Stem cell transplants may halt progression of multiple sclerosis

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MS DIGEST – Dec. 29, 2014 – MS patients who underwent stem cell transplants had sustained remission of their active relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and had improvements in nerve function three after the procedure, researchers report.

The study called Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (HALT-MS) study was designed to look at the safety and effectiveness of treating MS patients with high-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed by an infusion of their on blood-making stem cells. The report was published online in JAMA Neurology.

Early results show little effect for Gilenya on progressive MS

MS DIGEST – Dec. 1, 2014 – Novartis today announced disappointing results for the largest clinical trial ever conducted for treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS).

The INFORMS clinical trial is a Phase III clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of the drug Gilenya (fingolimod) to placebo in reducing the risk of three-month sustained disability progression based on standardized tests. The study, which began in 2008, enrolled 970 people aged 25-69 years with PPMS from 148 sites, across 18 countries.

Promising drug may repair nerve damage from MS

Seema K. Tiwari-Woodruff is the senior author of the
study showing results for a promising MS drug

MS DIGEST – Dec. 1, 2014 – Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have tested a new drug that promises to repair the damage to nerves from multiple sclerosis. Their findings appear in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.