Research News | MS Trust - Information, education, research and support

Pfizer set to spend $100 million on new stem cell research unit

17 November 2008

Pfizer has announced plans to set up a research unit with bases on both sides of the Atlantic which will investigate the therapeutic use of stem cells. More...

NHS medical research plan threatens patient privacy

17 November 2008

Chair of data watchdog warns new proposal is 'ethically unacceptable'. More...

Environment causes increase in multiple sclerosis among women only

17 November 2008

Gender has become a dominant factor in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) during the last decades. Already with a ratio of 3.2 to 1 MS is gradually changing into a disease predominantly among women. More...

In the war against diseases, nerve cells need their armor

12 November 2008

Scientists find key step in maintaining myelin More...

Personal rehab helpful for multiple sclerosis

12 November 2008

Results of a study in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry suggest that an individualized rehabilitation program effectively reduces disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). More...

Only half of patients with multiple sclerosis achieve and maintain response to interferon treatment

11 November 2008

Regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluations show that only about half of patients with multiple sclerosis achieve and sustain a response to treatment with interferon beta over three years, according to a study posted online today that will appear in the January 2009 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. More...

Neuron gene linked to multiple sclerosis: study

09 November 2008

A newly-discovered genetic flaw may lay the nervous system open to assault from the body's own immune system, leading to multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published Sunday. More...

Virtual reality helps MS patients regain stability while walking

04 November 2008

Studies performed over the last few years show many Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients no longer have to live with a meandering or unsteady gait caused by their disease. More...

Comorbidity related to disability in multiple sclerosis

30 October 2008

Both diagnostic delay and disability at diagnosis are influenced by comorbidity among multiple sclerosis patients, and these relationships need to undergo further study, according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Neurology. More...

Biogen reports brain infection in one more multiple sclerosis patient

30 October 2008

Drug developer Biogen Idec Inc Wednesday reported in a regulatory filing that a multiple sclerosis patient who was being treated with the company's Tysabri in the commercial setting in the US developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML. More...

Biogen reports another Tysabri brain disease case

29 October 2008

Biogen Idec Inc said on Wednesday that it has notified regulators of a new case of a potentially deadly brain disease in a multiple sclerosis patient being treated with Tysabri in the United States. More...

Multiple sclerosis disease activity reduced after taking oral fumarate

25 October 2008

An article published in The Lancet reports successful results from a phase II trial for oral fumarate (BG00012). More...

Oral fumarate reduces disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and phase III results now awaited

23 October 2008

A phase II trial has shown oral fumarate (BG00012) substantially reduces the MRI-disease activity associated with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and the results of phase III studies are now awaited. More...

Drug reboots immune system to reverse MS

23 October 2008

For the first time, a drug has successfully reversed nerve and brain damage from multiple sclerosis, trial data suggests. More...

Major step towards treating multiple sclerosis as trials show drug reverses effects of disease

23 October 2008

Treatment could be licensed as early as 2010. Scans show brain repair in early-stage patients. More...

Drug can reverse the effects of MS

23 October 2008

Discovery is hailed as breakthrough in treatment of debilitating condition. More...

New drug raises hope of reversing multiple sclerosis in early stages

23 October 2008

A step change in the treatment of multiple sclerosis is heralded today by the first study to suggest that a drug can stop the disease in its tracks and even reverse its progress. More...

Alemtuzumab (Campath) trial results

23 October 2008

The MS Trust welcomes the publication of the alemtuzumab (Campath) trial results and look forward to the results of the larger trials that are currently getting underway. More...

Leukemia drug shows great results vs. multiple sclerosis

22 October 2008

A leukemia-fighting drug shows great promise in combating multiple sclerosis, researchers at the University of Cambridge in England said today. More...

Avigen announces AV650 did not meet efficacy endpoints in phase 2b clinical trial for spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis

21 October 2008

Avigen, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company innovating therapeutics for neurological care, today announced that the top-line data from its Phase 2b study of AV650 (tolperisone HCl) for the treatment of spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) did not achieve statistical significance on its primary endpoint of a reduction from baseline of patients' Ashworth scores as compared to placebo. More...

Response to immune protein determines pathology of multiple sclerosis

13 October 2008

New research may help reveal why different parts of the brain can come under attack in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). More...

Neurotransmitter defect may trigger autoimmune disease

08 October 2008

A potentially blinding neurological disorder, often confused with multiple sclerosis (MS), has now become a little less mysterious. More...

MS neuro-rehabilitation researcher recognised in new directory

08 October 2008

The MS Trust welcomes the inclusion of Professor Alan Thompson in a new directory of top health and social care researchers in the UK. More...

Veterans' MS study awaits Bush sign-off

06 October 2008

The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, now awaiting President Bush's signature, contains a provision to determine whether veterans of the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and of post-9/11 wars are at increased risk for multiple sclerosis. More...

Fast-track cancer test unveiled by Yorkshire team

01 October 2008

TESTING for diseases including cancer and multiple sclerosis could soon be as simple as using a pregnancy test kit, Yorkshire scientists claim today. More...

Sativex phase III MS spasticity study completes patient recruitment

01 October 2008

GW Pharmaceuticals plc announces that it has completed patient recruitment into its Sativex Phase III MS Spasticity trial. More...

Suspicious immune molecule elevated in MS patients

30 September 2008

A protein that helps keep immune cells quiet is more abundant in the spinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), further boosting suspicion that the protein, TREM-2, may be an important contributor to the disease. More...

New web resource about medicines

26 September 2008

From today, people can access a new authoritative source of information on the Internet about medicines. More...

Disease modifying drugs tie for efficacy in multiple sclerosis: presented at ANA

24 September 2008

The different disease-modifying drugs available on the market for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) result in similar rates of disease relapse when examined over the long term, according to a retrospective chart review. More...

Sustained-release fampridine improves walking and leg strength in patients with multiple sclerosis: presented at WCTRMS

22 September 2008

Sustained-release fampridine improves walking and leg strength in patients with multiple sclerosis, according to data from a phase 3 study presented here at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (WCTRMS). More...

ATL/TV1102 trial results presented at WCTRIMS

22 September 2008

ATL/TV1102 significantly reduced disease activity in patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study. More...

More patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis are disease-free with natalizumab: Presented at WCTRMS

21 September 2008

Natalizumab significantly increases the proportion of disease-free patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with placebo over 2 years, according to study results presented here at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (WCTRMS). More...

Intramuscular interferon beta-1a reduces disability progression and improves quality of life in relapsing multiple sclerosis: presented at WCTRMS

20 September 2008

Patients who have been taking intramuscular interferon beta-1a for as many as 15 years have significantly better quality-of-life scores and less long-term disability than patients on other disease-modifying therapies, according to a study presented here at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (WCTRMS). More...

Lack of vitamin D linked to multiple sclerosis

20 September 2008

Children later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis had far lower levels of vitamin D than other youngsters, Canadian researchers reported yesterday in studies showing more links between the "sunshine" vitamin and disease. More...

Glatiramer acetate decreases severity of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: presented at WCTRMS

20 September 2008

Glatiramer acetate has been shown to be efficacious in several outcomes among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) when a scale other than the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used, according to research presented here at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (WCTRMS). More...

Oral Trimesta phase IIa clinical and preclinical findings presented at WCTRIMS

19 September 2008

New findings from a phase IIa clinical trial results using estriol for the treatment of multiple sclerosis More...

MS pill found to slow damage

19 September 2008

Biogen Idec Inc's experimental pill to treat multiple sclerosis prevented brain lesions associated with the disease from getting worse, a study found. More...

Red wine molecule might battle MS

19 September 2008

Resveratrol, the compound in red wine that previous research has linked to longevity, has shown promise in an animal model of multiple sclerosis. More...

Opexa shares lose most of value on study data

19 September 2008

Opexa Therapeutics Inc said Friday its lead drug candidate [Tovaxin] aimed at treating multiple sclerosis failed to meet its main goal in a midstage study, sending shares in a nosedive to an all-time low. More...

Long-term studies of Avonex, Copaxone

19 September 2008

New results from studies that looked at long term use of Avonex (Interferon beta-1a) and Copaxone (Glatiramer Acetate) showed that on average both stabilized or reduced disability. More...

New data presented at WCTRIMS supports the importance of early and sustained treatment with Betaseron

19 September 2008

Earlier treatment initiation and longer exposure to Betaseron was associated with improved long-term outcomes in multiple sclerosis. More...

Tysabri PML patient deteriorates - researcher

19 September 2008

One European Tysabri PML patient near coma - Other patient identified in July recovering - Biogen says no new PML cases confirmed More...

Laquinimod shows significant and sustained impact on multiple sclerosis disease activity - quick facts

18 September 2008

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd said Thursday that new data from the extension phase of oral laquinimod in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis showed a significant reduction in the mean number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions in both patients who switched from placebo to laquinimod and patients who continued with their initial laquinimod dose. More...

Atlas of MS rolls out, and World Congress of MS rolls on, with new data on repairing MS damage and new therapeutic approaches

18 September 2008

The Atlas of MS, providing data on MS around the world, was introduced on the second day of the first World Congress on Treatment and Research in MS, along with novel strategies to repair MS damage, new data on children with MS, and updates on alternative interventions. More...

World Congress on multiple sclerosis kicks off: young researchers report on MS from around the world

17 September 2008

Nearly 5200 clinicians, clinical researchers and basic scientists have gathered in Montreal, Quebec, from around to world to kick off the first World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, the largest international conference on MS research and treatment in 2008. More...

How scientists linked sunshine, diet and disease

14 September 2008

The evidence that points unerringly to a link between vitamin D and Scotland's health statistics can be traced back to a journey undertaken in 1977 by two young Americans, Frank and Cedric Garland, who were studying cancer. More...

Sexy impulses: treating multiple sclerosis with hormones

09 September 2008

Hormones increasingly are shown to affect brain functions, and now they may battle MS symptoms, too. More...

Meat, fish and milk 'protect against memory loss'

09 September 2008

A diet rich in fish, meat and milk could help to protect against memory loss in old age, a new study has shown. More...

Cannabis-based drug shows long-term efficacy

08 September 2008

GW Pharmaceuticals plc announced on Monday that a study of its cannabis-based pain killer Sativex has shown long-term efficacy in the treatment of neuropathic pain due to multiple sclerosis. More...

MS world first in NZ study

01 September 2008

New Zealand has become the first country in the world to fully research the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) over an entire country. More...

Tysabri patients recovering after infection

27 August 2008

Two Tysabri patients with brain infection now recovering - Cases show need for vigilance, no need to change use, researcher says More...

Study highlights link between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis

23 August 2008

Vitamin D, the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may prevent the production of malignant cells such as breast and prostate cancer cells and protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS) according to an article by Sylvia Christakos, PhD, of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. More...

£1m new funding for world's first end of life care research institute

22 August 2008

Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis today announced a £1millon grant to help build the world's first purpose-built institute for research into end of life care. More...