what could eventually offer a new approach to help address the condition.... [Read More]

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with natalizumab in paediatric MS

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:01:00 EDT

Background: In the pediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS) population large and controlled studies on safety and efficacy of Natalizumab have not yet been performed. In literature there have been no cases of Natalizumab-related Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) reported in paediatric population with MS.

Case Report: A 14-year-old girl presented in October 2009 diplopia, gait ataxia, vomiting and impaired mentation, preceded by asthenia, fever and left sensory loss lasting for 3 days, 1 month earlier. MRI showed a diffuse leukoencephalopathy with large lesions in brainstem, semioval centers and spinal cord with diffuse gadolinium enhancement. The IgG Index was increased. After treatment with i.v. Methylprednisolone (MP) she improved.... [Read More]

MS research reveals possible new drug target

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:48:00 EDT

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a new drug target that could prevent the crippling physical effects of Multiple Sclerosis from setting in.

It is the kind of news that MS patients across the country have been waiting years for.

Doctors at the U of A in Edmonton are on the road to developing a new drug treatment that could completely change the lives of MS sufferers.... [Read More]

Oral MS drug Teriflunomide study shows lasting efficacy and safety

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:50:00 EDT

The investigational oral drug teriflunomide (Aubagio) seems to have maintained its effectiveness during up to nine years of follow-up in clinical trial patients with the relapsing form of multiple sclerosis, and no late safety problems have been noticed, researchers said here.

The findings came from open-label extensions of phase II and III studies with teriflunomide, which is now under FDA review as a treatment for relapsing-remitting MS. The results were presented in a series of posters at the joint meeting of the European and American Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS).... [Read More]

Gut bacteria linked to Multiple Sclerosis

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:29:00 EDT

The spark that ignites multiple sclerosis may come from within. A new study in mice points to normal intestinal bacteria as a trigger for the immune disorder.

In patients with multiple sclerosis, the body’s immune system attacks the brain, stripping away a protective sheath called myelin from nerve cells. This causes inflammation that leads to the disease. Although the exact causes of MS are not known, scientists generally agree that a genetic predisposition combines with one or more environmental triggers to set off the attack on the brain. The new study provides evidence that friendly bacteria may be one of those triggers.

Mice genetically engineered to develop multiple sclerosis–like symptoms don’t get the disease when raised without any bacteria in their guts, a research team from Germany reports online October 26 in Nature. But germ-free mice that were then colonized with intestinal bacteria quickly developed the disease, the team found. About 80 percent of mice with intestinal bacteria developed MS-like symptoms, but none of the germ-free mice did.... [Read More]

Oral MS drug BG-12 meets goal of CONFIRM trial

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:47:00 EDT

Biogen Idec Inc's says its experimental multiple sclerosis drug BG-12 met the main goal of a closely watched clinical trial.

The Weston, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company said that a late-stage trial known as CONFIRM showed that BG-12, when given twice a day, cut the annualized relapse rate in patients with multiple sclerosis by 44 percent at two years versus placebo, and by 51 percent when given three times a day.

Investors had been waiting to see if the results would be comparable to an earlier trial known as DEFINE, which posted unexpectedly strong results showing BG-12 cut the annualized relapse rate by 53 percent when given twice a day. The results of the two trials were sufficiently similar to send the stock soaring.

If approved, BG-12 could significantly strengthen Biogen's position in the increasingly competitive market for multiple sclerosis drugs. It already sells Avonex, which is injected, and Tysabri, which is infused. BG-12 is a pill that would compete with Gilenya, a recently launched pill made by Novartis AG.... [Read More]

Paediatric MS: examining utility of the McDonald 2010 criteria

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:56:00 EDT

Summary: This relatively small but interesting study from the UK aimed to assess the utility of McDonald 2010 criteria in comparison with 2007 International Paediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group (IPMSSG)-recommended criteria for the diagnosis of paediatric multiple sclerosis (PMS).

The The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 38 cases of clinically definite relapsing remitting MS from three UK clinics. They found that on baseline scans IPMSSG dissemination in space (DIS) criteria were fulfilled in 68% of scans and McDonald DIS criteria in 84%. The authors therefore suggest that the 2010 McDonald criteria appear more sensitive than IPMSSG and may allow PMS diagnosis at first presentation of CIS in at least a half of cases.... [Read More]

Alemtuzumab offers hope for Multiple Sclerosis treatment

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:24:00 EDT

The first drug to show signs of not just halting multiple sclerosis (MS), but actually reversing the nerve damage caused by the condition, has taken a significant step towards clinical approval.

The results of a phase III trial, presented on 22 October at the 5th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, in Amsterdam, found that 78% of patients treated with the monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab remained free from relapse after two years -- and half the relapse rate of one of the standard therapies, interferon beta-1a (marketed as Rebif, among other names).

However, alemtuzumab did not perform quite as well as it had in earlier trials. There was some evidence that it had reversed damage to nerves, but the result was not statistically significant, says Alasdair Coles, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge, UK, and the UK chief investigator of the Comparison of Alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis (CARE-MS) I trial.... [Read More]

High dose vitamin D has no impact on MS study suggests

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:24:00 EDT

High dose vitamin D does not appear any better than low doses for people with multiple sclerosis, according to an Australian study.

The preliminary study, which found supplements ineffective at reducing brain lesions, paves the way for a larger trial seeking definitive answers on whether high doses are beneficial, harmful or neutral.

The findings appear today in the journal Neurology.... [Read More]

MS relapses seen after Tysabri drug holiday

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:36:00 EDT

In patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), interrupting treatment with natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen) often leads to relapse, a new study shows.

The findings "confirm a high rate of recurrence" of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined and clinical MS disease activity starting at approximately week 12, during a 24-week interruption of natalizumab therapy, a study team notes.

"Clearly, the risk of return of disease activity during treatment interruption is notable, even with the alternative immunomodulatory therapies used in this study," Robert J. Fox, MD, neurologist and medical director of the Mellen Center for MS at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, and leader of the study team, said in his presentation here at the 5th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS).... [Read More]

Daclizumab (Zenapax) shows promise in MS

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:13:00 EDT

Treatment with daclizumab (Zenapax), an investigational monoclonal antibody drug, cut annualized relapse rates in half among patients with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in a placebo-controlled trial, a researcher said here.

Annualized relapse rates averaged 0.21 and 0.23 with two different dosage levels of daclizumab, compared with 0.46 for patients put on placebo in the one-year, 600-patient trial known as SELECT (both P<0.001), reported Gavin Giovannoni, MD, of Queen Mary University in London.

The drug also showed significant efficacy in a host of secondary outcomes, including physical function, disability progression, and MRI lesion burden, he said at the joint meeting of the European and American Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.... [Read More]

Brainsway reports positive results in MS study

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:15:00 EDT

Brainsway Ltd. has reported positive results in a safety and efficacy trial of its non-invasive proprietary coil to stimulate the motor cortex for the lower limbs in patients with advanced multiple sclerosis.

The double blind trial was conducted by Technologies Innovation Distribution SrL on 23 patients at INSPE Medical Center in Milan. Half the patients were treated by the device over three weeks, and half received a placebo.

Success was measured as the ability to walk ten meters in six minutes, a standard measurement under the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The patients who received the treatment showed a clear statistical improvement compared with the patients who received the placebo. No side effects were recorded.... [Read More]

Lemtrada (Campath) appears to help MS patients in study

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:23:00 EDT

New data from a late-stage trial showed that 78 percent of patients treated with Lemtrada remained relapse-free for two years, compared with 59 percent using Rebif, an older multiple sclerosis drug sold by Germany's Merck.

Lemtrada is a key experimental product at Sanofi's Genzyme unit. The fortunes of the drug are closely watched by holders of Genzyme Contingent Value Rights certificates issued to shareholders as part of the U.S. company's takeover deal.

CVRs represent an extra fee holders will receive if Lemtrada hits certain targets or when Genzyme meets other milestones.

The commercial potential of the drug, already sold under the brand name Campath as a leukemia treatment, was a key bone of contention between Sanofi and Genzyme during takeover talks.... [Read More]

Novel MS drug likely to survive missed endpoint

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:14:00 EDT

With one exception, the investigational oral drug laquinimod was more effective than placebo, and possibly better than interferon-beta-1a (Avonex), in reducing clinically relevant aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS), a researcher said here.

But that exception was a doozy: on the phase III BRAVO trial's primary efficacy endpoint, annualized relapse rate, laquinimod failed to show significantly better efficacy than placebo, reported Timothy Vollmer, MD, of the University of Colorado in Denver.

According to the two-year trial's prespecified method for measuring annualized relapse rates in the primary analysis, laquinomid produced a rate of 0.28 relapses, versus 0.34 for placebo (risk ratio 0.82, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.02, P=0.075).

On the other hand, when the data were adjusted for baseline clinical factors associated with relapse rate that were imbalanced between treatment groups in the randomized trial -- also planned in the BRAVO protocol -- annualized relapse rates rose enough in the placebo group to give laquinimod a statistically significant advantage (0.37 placebo, 0.29 laquinimod, P=0.03).... [Read More]

One-third of MS patients relapsing do not adequately respond to corticosteroid therapy

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:22:00 EDT

Results were presented at ECTRIMS from a survey conducted by NARCOMS which found that about one-third of patients experiencing MS relapses do not adequately respond to corticosteroid treatment. The survey included over 2,000 patients with MS who had experienced relapses and were treated with either intravenous (IV) or oral corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are generally considered to be first-line therapy for MS relapses requiring therapy by most neurologists.

Of 1,122 MS patients surveyed who had been treated with IV steroids for their relapses, 31% reported no change or a worsening of relapse symptoms following treatment. Of 894 MS patients treated with oral steroids for relapses, 39% reported no change or a worsening of symptoms following treatment.... [Read More]

Early MRI predicts 5-year response in MS

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:09:00 EDT

MRI scans taken one year after starting disease-modifying therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were strongly predictive of outcomes after five years, an Italian researcher said here.

The nonresponder rate at five years was nearly twice as high among patients in a retrospective study whose one-year MRI scans showed more than two gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions (32% versus 18%, P=0.009), according to Marzia Romeo, MD, of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan.

Other significant early predictors of nonresponse in the 668-patient study included being a woman, having high disability scores, and having multifocal brain lesions, Romeo reported at the joint meeting of the European and American Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.... [Read More]

Botox cuts MS-related arm tremors

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:29:00 EDT

Injections of botulinum toxin A (Botox) were a significant help to multiple sclerosis patients whose disease causes arm tremors, according to a small study reported here.

In a placebo-controlled crossover trial involving 25 patients, Botox injected into the affected muscles significantly improved the tremors, said Anneke van der Walt, MBChB, of Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia.

The treatment also allowed many of the patients to again perform simple activities such as handwriting and drinking from open cups that the tremors had made difficult or impossible, van der Walt told attendees at the joint meeting of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.... [Read More]

Case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after discontinuation of natalizumab

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:57:00 EDT

Objective: To report on a case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) after natalizumab (NTZ) treatment discontinuation.

Case report: She is a 24-years-old woman who developed a very active multiple sclerosis in 1999 when she was 12. Between 2000 and 2004 she was treated with immunomodulants (GA and interferon) and XX underwent 3 cycles of Mithoxantrone for a cumulative dose of 45 mg. Then for continuous clinical and MRI activity she started natalizumab treatment in May 2007. During this therapy she did not have any disease activity and she had a very good quality of life.

In September 2010 she was tested for anti-JCV antibodies resulting positive.... [Read More]

Oral MS drug BG-12 significantly reduced MS relapses and disability progression

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:43:00 EDT

Biogen Idec BIIB today announced positive data from the Phase 3 DEFINE clinical trial of oral BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Results showed that 240 mg of BG-12, administered either twice a day (BID) or three times a day (TID), significantly reduced the proportion of patients who relapsed by 49 percent and 50 percent, respectively, at two years compared with placebo.

Detailed data from DEFINE will be presented at the 5th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS) in Amsterdam, including a platform presentation on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. CEST.... [Read More]

Tysabri PDUFA date extended by FDA

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:07:00 EDT

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the initial PDUFA date for its review of the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Tysabri(R) (natalizumab).

The sBLA was submitted in December 2010 to update the Prescribing Information for Tysabri to include anti-JC virus antibody status as a factor to help stratify the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in the Tysabri-treated population. The 3 month extension is a standard extension period.... [Read More]

Glatiramer acetate better than Interferon for MS fatigue

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:29:00 EDT

Glatiramer acetate (GA) reduces fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients more than interferon beta-1b (IFN-1b) after 1 year of treatment, according to a new study.

IFN-1b had no impact on two clinical measures of fatigue, while GA (Copaxone) reduced the score on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) by 20%, and the score on the Fatigue Descriptive Scale (FDS) by 34%, according to a study presented here at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis meeting.

Based on the results, the authors, Tatiana Shmidt and a colleague at the Kozhevnikov Clinic for Neurological Diseases in Moscow, Russia, concluded in their poster, "Copaxone is recommended as a first-line imunomodulating drug for patients with severe fatigue." The authors were unavailable for comment at press time.... [Read More]

Many people with MS report difficulty walking or maintaining balance

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:59:00 EDT

Walking difficulties or trouble with balance affect the majority of people with multiple sclerosis, and 70% of people with MS-related walking difficulties report that trouble walking is the most challenging aspect of MS. Yet, 40% of people with MS "rarely or never" discuss walking problems with their doctor, according to the results of a June 2011 survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and Acorda Therapeutics ®, Inc.

The results of the survey of more than 1200 adults living with MS were presented today at the 5th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands... [Read More]

Ocrelizumab shows effectiveness in Multiple Sclerosis

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:21:00 EDT

Roche Holding AG said Thursday that a phase II showed its experimental drug ocrelizumab maintained significant reduction in disease activity for multiple sclerosis patients for almost two years. Roche said phase III trials underway to investigate ocrelizumab in two forms of MS

96-week results from a phase II study of ocrelizumab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common clinical form of the disease. The study showed that the significant reduction in disease activity as measured by the total number of active brain lesions and relapses previously reported for 24 weeks, was maintained through 96 weeks.... [Read More]

Oral MS therapy Teriflunomide (Aubagio�*) significantly reduces relapses

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:03:00 EDT

Sanofi and its subsidiary Genzyme announced today new data from the pivotal TEriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Oral (TEMSO) Phase III trial showing that once-daily oral teriflunomide significantly reduced annualized rates of relapses leading to hospitalization. New data also confirmed the safety profile and efficacy of teriflunomide over a six-year period after the initial randomization.

A total of fifteen presentations on teriflunomide are on the program for the fifth joint triennial congress of the European and American Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS / ACTRIMS) in Amsterdam, Netherlands.... [Read More]

Copaxone demonstrates remyelination and neuroprotective effects

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:31:00 EDT

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced preclinical data demonstrating reparative and neuroprotective effects of treatment with Copaxone(R) (glatiramer acetate injection) in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models. In the study, researchers compared mice treated with Copaxone(R) versus non-treated mice in relapsing-remitting and chronic multiple sclerosis (MS) disease models. Researchers observed both remyelination indicative of repair and a drastic reduction of demyelination and axonal loss in mice treated with Copaxone(R).... [Read More]

Breakthrough in the development of possible therapy for MS

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:46:00 EDT

Multiple sclerosis and psoriasis are two of the most common autoimmune diseases. Most surprisingly, almost any therapy effective in one of the two diseases causes rather harm in the other, even though similar modes of inflammation underlie both diseases.

A research group of the Tübingen University Hospital studied a small, body-derived molecule called di-methyl fumarate (DMF), that is the first molecule improving both diseases psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. They found that this body-derived molecule strongly influences natures most potent immune stimulators, the dendritic cells that have recently been awarded by the Nobel Prize to Ralph Steinman.

Normally, dendritic cells should recognise danger caused by bacteria or viruses, alarm the immune system and raise protective responses.

Unfortunately, when fooled, dendritic cells induce by error immunity against the bodys own cells and start to destroy them.... [Read More]

Nutra Pharma receives patent for their Multiple Sclerosis drug

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:46:00 EDT

Nutra Pharma Corporation, a biotechnology company that is developing treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) and Pain, announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, ReceptoPharm, has received approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent describing the composition of matter and the use of neurotoxins for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

"This is the third patent to be issued to our ReceptoPharm subsidiary in the last 16 months," commented Rik J Deitsch, Chairman and CEO of Nutra Pharma Corporation. "These patents are key to the continuing development of our pipeline and provide the value for eventual commercialization of the technology or out-licensing of the drugs. We currently own or license twelve patents that protect a broad range of drug and medical device technologies," he explained.... [Read More]

Positive results from Phase 1B trial of possible MS drug AZ01

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:11:00 EDT

Allozyne, Inc. announced today positive initial results from its multiple ascending dose (MAD) phase IB trial for its lead product candidate, AZ01, a clinical stage, PEGylated form of human interferon beta-1b for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). "We are very encouraged by the MAD study results, which demonstrate AZ01's potential for monthly dosing. AZ01 has the potential to fill an unmet need for MS patients who continue to place high priority on safe, convenient and effective treatment options for this chronic and debilitating disease," said Meenu Chhabra, Allozyne's CEO. ... [Read More]

Laquinimod demonstrates its potential as a new oral MS treatment (ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS)

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:38:00 EDT

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Active Biotech today announced the presentation of Phase III clinical and pre-clinical data, which collectively demonstrate that once-daily oral laquinimod modulates the pathological processes of multiple sclerosis to impact disease activity, disability progression and brain volume loss.

The data will be featured in more than 20 scientific posters and presentations this week at the 5th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands... [Read More]

Early use and long-term benefit of Tysabri (ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS)

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:21:00 EDT

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc today announced 28 company-supported Tysabri ® (natalizumab) presentations at the 5 th Joint Triennial Congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS), held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Key data indicated patients on Tysabri experienced reduced annualized relapse rates (ARR), particularly in those treated with Tysabri early in the course of their disease. Data also indicated a long-term benefit for patients who had achieved freedom from disease activity early in their treatment course. Data from a separate study showed Tysabri-treated patients experienced improved incontinence-related quality of life (QOL). Additional data sets were presented further supporting Biogen Idec´s and Elan´s efforts to stratify the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Tysabri-treated patients.... [Read More]

MS patients to be given vitamin D to test sun's effect on the condition

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:32:00 EDT

Patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis are to be given vitamin D supplements as part of a trial to determine if a lack of sunshine may contribute to the illness.

It has long been noted that incidences of MS increase the further away from the equator people are, although doctors are not sure whether the reasons are environmental or genetic, or a combination of both.

A previous study examined discrepancies between MS rates in Donegal, which has some of the lowest sunshine levels in Ireland and has high rates of MS, and Wexford, which is the sunniest part of the country and has lower levels of the disease. The study concluded that sunshine may play a role, but it may also be down to genetics.

Consultant neurologist Dr Chris McGuigan, who works in St Vincent’s Hospital, said the study, which is scheduled to begin before the end of the year, will be carried out to see if vitamin D supplementation can stop the next “event” or seizure.... [Read More]

Shift work may put teens at risk of Multiple Sclerosis

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:58:00 EDT

Working overnight or odd shifts may increase teenagers’ risk of developing multiple sclerosis, according to the results of an observational study.

Researchers from Sweden who uncovered the link said interruption of circadian rhythms and disruption of normal sleep patterns may be partially responsible for the added risk.

In conducting the study, published in the Oct. 18 issue of Annals of Neurology, researchers examined two population-based studies of Swedish residents aged 16 to 70 (one with incident cases and one with prevalent cases) to compare the number of cases of multiple sclerosis among those who did and did not work overnight or shift hours on a regular or alternating basis during their teens.... [Read More]