Category Archives: MS Treatment

BUFFALO - A local study of the safety and efficacy of angioplasty to treat multiple sclerosis has found that the intervention, sometimes called "liberation therapy," did not improve patient outcomes and, in a few cases, made symptoms worse. Buffalo researchers say the trial is the first rigorous study of angioplasty for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI, a treatment that has gained worldwide attention since 2009 when an Italian researcher, Dr. Paolo Zamboni, found a relationship between MS and signs of abnormal blood drainage in veins. The theory upset current thinking on MS, a disease thought to be the result of an abnormal immune system attacking the brain, nerves and spinal cord. Some doctors rushed to perform balloon angioplasty or place stents in veins to reduce MS symptoms, even though the theory remained unproven and Zamboni's work involved few patients and was uncontrolled, meaning there was not another group studied to compare results. University at Buffalo researchers will present their findings March 20 at the annual American Academy of Neurology meeting in San Diego. The study's key finding is that while the treatment is safe and was not necessarily associated with serious adverse events, it did not provide sustained improvement … Continue reading →

PLEASANTON, Calif. and ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Thoratec Corporation (THOR), a world leader in device-based mechanical circulatory support (MCS) therapies to save, support and restore failing hearts, and the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, a leader in cardiac care, today announced a major milestone in the treatment of heart failure. Joe Ann Bivins, 68, of Detroit, Michigan, has been supported for the longest reported period of time on a single heart assist device. The device, the HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), supplements her heart's pumping function and allows her to live her life virtually free from the symptoms of heart failure. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130319/SF79560) Joe Ann was implanted in July 2005 at the University of Michigan, early in the HeartMate II pivotal clinical trial. Now at nearly eight years of support, Joe Ann exemplifies the life-improving benefits of LVAD therapy for heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, there are approximately 5.8 million individuals living with chronic heart failure in the United States, many of whom may face a similar decision to the one made by Joe Ann almost eight years ago. Joe Ann's heart had become too weak to adequately pump blood, leaving her … Continue reading →

TORONTO A small clinical trial of the so-called liberation treatment for multiple sclerosis has found that the intervention did not improve patients symptoms and in some cases even made their disease worse. The University of Buffalo study of 30 MS patients concluded that the treatment which unblocks neck veins to improve blood drainage from the brain is safe. But researchers say the procedure showed no benefit on numerous measures of symptoms, disease progression and quality of life. As well, MRI scans showed some patients had increased brain lesions, one of the hallmarks of the progressive neurological disease, after undergoing the vein-opening procedure. What we found was rather surprising and unexpected, said neurosurgeon Dr. Adnan Siddiqui, co-principal investigator of the pilot study. It was quite the opposite of what we originally expected to find. The study showed that endovascular treatment of stenosed (blocked) veins had no effect in MS patients. Despite the findings, both Saskatchewan and Health Canada said Friday they are going ahead with separate trials to determine whether the experimental treatment for MS has any validity. The idea was first put forward by Italian vascular surgeon Paulo Zamboni, who hypothesized in 2009 that narrowed and twisted veins in the … Continue reading →

By Dow Jones Business News, March 20, 2013, 08:05:00 AM EDT By Saabira Chaudhuri Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ) said it has seen positive results from the first year of a two-year late-stage study of its investigational candidate for a type of multiple sclerosis. Biogen said results from its two-year pivotal Phase 3 "Advance" study of Plegridy, its investigational candidate for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis dosed once every two weeks or every four weeks, indicate that Plegridy significantly reduced multiple sclerosis disease activity, including relapses, disability progression and brain lesions, compared with placebo at one year. "These full first-year results provide a more complete picture of Plegridy and its positive effects on the reduction of relapse, disability progression and lesion development," said Peter Calabresi, director at the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center. "These data suggest that, if approved, Plegridy may offer the benefit of a less frequent dosing schedule, which would be a meaningful advance for people living with multiple sclerosis." Plegridy--also called peginterferon beta-1a--met the primary endpoint of reducing annualized relapse rate at one year by 36% compared with placebo. It also met its secondary endpoint, reducing the proportion of patients who relapsed by 39% compared with placebo. Additionally, … Continue reading →

TORONTO A small clinical trial of the so-called liberation treatment for multiple sclerosis found that the intervention did not improve patients symptoms and in some cases even made their disease worse, researchers say. The University of Buffalo study of 30 MS patients found that the treatment which involves unblocking neck veins to improve blood drainage from the brain is safe. But the procedure had no benefit for patients symptoms, disease progression or quality of life measures. As well, MRI scans showed some patients had increased brain lesions, one of the hallmarks of the progressive neurological disease, after undergoing the vein-opening procedure, said neurosurgeon Dr. Adnan Siddiqui, co-principal investigator of the pilot study. What we found was rather surprising and unexpected, said Siddiqui. It was quite the opposite of what we originally expected to find. The study showed that endovascular treatment of stenosed (blocked) veins had no effect in MS patients. Italian vascular surgeon Paulo Zamboni proposed in 2009 that a condition he dubbed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency might be a cause of MS. Zamboni suggested that opening up neck and chest veins with balloon angioplasty, the same procedure used to unblock coronary arteries, could help relieve symptoms and might even … Continue reading →

MS Help support MS awareness. By: Megan Komp … Continue reading →

Basel, March 13, 2013 - New data will be presented at the 65th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) that show continued innovation within the Novartis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) portfolio[1]. Growing clinical trial and real-world experience with Gilenya (fingolimod), the first once-daily oral therapy approved to treat people with relapsing MS (RMS),will be highlighted[2-7]. Updates on studies of Gilenya in people with primary-progressive MS (PPMS)[8] and the investigational agent BAF312 (siponimod) in people with secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) will also be communicated[9]. "Novartis is pleased to present new data that underscore Gilenya`s pioneering role in the treatment of MS," said Dr. Timothy Wright, Global Head Development, Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG. "These results, as well as updates on our investigational MS compound BAF312 (siponimod) show that we are making real progress in our commitment to address unmet medical need in MS and to provide a treatment at every stage of the disease." Data from three large Phase III studies will highlight the efficacy of Gilenya in reducing the rate of brain volume loss[2], the best characterized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predictor of long-term disability. There will also be a presentation on the INFORMS study, which is evaluating Gilenya in patients … Continue reading →

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American Academy of Neurology hosts the largest North American gathering of MS researchers San Diego, CA (PRWEB) March 12, 2013 The AAN meeting will be held March 16-23 and is the largest gathering of neurologists in North America. The AAN meeting gives us a preview of the latest MS research, says Anne St-Michel, publisher of MSology. Its an important event and were going to provide the most extensive on-site news coverage. We need to provide up-to-date information to the hundreds of people who access MSology every day. MSology debuted last year as a free information site offering the latest research news on MS, tips on living with the disease, and practical advice to help in making decisions. The website also provides in-depth articles, such as the recent piece addressing whether injectable therapies will continue to be used as more oral and infusion drugs become available to treat MS. New MS research will be presented on four key days, and MSology will be on hand in San Diego, CA, to provide daily coverage. MSology Editor Steven Manners will also Tweet throughout the conference on MSologys Twitter account (@MSology). We need to bring home the important information about new MS research to … Continue reading →

MS Awareness Week March 11 - 17, 2013 Every Connection Counts at MSconnection.org NEW YORK, March 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Multiple sclerosis is a life altering disease that affects each person in a unique and different way. MS destroys connections, divides minds from bodies, pulls people from their lives and away from one another. Millions of people are affected by MS worldwide. There is no cure. Therefore, it's only fitting that connections would be its greatest enemy. As more connections are formed, more knowledge is shared, more questions are asked, more resources are gathered, and more hope is provided to help people living with MS move their lives forward. Every connection counts. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090302/DC77093LOGO) Connect during MS Awareness Week March 11-17People impacted by MS are connecting across the nation during Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week March 11 17 to combine their efforts, knowledge and hope in order to move us closer to a world free of multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society is a prominent force in forging connections among people with MS, their friends and family who raise awareness and funds; health professionals who treat those with MS; and, researchers who work to stop the disease, restore the function it … Continue reading →