Wow! Now this is exciting! If you suffer from multiple sclerosis or know someone who does, this is the kind of news we've been waiting to hear! According to this article Accentia Drug First Aimed at 'Curing' MS, which was published by United Press International, Accentia Biopharmaceuticals is planning to seek permission from the FDA for Phase 3 trials of its new drug Revimmune. According to the article, studies done at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine showed a 42% average improvement in function in those patients, with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Accentia says that the investigational drug "holds the potential to restore function in many patients who have accute deficits due to MS". With the recent story on genes being connected to MS being found, and now this, MS research seems to be taking a big jump forward lately. Hopefully, this is the type of research that we've been hoping for! — Vince

Why Memory Fades with Age

Interesting work that might help explain some memory issues in MS, even though it isn't MS research.

Previous research has shown that bundles of axons wither over time. These conduits, collectively referred to as white matter, help connect different regions of the brain to allow for proper information processing.

Now, researchers have found that white matter naturally degrades as we agecausing disrupted communication between brain regions and memory deficits.

Man stopped for speeding in wheelchair

The subject says it all. Now that's a ticket I'd be proud to get.

Another ECTRIMS summary

This one is on Medscape (free registration required). You'll find an interview with Dr. Mark Freedman, overviews of some of the topics presented (new treatment results, quality of life issues, use of MRI and other diagnostic tools, etc.), and a compilation of specific treatment-related news stories that came out of the conference.

Accelerated Cure Project Intro and Appeal Video

Alan Weinberg, a volunteer with a video production company, pulled together this excellent video for the Accelerated Cure Project to use as an introduction and an appeal. So if you'd like to introduce a friend to our organization, forward them the link.

Skin Patch for "Smart" Drug Delivery

We're always looking for new ways to deliver drugs, other than injection. Hewlett-Packard and Crospon have develepoed a new technology in a patch that can effectively do micro-injections to deliver drugs. They don't mention MS specifically, but it would be great if they could replace daily injections with a patch like this. Pictures here.

How does a stem cell become a treatment?

Stem cells hold much promise for being able to treat degenerative diseases like MS. We post about advances in stem cell research on MSNews all the time. But we also caution that treatments may be quite a ways away. This article covers some of the issues involved in going from stem cells to treatments.

Blood drainage from brain impaired in MS

Abnormal blood flow into brain tissue (perfusion) has been previously documented in MS — both higher and lower blood flow into different tissue types have been reported. A new study now shows that blood drainage away from brain tissue is also abnormal in MS (see abstract or
full-text). This study used ultrasound to analyze blood flow through the deep middle cerebral veins and the transverse sinus in 89 people with MS and 60 normal controls. The technique assessed whether blood flowed out only, or both out and in, and how long any inward flow lasted. Only 20% of controls had any inward flow (this was through the transverse sinus only) compared with 65-81% of MS subjects. Furthermore, only 7% of the controls had "reflux" (inward flow lasting > 0.5 second) vs. 38-51% of the MS group.

Blood flow that is turbulent vs. smooth and single-direction can cause an inflammatory reaction in the blood vessel by upregulating adhesion molecules that facilitate the migration of T cells and other cells into the tissue. The authors suggest therefore that the source of this impaired blood flow be examined — does it start in the brain or is there also reduced blood flow downstream? If reduced flow is found only in the brain, it may be an effect of MS inflammation and neurodegeneration. However, if a reduction in blood flow downstream is in turn causing reflux in the brain, this downstream "back-up" may be a trigger for brain inflammation. The authors also suggest performing this study in subjects with other neurological disease to see whether or not these results are specific to MS.

Drug Companies and the Docs Who Speak for Them

This article is a bit long, and about depression rather than MS, but the topic is very relevant.

Here's an insider's view of what speaking as an MD for a pharma company is like and why it might unduly influence the doctor. This happens for most drugs, including the MS drugs, and it is probably worth reading it so you know what you are up against when you go to see these presentations.

 

1. What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease, that attacks the central nervous system, and can often be disabling to the victim.

2. How bad will my multiple sclerosis get and how fast will it progress?

The speed of progression, symptoms and the severity of the disease cannot be predicted since the disease is so variable from one person to the next.

3. How many people suffer from multiple sclerosis in the United States?

Approximately 350 Million people, in the United States alone, have multiple sclerosis.

4. How frequently is multiple diagnosed in the United States?

On average, about 200 new cases of multiple sclerosis are diagnosed, each week, in the United States.

5. What are some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

Symptoms are widely variable but include things like extreme fatigue, impaired vision, slurred speech, bad balance and coordination, bladder and bowel problems, trouble walking, muscle weakness and coordination issues, cognitive difficulties, depression, tremors and, in some cases, even partial or complete paralysis.

6. Is multiple sclerosis fatal? Will I die from multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is NOT a fatal disease. The average life expectancy for a person with MS is approximately 90% - 95% of the normal life span.

7. Will I need a wheelchair because of my multiple sclerosis? What about a cane or a walker?

Roughly 75% of people with multiple sclerosis never require a wheelchair. Approximately one third of the people with MS will eventually require some sort of walking aid though, such as a cane or a walker.

8. Can a family member get multiple sclerosis from me? Is multiple sclerosis contagious?

MS is not contagious and you cannot get MS from being around a person who has MS.

9. If I have multiple sclerosis, will my children also have multiple sclerosis? Is multiple sclerosis inherited?

MS is not inherited but if a family member has multiple sclerosis, your odds of getting it do increase.

10. How do you cure multiple sclerosis? Is there a cure for multiple sclerosis?

There is currently no cure for multiple sclerosis. Much research and study is underway to attempt to isolate a cure but that could still be many years off.

11. What drugs are used to treat multiple sclerosis?

The drugs that are aproved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, as of this writing, are Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, Rebif, Tysabri and Novantrone. These drugs are all aimed at slowing the progression of the disease. They do not treat the symptoms of the disease. Symptoms are treated with various drugs as needed to treat specific problems.