MS News Today

Study Finds that most neurologists plan to prescribe oral MS drugs when approved this year

caroline — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:33:02 +0000

Majestic Research Study Indicates that Neurologists’ Apprehension Regarding Side Effects Won’t Stop Them from Prescribing New Oral MS Drugs, but Concerns Will Likely Relegate Their Use to Second- or Third-Line Therapy

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In a study published this week by Majestic Research, almost 60% of neurologists expressed unaided concern about the side effects/safety of oral MS therapies in development, including NVS’s Gilenia and MRK/EMD Serono’s oral cladribine. Despite their concerns, the vast majority of neurologists expect to prescribe these drugs if they are approved, as the new oral MS therapies are expected to be highly efficacious and more convenient for patients than available injectable therapies.

View full post here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100901006760/en

JK Rowling Gives £10 Million For MS Clinic

caroline — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:18:25 +0000

The author JK Rowling has donated £10m to set up a clinic to research treatments for multiple sclerosis, the degenerative disease that killed her mother at the age of 45, it was announced today.

The Anne Rowling regenerative neurology clinic, which will be based at the University of Edinburgh, will carry out research into a range of degenerative neurological conditions and diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntingdon’s and motor neurone disease.

View full post here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/31/jk-rowling-donation-multiple-sclerosis?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Sanofi’s Teriflunomide Shows Promise for RRMS

caroline — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:55:07 +0000

Sanofi-aventis (NYSE:SNY) recently announced clinical success with teriflunomide, the investigational drug it is developing for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). This announcement followed a 2-year clinical trial, in which teriflunomide was found to significantly improve the annualized relapse rate (ARR) of RMS in a group patients receiving the orally administered teriflunomide, when compared to a patients who were on a placebo. It was also announced that a 7mg as well as a 14mg dose of teriflunomide were well tolerated by patients.

View full post here: http://starglobaltribune.com/2010/multiple-sclerosis-new-teriflunomide-treatment-finds-clinical-success-1349

Quebec willing to test MS treatment

caroline — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:36:06 +0000

A call for a national trial of a controversial M-S treatment has gained support.

Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc says the province would be willing to join a national clinical trial of the so-called liberation procedure.

The treatment is based on an unproven theory that blocked veins in the neck or spinal cord are to blame for M-S, a chronic disease of the nervous system.

View full post here: http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100818/mtl_ms_100818/20100818/?hub=MontrealHome

‘Placebo effect’ a concern with CCSVI

caroline — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:59:53 +0000

Canadians experts say they fear stories of miraculous results from a controversial new MS treatment could be more about the “placebo effect” than an actual breakthrough — fears given new credence by two discouraging new European studies.

“I appreciate what people are going through — living with MS can be a terrible thing and they are anxious to pursue any treatment possibilities, but that has to be balanced against ensuring that the treatment actually works,” Dr. Jon Stoessl says.

New research fails to support CCSVI theory

caroline — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:56:45 +0000

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) — An emerging hypothesis suggests that the demyelination of cerebral veins that characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS) may be caused by chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), but research published in the August issue of the Annals of Neurology does not concur with the hypothesis.

Peter Sundström, M.D., of Umea University in Sweden, and colleagues assessed blood flow in the internal carotid arteries, vertebral arteries, and internal jugular veins (IJV) in 21 patients with MS and 20 healthy controls to test the vascular MS hypothesis. They found no significant differences between patients and controls in either total IJV blood flow or the amount of cerebral blood flow returning.

View full post here: http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/Causal-Hypothesis-for-Multiple-Sclerosis-Challenge/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/682069?contextCategoryId=40133

FDA Grants Cladribine Priority Review

caroline — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:30:21 +0000

July 28 (Bloomberg) — Merck KGaA said U.S. regulators granted the cladribine multiple sclerosis pill priority review, reducing to six months from 10 the time it will take the Food and Drug Administration to decide on approval.

The regulator is expected to rule on the treatment in the fourth quarter, the Darmstadt-based maker of drugs and chemicals said in a statement on its website today.

View full post here: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-28/merck-kgaa-says-fda-grants-cladribine-priority-review.html

If caught early, Tysabri-PML not fatal for MS patients

caroline — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:28:51 +0000

Alexandra Schroder, M.D., the lead investigator from Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany points out that this is different for those who don’t have multiple sclerosis (MS) and get PML.

PML, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is a rare, always serious and often fatal disease that damages the white matter of the brain at multiple locations. It is caused by the activation of the JC virus (which is normally present but kept under control by the immune system) by immmunosupressive drugs such as natalizumab (Tysabri).

View full post here: http://www.examiner.com/x-32750-Lima-Multiple-Sclerosis-Examiner~y2010m7d22-If-caught-early-NatalizumabPML-not-fatal-for-multiple-sclerosis-patients

EX-US: First Oral Approved for PWMS: Cladribine approved in RUSSIA

caroline — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:01:47 +0000

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today that the Russian Federal Service on Surveillance in Healthcare and Social Development has become the first government agency to grant marketing approval to Cladribine Tablets for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Cladribine Tablets will be available in Russia under the trade name Movectro(R).

“This approval for Cladribine Tablets means that people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Russia will benefit soon from this effective oral treatment”, said Elmar Schnee, President of Merck Serono. “This is an important milestone reinforcing Merck Serono’s leadership position and ongoing commitment to fight against the devastating disease of multiple sclerosis. We expect other regulatory approvals in the near future.”

View full post here: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=291909

Genmab reports positive interim results from Phase II MS trial

caroline — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:37:41 +0000

Jul 07, 2010 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) –

Genmab, a biotechnology company, has announced positive interim results from an ofatumumab Phase II safety and pharmacokinetics study in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, or RRMS.

The double blind, randomized, dose-escalation trial included a total of 38 patients, of which 12 patients received placebo and 26 patients received ofatumumab intravenously. Patients were treated with ofatumumab at the dose levels of 100mg, 300mg or 700mg and followed for 24 weeks. There were no dose limiting toxicities, no unexpected safety findings and the rates of infection were comparable between the groups.

View full post here: http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/gnmbf_genmab-reports-positive-interim-results-from-phase-ii-multiple-sclerosis-trial-1026258.html

Is There a Link Between Depression and MS?

caroline — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:49:58 +0000

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that steadily erodes the ability for nerve cells to communicate and this leads to all kinds of neurological symptoms, often slowly progressing to severe cognitive and physical disability.

View full post here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=the-connection-between-multiple-scl-10-07-03

Progressive forms of MS may have new and viable treatment options

caroline — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:17:27 +0000

Dr. Saud A Sadiq, of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York (MSRCNY), has this to say about their new findings, “We have opened an avenue of treatment for an otherwise untreatable form of MS. This is exciting news because it’s the first time a treatment has been shown to be effective in the late stages/progressive forms of MS.“

The MSRCNY and the International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice (IMSMP) put together what is called a retrospective, open-label, chart review case study of MS patients and intrathecal methotrexate (ITMTX).

View full post here: http://www.examiner.com/x-32750-Lima-Multiple-Sclerosis-Examiner~y2010m7d1-Progressive-forms-of-Multiple-Sclerosis-may-have-new-and-viable-treatment-options

University of Buffalo to Conduct CCSVI Trial

caroline — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:19:21 +0000

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo medical researchers led by a team from the University at Buffalo Department of Neurosurgery, will embark on a landmark prospective randomized double-blinded study to test the safety and efficacy of interventional endovascular therapy –dubbed “liberation treatment” — on the symptoms and progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Recent research has strongly associated chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) with MS.

View full post here: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/11500

Food for thought: Clean eating to control disease progression?

caroline — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:12:22 +0000

IOWA CITY – Ten years ago, doctors diagnosed Dr. Terry Wahls with a progressive form of multiple sclerosis.

Traditional treatments didn’t slow her decline. Then, back fatigue forced her to use a wheelchair.

”I was very depressed,” Wahls said. “It was clear that I was getting progressively weaker, I ultimately would’ve been bed-ridden.”

View full post here: http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/97010634.html

Abbott enters final clinical trial of MS drug

caroline — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:57:28 +0000

Abbott Laboratories and its Massachusetts biotech partner have launched a final-stage clinical trial of their experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis.

The first of an eventual 1,500 patients needed worldwide was enrolled last month in the U.S. The drug, daclizumab, is being developed for monthly injection under the patient’s skin by North Chicago-based Abbott and Cambridge-based Biogen Idec.

View full post here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0624-notebook-health-20100623,0,1354359.story

Sativex Launched in UK

caroline — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:46:23 +0000

LONDON—A drug manufactured from cannabis went on sale in the U.K. Monday as a treatment for symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Sativex, which is made from cannabis plants grown at secret locations in England by developer GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, is the first prescription drug made from cannabis to officially go on sale anywhere in the world. It offers legal access to the beneficial effects of an illegal drug that thousands of multiple-sclerosis sufferers have smoked in an attempt to relieve their pain.

It is also a boon for small U.K. drug developers, which have struggled in recent years to win investor confidence—and funding—because of setbacks in clinical trials of their experimental medicines.

View full post here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704895204575320392868152692.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Cannabis spray approved in Britain to relieve spasticity in PWMS

caroline — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:21:41 +0000

LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) – GW Pharmaceuticals Plc’s (GWP.L) cannabis-derived medicine Sativex has been approved in Britain for treating spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis, in a landmark decision for the small drugmaker.

The much-delayed product was finally granted a British licence on Thursday, an official from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) told Reuters on Friday.

View full post here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE65H1C920100618

Mental activity can protect memory of PWMS

caroline — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:30:13 +0000

A mentally active lifestyle may protect against the memory and learning problems that often occur in multiple sclerosis (MS), says a new study.

“Many people with MS struggle with learning and memory problems. This study shows that a mentally active lifestyle might reduce the harmful effects of brain damage on learning and memory. That is, learning and memory ability remained quite good in people with enriching lifestyles, even if they had a lot of brain damage (brain atrophy on brain scans).

View full post here: http://sify.com/news/mental-activity-can-protect-memory-of-patients-with-multiple-sclerosis-news-international-kgppOfchjec.html

CCSVI to cure MS? My arm needs a little more twisting…

caroline — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:52:52 +0000

People with multiple sclerosis should be able to have surgery on blocked neck veins as part of a clinical trial, says the Italian doctor who pioneered what has become known as the liberation therapy.

Biogen Idec Announces Enrollment of First Patient in Phase II BG-12 Combination Trial in MS

caroline — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:43:34 +0000

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jun 15, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Biogen Idec /quotes/comstock/15*!biib/quotes/nls/biib (BIIB 48.16, +0.04, +0.08%) today announced enrollment of the first patient in a multicenter Phase II clinical trial designed to evaluate its investigational oral therapy BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) in combination with commonly used first-line treatments in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The trial, called EXPLORE, will evaluate the safety and tolerability of BG-12 when administered with beta interferons (IFNB) or glatiramer acetate (GA) to patients who continue to have evidence of disease activity despite receiving consistent monotherapy for at least a year. Efficacy endpoints will also be assessed in a subset of patients.

View full post here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/biogen-idec-announces-enrollment-of-first-patient-in-phase-ii-bg-12-combination-trial-in-multiple-sclerosis-2010-06-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp