BioMS drug (dirucotide) fails mid-stage study

Reuters-UK
Fri Jan 30, 2009

TORONTO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - BioMS Medical Corp on Friday said its lead drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis failed to meet a main goal in a mid-stage study , sending the company's shares down more than 50 percent.

The small biotech said the study showed the drug did not prevent symptoms from coming back. People who took the drug were just as likely to have symptoms return after 15 months as patients who did not take it.

"We have long believed that the outcome of this study would be very uncertain, given that this trial was statistically underpowered and that the compound was not previously tested on humans for this indication," Maher Yaghi, an analyst at Desjardins Securities in Montreal, said in a research note.

The drug, which was being tested in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) did, however, show signs of slowing down the progression of the crippling disease.

"The results are more positive than negative," said Douglas Loe, an analyst at Versant Partners. "The aspects by which the drug did perform well in this trial are those that which are germane to performance in its pivotal secondary progressive MS trial, which is a separate clinical program."

Loe said that program is seen as key to partner Eli Lilly (LLY.N), which signed a licensing and development deal with BioMS in 2007.

Multiple sclerosis, a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the protective cover of the nerves, is one of the leading causes of neurological disability in young adults.

BioMS said it will continue to analyze the results of the mid-stage trial.

Dirucotide is also being studied in two late-stage trials -- in the United States and across Europe and Canada -- as a treatment for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).

This, Yaghi said, is where the company might find more success.

"The firm may benefit from the drug's potential in SPMS, given that the Phase III studies in this indication are more powered to detect significance (vs the RRMS study) and, in our view, have higher odds of success."

The drug had received fast-track status from U.S. health regulators for the SPMS indication last September, a designation that is reserved for products intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions with the potential to address unmet medical needs.

BioMS President and Chief Executive Kevin Giese shrugged off the stock performance on Friday.

"I think it is probably knee-jerk. People need to look at the data and see what it really says," Giese said. "Often, when people see the top headline that we failed to meet the primary end-point, they react to that without looking at what we were able to say.

Giese said the company and Lilly will continue to analyze the results of the trial, noting it should not affect its timetable for another trial in the second half of 2009, with an eye for approval in 2011 or 2012.

(Reporting by Scott Anderson, additional reporting by Vidya L Nathan in Bangalore; editing by Rob Wilson).

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============================================

John Hopkins Project Restore

Information provided by Kirstie in Miami


The people behind Project RESTORE - patients and their loved ones, physicians and researchers, board members and volunteers - believe that we are at the brink of a medical revolution in the diagnosis, treatment and ability to cure multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis and other neuroimmunological disorders. Watch and read more>>

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HOPKINS SCIENTISTS USE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS, NEW CUES TO AWAKEN LATENT MOTOR NERVE REPAIR

If you have questions about this research, please call 410.614.6651

June 20, 2006 -- In a dramatic display of stem cells’ potential for healing, a team of Johns Hopkins scientists reports that they’ve engineered new, completed, fully-working motor neuron circuits -- neurons stretching from spinal cord to target muscles -- in paralyzed adult animals.

» Read More

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Finding an MS Center Near You

The Information found here, is available at the National MS Society's Website:

Click this link to find the corresponding State (in the USA ) to find the clinical facilities that have collaborative agreements with the National MS Society. Each appropriate chapter clinical advisory committee, composed of MS experts, periodically reviews and approves the affiliations.

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Posting comments can be beneficial to others and it allows you to express yourself. If you have a question or statement, pertaining to this article, this is the place to leave it. Click the link below the article that reads: Post Comments. - Thank You
============================================

A Reader's comment on where to save on cost of Rx Medications

Dear Friends & Family:

If You Use A lot of prescription drugs you can see that having your prescription medications filled at

Costco Pharmacy should definitely save you a lot of money.

I actually experienced this price difference last year.

I know I have mentioned this fact to many of You that anyone can have prescriptions filled at

the Costco Pharmacy without having a membership to the store but once you are in the store you cannot

buy anything from the rest of the store but only pharmacy items without a Costco membership.

God bless you,

David Lane

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Posting comments can be beneficial to others and it allows you to express yourself. If you have a question, pertaining to this article, here also, is the place to leave it. Click the link below the article that reads: Post Comments. - Thank You
============================================

Stem cell transplants show promise for MS: U.S. study

Source: Reuters News
Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:47pm EST

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have reversed multiple sclerosis symptoms in early stage patients by using bone marrow stem cell transplants to reset the immune system, they said on Thursday.

Some 81 percent of patients in the early phase study showed signs of improvement with the treatment, which used chemotherapy to destroy the immune system, and injections of the patient's bone marrow cells taken beforehand to rebuild it.

"We just start over with new cells from the stem cells," said Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University in Chicago, whose study appears in the journal Lancet Neurology.

» Read More

Sorry, but it appears that the article shown above, was removed from the website that I was linking it to...

Now just posted another article (of the same subject), that you can link-to-instead, by clicking here. sorry again for any inconvenience this caused.

----------

If Interested, please leave your comments, by returning to this page
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First Clinical Study on Ultra-High-Field MR Imaging in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Comparison of 1.5T and 7T

January 2009
Kollia K, Maderwald S, Putzki N, Schlamann M, Theysohn JM, Kraff O, Ladd ME, Forsting M, Wanke I.

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; and Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.

Summary: This study compared conventional strength MRI to scans which used a much more powerful magnet in people with MS. It was found that the latter technique was more precise in detecting and defining brain

» Read More

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MS Related - Questions and Answers / Guides and Webcasts

Related Pages

• Book: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
• Book: Multiple Sclerosis For Dummies
• Book: The First Year
• Book: The Questions You Have—The Answers You Need
• FAQs about MS
• For People Newly Diagnosed
• Knowledge Is Power
• Webcast: Newly Diagnosed with MS
• Webcast: Starting with the Basics
• Webcast: Your MS Questions Answered

Related Documents

• Brochure - Choosing the Right Health-Care Provider (.pdf)
• Brochure - Just the Facts (.pdf)
• Brochure - Living with MS (.pdf)
• Brochure - Plaintalk—A Booklet about MS for Families (.pdf)
• Brochure - Someone You Know has MS (.pdf)
• Brochure - The Disease-Modifying Drugs (.pdf)
• Brochure - What is MS (.pdf)
• Brochure - “But You Look So Good!” (.pdf)
• Brochure - “¡Pero si te ves tan bien!” (.pdf)

SOURCE: The National MS Society - http://www.nmss.org

Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
============================================

Questions, for those newly Diagnosed with MS

If you or someone close to you has recently been given a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. Or, you may be feeling so overwhelmed by the diagnosis that you aren’t sure what kinds of questions to ask. The National MS Society has developed programs to give you the information and support you need to live comfortably and confidently with this change in your life.

Taking the First Steps

• Knowledge Is Power

  An at-home educational series for people newly diagnosed with MS.
  

• Learn More about MS

  Get the facts about MS: what it is, who gets it and why, what symptoms it can cause.
  

• Understanding Treatment Options

  Strategies available to modify the disease course, treat relapses, manage symptoms, and improve function and quality of life.
  

• Deciding to Disclose…Or Not

  Telling others about your MS may be the first thing you want to do—or the last.

• Protecting Your Employment Options

  Read about the ways MS can affect employment and learn some strategies for maintaining your place in the workforce.
  
  
• SOURCE: The National MS Society
  

Worried about the COST of your MS Therapy?

Coping with MS is challenging enough without having to worry about the cost of your MS therapy. MS LifeLines Access Made Simple is a program that can help you get affordable access to Rebif...regardless of your financial status* (subject to meeting eligibility requirements).

Hear from Vickie about how the MS LifeLines Access Made Simple program helped her get affordable access to Rebif for the treatment of her relapsing MS

* The MS LifeLines Access Made Simple program is subject to change or discontinuation at any time.

*********************************************************

MS Related: Using the NESS L300 & how it has changed a woman's life

Hi all,

As part of the Bioness national media campaign, there was a feature story on the Today Show this morning. If you did not get a chance to see or hear about it, please click on the following link to see a remarkable story about a woman with MS using the NESS L300 & how it has changed her life:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/28872531#28872531

Thanks,

Brian Rosenberg, PT

Business Development Representative – South Florida

661.316.8028 direct

800.211.9136 main

www.bioness.com

IMPORTANT NOTICE
This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact
the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient, please be advised

that the content of this message is subject to access, review and disclosure by the sender's Email System Administrator.

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Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
============================================

An MSIF interview of Stuart Schlossman

The January 2007 MSIF interview of Stuart Schlossman

Can be found when clicking here .

A terrible photo though. Too bad they cannot change it

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Cladribine Trial Results, Multiple Sclerosis

Article Date: 26 Jan 2009

Cladribine, an experimental oral drug for relapsing MS is effective in reducing the number of relapses experienced according to new research reported today.

The trial, called CLARITY, was a two year study involving 1,326 people with relapsing/remitting MS receiving one of two doses of cladribine or an inactive placebo.

During the study, people receiving the lower dose of cladribine experienced a 58% reduction in relapse rates compared to the placebo group (an average of 0.14 relapses compared to 0.33). Side effects included lymphopenia, a reduction in white blood cells, headaches and nasopharyngitis (a cold).

Detailed results from the study will be presented at a conferences in 2009 and the manufacturers, Merck Serono, hope to submit the drug for licensing during the year. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have already suggested that they may include cladribine in their next round of assessments.

Pam Macfarlane, Chief Executive of the MS Trust said, "We welcome the positive results of the study. We look forward to the fuller results which we hope will give a clearer picture of the effectiveness of this drug for people with MS."

source: Medical News Today

Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
============================================

Merck’s Multiple Sclerosis Pill Prevents Relapses

By Naomi Kresge

Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Merck KGaA, the German drugmaker seeking to be first with an oral medicine for multiple sclerosis, said its experimental pill cladribine prevented flare-ups of the debilitating neurological disease in a study.

Patients who took the pill suffered 55 to 58 percent fewer relapses, depending on the dose, than those who took a placebo during the two-year study, the Darmstadt, Germany-based company said today.

The German drugmaker said it is on track to submit an application for approval to European and U.S. regulators by the middle of this year. Merck shares climbed 5.53 euros, or 8.6 percent, to 69.89 euros in Frankfurt.

Cladribine tablets are among several oral medications for multiple sclerosis now in the final stage of clinical testing. Used to treat leukemia since the 1990s, the drug reduces the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells believed to be linked to multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the central nervous system. Side effects of headaches and cold symptoms were comparable in the dummy pill and cladribine patient groups, Merck said today.

Merck and Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG have said they will ask regulators in the U.S. and Europe this year to approve pills to treat the disease. Novartis released preliminary results last month showing its pill, known as fingolimod, cut relapse rates as much as 52 percent more than a standard therapy.

Side Effects

Merck already makes Rebif, one of the three beta interferons now commonly prescribed for multiple sclerosis. The injected drug, which will begin to lose patent protection in 2012, had 1.22 billion euros ($1.68 billion) in sales in 2007.

Patient advocates will be watching the long-term side effects of cladribine, which was given over a shorter time period to leukemia patients than it likely will be to multiple sclerosis sufferers, said Dr. Doug Brown, research manager for the Multiple Sclerosis Society in London, before today’s results were released. Brown said they will also want to see whether the oral medicines slow progression of the disease.

Merck and Novartis have said they will present full clinical trial results for their experimental pills at medical conferences later this year. Merck said the new study, which it funded, followed about 1,300 patients.

To contact the reporter on this story: Naomi Kresge in Zurich at nkresge@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 23, 2009 11:48 EST

source: Bloomberg.com


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============================================

The Drama of Multiple Sclerosis Drug Companies

source: about.com
Monday January 26, 2009

Drug companies that attempt to create and test new multiple sclerosis medications seem subject to a lot of drama these days. There seems to be a squeeze on available money and that is making investors nervous. Those investors, in turn, are trying to force companies to partner and be bought out. Here's one story:

Avigen Inc., a company which was developing a drug to control muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis had to fire around 70% of its employees when its drug failed to pass a clinical trial. Now, the company's number one shareholder (a venture capital fund called Biotechnology Value Fund or BVF) is trying to force a change in leadership at the company and a merger with another company called MediciNova Inc. MediciNova is also working on a multiple scerlosis drug (read the full press release).


I feel bad for all the researchers and patients who get caught up in the business side of things. I'm not naive and I know that developing new treatments and medications costs money and relies on businesses that are willing to take risks and invest in new medical technologies. But it just seems that recently there have been a lot of decisions made for business reasons and I'm just afraid that researchers who could be making progress are having to struggle to keep their jobs. It's a shame.

This article was written By Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D., About.com Guide to Multiple Sclerosis

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New pill to treat Multiple Sclerosis may be available soon

New pill to treat Multiple Sclerosis may be available soon, says drugmaker Merck
Associated Press - Star Tribune
Last update: January 23, 2009


LONDON - German drugmaker Merck Serono is one step closer to releasing the first pill to treat multiple sclerosis, the company said Friday.

In a press statement, Merck said that patients taking cladribine tablets had a nearly 60 percent lower relapse rate than those on placebo pills. The two-year study included 1,326 MS patients who were randomly divided into three groups. Two groups received different doses of cladribine and one group received fake pills.

» Read More

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MS Learn Online

Managing MS: A Team Approach

Topics discussed in this program include:

• Building a team
• The team begins at home
• A self-mangement approach

Click here to view the webcast, or

copy into your browser:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/multimedia-library/webcasts--podcasts/index.aspx

If you have a pop-up blocker, you will need to disable it prior to participating in a MS Learn Online webcast.

Athletic Entertainment

Athletic Entertainment - No Jock Straps here ,,, JUST entertainment

Yes these guys are good...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHH-6ZQktRQ

Stu's Views and MS News - also likes to provide you with some fun things too...

Have something to share (videos, photos, poems, short stories, etc.) , send it to me for posting

Risk factors for multiple sclerosis

RISK FACTORS for Multiple Sclerosis
guardian.co.uk


Doctors call things that make you more likely to get a disease risk factors. Having a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) doesn't mean you'll get the disease. It just means you're more likely to get it than someone who doesn't have the risk factor. These are the main risk factors for MS.

Your family and your genes
You're more likely to get MS if other people in your family have it, especially a brother or sister. If you have a close relative with MS, you have about a 2 in 100 to 3 in 100 chance of getting it yourself.

There isn't any single gene that causes MS. Instead, some people probably get a mix of genes from their parents that increases their risk. This means you may be more likely to get MS if you have these genes. But other things also need to happen for you to get it.

» Read More

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FACEBOOK

If you have not yet heard-of or experimented with Facebook, it's a cool site.

A way in which to occupy free hours of your day.

A great way to get back in touch with people, you have not in a long time chatted with. People that you forgot about, only to see their names and say silly things like "Oh - Yea, I remember when....." or "Ooh that %*&%&%" - and I am sure many other thoughts and comments.

Via face book you can contact relatives, friends and others who may become friends...

I am on Facebook.. So if you look for me, you will find me (under my email address or name). Add me as a friend. But please don't expect immediate replies because added to my already more than 100 emails per day, facebook now gets into my evening hours of responding or it waits til the next morning, when my reply routine begins anew.

Consider time spent on Facebook as another form of therapy... It can make you smile, feel happy and you will have more people to contact each day...Keeping you busy.

.Have a comment, please leave it here:
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OPEN TOPIC - Medical Syringe - Waste

Many have asked this often question:
Where do I bring my Syringe Container when it is full?

and have asked other questions such as:

Am I allowed to place with my normal trash - for trash collection?
Can I bring to my doctor?
How much does it cost to Trash Medical Waste?


MY answer is usually -- I have no answer. To please ask your primary physician or your neurologist for their replies.

MAYBE Some of you, have a better answer(s)...

PLEASE reply by leaving a comment - THANK YOU

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The Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) predicts disease severity over time

.J Neurol Sci. 2009 Jan 10. [Epub ahead of print] - Pubmed

Pachner AR, Steiner I.
Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.

BACKGROUND: The Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS) adds the element of disease duration to the expanded disease status score (EDSS) and is designed to provide a measure of disease severity. We have used this tool to address two questions: Can it be used to predict the accrual of disability over time in individual patients? Do the currently available therapies have an impact upon disease severity over time?

» Read More

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The role of genes in the pathogenesis of MS

Pubmed

Elevated ATG5 expression in autoimmune demyelination and multiple sclerosis

The role of genes in the pathogenesis of MS is complex. The authors found an association between a gene called Atg5 and MS, suggesting that it may contribute to inflammation in MS.

authors: Alirezaei M, Fox HS, Flynn CT, Moore CS, Hebb AL, Frausto RF, Bhan V, Kiosses WB, Whitton JL, Robertson GS, Crocker SJ

source: Autophagy. 2009 Feb 5;5(2).

Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) disorder characterized by T cell-mediated demyelination. In MS, prolonged T cell survival and increased T cell proliferation have been linked to disease relapse and progression.

Recently, the autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5) has been shown to modulate T cell survival. In this study, we examined the expression of Atg5 using both a mouse model of autoimmune demyelination as well as blood and brain tissues from MS cases.

» Read More

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VISUAL Problems and MS

VISUAL Problems and MS - Click here to read all the articles housed in our Library of MS Archives

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then click this link to view many of the .pdf links that the National MS Society provides concerning visual problems as a symptom of MS.

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Interferon Delivered via a Nasal Spray

ms.about.com

Thursday January 15, 2009

There is potential good news coming for users of Avonex, Betaseron and Rebif. Those interferon treatments need to be injected and, let's just go ahead and say it, nobody likes injections.

Nerveda and Aegis Therapeutics announced that they have had successful preclinical results on a nasal spray to deliver the interferons.

The reason you simply can't have an pill for interferon treatment in multiple sclerosis is that this line of treatment relies on delicate protein molecules. Basically, protein molecules like to cling and bond to each other. If they do that too much, the immune system doens't react to them and produce the antibodies needed to reduce relaspe rates. A pill would be too unstable and too "bonded together" for it to be an effective interferon treatment.

A nasal spray would be a big deal. It's an effective (and much less painful) way to deliver interferon treatment. Expect to see clinical trails starting soon..

Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
============================================

Paly student researches potential cure for MS

Palo Alto Online

Uploaded: Thursday, January 15, 2009, 1:47 PM

Senior Hrishikesh Srinagesh earns award from Intel for research on therapeutic developments for multiple sclerosis

by Emilie Doolittle
Palo Alto Online Staff

When Palo Alto High School senior Hrishikesh Srinagesh volunteered at Lytton Gardens Senior Communities he worked with a woman named Alice who was talkative and "fun to be around." But every week he would come back to see her and she couldn't remember him.

"It was difficult for me," Srinagesh said. "It seemed unfathomable that plaque buildups, tangled neurons, and misfolded proteins could cause this kind of degeneration in her brain, turning my friend into a stranger with Alzheimer's disease."

» Read More

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Trauma of teenage years tougher for those coping with multiple sclerosis

Provided by: Canadian Press
Written by: Shannon Montgomery, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Jan. 15, 2009

CALGARY - It started when Levi Barron's right hand curled into a claw shortly after his 13th birthday.

Always laid-back, he told his mom that he'd just learn to write with the other hand and not to worry.

But the debilitating stiffness crept to his other hand, and soon the athletic hockey player was having trouble walking and even fell a few times.

It took four doctors and a stint in hospital, paralyzed from the waist down and so dizzy he couldn't open his eyes without vomiting, for Levi to finally get a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

» Read More

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An Author, Doctor, Mother, and Patient - Overcoming Secondary Progressive MS

An Author, Doctor, Mother, and Patient ( Yes, All ONE patient with MS ) writes of her story:

In 2000 Dr. Wahls was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately within three years it was apparent she had progressive multiple sclerosis and was experiencing relentless loss of function. She required a cane, and then a scooter. As her mobility declined, Dr. Wahls gave up being the medical director of the VA Midwest Health Care Network to minimize the need to travel out of town. She has continued to see patients, teach medical students and residents, and conduct clinical research.

Through her own research into the clinical studies and basic science studies of multiple sclerosis and the neurodegenerative diseases Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s, Dr. Wahls designed a new treatment protocol for herself.

>> Continue to read <<

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Please remember that comments written to these stories, can benefit others.
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The REGARD Study – A Head-to-Head Comparison of Rebif®® (glatiramer acetate) 44 mcg (interferon beta-1a) and Copaxone

Initial information provided by Cherie Binns
The trial cited here compared several hundred Rebif users and Copaxone users for 4 years finding that both meds are safe and effective.

( to view the links found below- may require you to register with WebMD)

The results of the REGARD* study were presented at the recent 23rd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). The REGARD study compared Rebif (interferon beta-1a) 44 mcg and Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) over 96 weeks in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Principal investigator, Daniel Mikol, MD, PhD, from the Department of Neurology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, provides some first-hand insight into the findings of the study.

• What was the overall rationale for the REGARD study and what information were you hoping it would provide?
  
• What were the entry criteria for patients enrolled in the REGARD study?
  
• Could you describe the overall study design?
  
• Were there any differences between the patients in the 2 arms of the study?
  
• What was the primary endpoint of the REGARD study, and what was the rationale for selecting that endpoint?
  
• With respect to the primary endpoint of time to first relapse, what did you see in the REGARD study?
  
• Why do you think there were fewer relapses overall than expected?
  
• What did the REGARD study show with respect to the safety of these medications?
  
• How do you feel the REGARD study advances what is known today about optimal treatment approaches for relapsing-remitting MS?

Q. What was the overall rationale for the REGARD study and what information were you hoping it would provide?

Dr Mikol: The REGARD study was the first well-controlled, randomized, head-to-head study between any interferon-beta and glatiramer acetate. The interferon-beta preparation used in the study was Rebif, and the study was sponsored by EMD Serono and Pfizer, co-marketers of Rebif in the US.

It's well accepted that the best way to gauge the relative efficacies of 2 agents in a disease such as relapsing-remitting MS is to compare them head-to-head. Prior to this study, the only way to try to compare interferon-beta and glatiramer acetate was by using results from the individual placebo-controlled studies — different trials with different patient populations, and trial designs that differed somewhat from one study to another. So in conducting the REGARD study, the intent was to use the same population of patients and the same study design to determine whether one agent was superior to the other.

To continue reading the contents of this article, will require you to be registered with WebMD.

Click here top continue.

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Paroxysmal Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

While Sudden and Often Alarming, Paroxysmal Symptoms Do Not Indicate a Relapse

By Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D., About.com - Updated: December 16, 2008

Many of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) have experienced the phenomenon of paroxysmal symptoms -- those that come on suddenly, bother us for a short time (seconds or minutes), and then disappear as suddenly as they came.

Whether it is an episode of double vision or a prickly feeling on my face, these moments usually lead me to wonder a number of things. Is this a relapse? How bad is this going to get? Does this mean my MS is progressing?

Eager to learn exactly what doctors know about what I experience, I reached out to the folks at UpToDate -- a trusted electronic reference undoubtedly used by many of the physicians who treat patients with these symptoms (perhaps even yours and mine).

Dig in to this excerpt yourself, then read on for answers to questions you may have about what all of this means for you.

Paroxysmal Symptoms of MS: A Definition from UpToDate

"Paroxysmal attacks of motor or sensory phenomena can occur with demyelinating lesions. These symptoms are characterized by brief, almost stereotypic, events occurring frequently and often triggered by movement or sensory stimuli. They are likely caused by ephaptic transmission of nerve impulses at sites of previous disease activity. Although troublesome to the patient, these symptoms do not indicate a true exacerbation of MS or cause a loss of myelin in the CNS.

"Within the brain stem, lesions may cause paroxysmal diplopia, facial paresthesia, trigeminal neuralgia, ataxia, and dysarthria. Additional symptoms include, but are not limited to, pain, trunk and limb paresthesia, weakness, ataxia, pruritus, akinesia, and seizures. Motor system involvement may result in dystonia characterized by painful tonic contractions of muscles of one or two (homolateral) limbs, trunk, and occasionally the face; these only rarely occur in all four limbs or the trunk."

Fully understanding all of this will not only give you a better grasp of what is going on, but it will help you be better able to discuss your situation with your doctor.

Continue reading this article from the original source.

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MS Research News from the MSIF

Research News from the MSIF

Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London

Oral fingolimod (FTY720) in multiple sclerosis: two-year results of a phase II extension study

This preliminary study reported that fingolimod, a new tablet treatment for relapsing remitting MS, was safe and effective in reducing relapse rate and inflammation of the brain. A larger phase III study is required.

authors: O'Connor P, Comi G, Montalban X, Antel J, Radue EW, de Vera A, Pohlmann H, Kappos L; FTY720 D2201 Study Group

source: Neurology. 2009 Jan 6;72(1):73-9

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Structural and functional MRI correlates of Stroop control in benign MS

The authors used a number of MRI techniques to study the brain areas involved in an attention related task in people with MS and minimal disability. They found that a larger number of areas were involved in people with MS compared to healthy subjects, suggesting a compensatory response to white matter lesions.

authors: Rocca MA, Valsasina P, Ceccarelli A, Absinta M, Ghezzi A, Riccitelli G, Pagani E, Falini A, Comi G, Scotti G, Filippi M

source: Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Jan;30(1):276-90

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Caudate nuclei volume, diffusion tensor metrics, and T(2) relaxation in healthy adults and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients: implications for understanding gray matter degeneration

The authors found MRI changes in a grey matter structure deep in the brain in people with MS and suggested that it might be a possible marker of the disease.

authors: Hasan KM, Halphen C, Kamali A, Nelson FM, Wolinsky JS, Narayana PA

source: J Magn Reson Imaging. 2009 Jan;29(1):70-7

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Restless legs syndrome in multiple sclerosis: A case-control study

Patients with restless legs syndrome suffer from sensory symptoms and a feeling that they need to move their legs. This study showed an increased risk in people with MS.

authors: Deriu M, Cossu G, Molari A, Murgia D, Mereu A, Ferrigno P, Manca D, Contu P, Melis M

source: Mov Disord. 2008 Dec 31. [Epub ahead of print]

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Is a preserved functional reserve a mechanism limiting clinical impairment in pediatric MS patients?

The authors used functional MRI to study motor function in children with MS. They found some changes in brain activation which suggested that recovery mechanisms in children are very effective.

authors: Rocca MA, Absinta M, Ghezzi A, Moiola L, Comi G, Filippi M

source: Hum Brain Mapp. 2008 Dec 23. [Epub ahead of print]

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Gray matter atrophy correlates with MS disability progression measured with MSFC but not EDSS

This study supported others which have shown the importance in changes in grey matter in MS. The authors also concluded that the appearances on MRI do not always reflect patient's problems.

authors: Rudick RA, Lee JC, Nakamura K, Fisher E

source: J Neurol Sci. 2008 Dec 18. [Epub ahead of print]

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Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
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Merck Serono and Apitope to collaborate on development and commercialization of ATX-MS-1467

Merck Serono, S.A.
January 13, 2009

MERCK SERONO AND APITOPE ANNOUNCE LICENSING AGREEMENT ON NOVEL PEPTIDE THERAPEUTICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Merck Serono and Apitope to collaborate on development and commercialization of ATX-MS-1467, Apitope’s peptide therapeutic for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS)

Geneva, Switzerland, January 13, 2009 – Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the signature of a research, development and commercialization agreement with Apitope Technology (Bristol) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apitope International NV. Under this agreement, Apitope has granted exclusive worldwide rights to Merck Serono to develop and commercialize Apitope’s product ATX-MS-1467.

» Read More

Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
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EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS in my battle with Multiple Sclerosis

Yes, the economy is bad, but this does not stop Multiple Sclerosis from progressing for those with this, as yet incurable disease.

This is why EVERY Dollar Counts and it could be your next dollar (your contribution) that makes the difference.

Every hour of every day, someone is diagnosed with MS. That's why I registered for the MS Walk and that's why I'm asking you to support my fund raising efforts with a tax-deductible donation.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS but they can't do it without our help. It's faster and easier than ever to support this cause that's so important to me. Simply click on the link at the bottom of this message. If you prefer, you can send your contribution to the address listed below.

Any amount, great or small, helps to make a difference in the lives of people with MS. I appreciate your support and look forward to letting you know how I do.

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/FLSWalkEvents?px=1865749&pg=personal&fr_id=10482&s_tafId=103777

Click here to view the team page for Hot Shots
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/FLSWalkEvents?team_id=140150&pg=team&fr_id=10482&s_tafId=103777

Thank You For Your Consideration To HELP ME, To HELP Make a DIFFERENCE.


Appreciatively,


Stuart Schlossman


P.S. If you would like more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how proceeds from the MS Walk are used, or the other ways you can get involved in the fight against MS, please visit nationalmssociety.org.

Medication Vacations are a No - NO !!

The No-No's of taking Medication Vacations -
Written by; Stuart Schlossman (Jan. 12, 2009)

As many of you are already aware, I took a medication vacation in early 2008 without the consult of my medical practitioners and without the knowledge of my family.

The results were almost catastrophically negative and there is still some residual damage, which probably will never repair until we (Medical science) finds a way to reverse the damages caused to the Central nervous System and Myelin Sheath.

Since my "error" in judgment ( my experiment ) I have preached the dangers of taking a Hiatus or a vacation from prescribed medication and want to again allow you to read what I did as well as the follow-up stories.

There are thousands of new registrants to my website, and/or who read this blog since I wrote these stories earlier in 2008, and for these people as well as those who have already forgotten, you can read each by clicking on the links shown below in dated order::

My Hiatus from my MS Medication - The Pros and Cons - a valuable lesson learned....

The follow-up OF (the) "My Hiatus" Story ..

An MS Story - POST HIATUS ( 3rd story in this series)

An MS Patients Update to his Medication Vacation

Read each as you have time, then share with others with MS or with any other serious illness requiring Medication Vigilance.

If you have any questions for me or which to leave a comment, please do so, so that others can understand the need for this posting.

All My Best,

Stuart Schlossman
http://www.msviewsandrelatednews.com
Register to receive our weekly MS related e-newsletter
if you are not yet receiving this, by clicking here

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Living with Advanced Multiple Sclerosis

Living with Advanced Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease for which no cure has yet been found. Although we have treatments to manage the disease course, they are only partially effective, which means that some people’s MS will worsen in spite of everything they and their doctors do to try and prevent it.

Many people ask themselves “Why did this happen?” (Did I choose the wrong doctor or the wrong medication…did I follow the wrong diet or the wrong exercise program…did I get too stressed out at my job?). But the fact is, MS progresses because that is the natural course of the disease.

While researchers are working to identify new and better strategies to stop that progression, people whose MS has become more disabling—and their family members and friends—need information about how to manage the challenges they face.

Continue reading this article from the Originating source of the National MS Society.


Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
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MS and PAIN

Information obtained from the National MS Society

You Can...Learn to Manage Your Pain

Last Modified: 2/21/2008

About half of everyone diagnosed with MS will experience some pain. For some it can be a significant problem.

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Brochure - Pain (.pdf)

Last modified: 5/28/2008

Learn about the symptoms, severity and treatments of pain for those with MS.

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Article - When Is a Prickle a Pain (.pdf)

Last modified: 5/20/2008

From mild annoyance to major assault, MS pain is a pain. Today’s experts have new ideas about management.

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Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you

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An MS Patient needs info on MS and Lasik repair

.THIS is wording from the MS Patient ( a peer to most, reading this):

MS patient would like to know if there is anyone out there who has had Optic Neuritis, has myopia and has had Lasik surgery, with no problem at all.

If you can reply, please do so, in the form of a comment. - Thank you

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New Interferon Formulations Promise to Eliminate Injections in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

Gen News

Jan 12, 2009SAN DIEGO, CAMARKET WIRE

Nerveda Inc. and Aegis Therapeutics LLC today announced preclinical results from their joint collaboration aimed at developing non-injectable formulations of the beta-interferons.

The beta interferons, beta-1a (tradename Rebif(R)), and beta 1b (tradenames Betaseron(R) and Betaferon(R)) are closely related injectable protein drugs in the interferon family that are used to treat both the relapsing-remitting and secondary-progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The beta interferons are currently administered by subcutaneous injection and have been proven clinically to slow the advance of multiple sclerosis and reduce the frequency of attacks. Current worldwide combined annual sales of Rebif(R), Betaseron(R) and Betaferon(R) are approximately $4 Billion.

» Read More

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Progressive MS : Future Treatment Options

NMSS :LEARN ONLINE Presents:

Today's new Feature Presentations focus on progressive MS.

Progressive MS: Diagnosis

This Feature Presentation will discuss the differences between primary and secondary progressive MS, the role of an MRI in diagnosis, and common characteristics of progressive MS.

Can Progressive MS Be Treated?

This Feature Presentation examines the issues of limited treatment options for people with progressive MS, what is in the pipeline for treatments, and using a team approach to managing the disease.

Click here to view the webcasts, or

copy into your browser:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/multimedia-library/webcasts--podcasts/progressive-ms-diagnosis-and-future-treatment-options/index.aspx

If you have a pop-up blocker, you will need to disable it prior to participating in a MS Learn Online webcast.



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Leaving Comments, Suggestions and/or Questions, are Always Appreciated. - Thank you
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The Newest Un-official Tysabri Poll Survey

New - Unofficial TYSABRI poll survey found here: http://wwwmsviewsandrelatednews.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-tysabri-poll.html
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After completing the survey register to receive our weekly e-Newsletter and for our website at: http://www.msviewsandrelatednews.com - thank you
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Have questions, about any of our sites,
contact Stuart, via email: stuartschlossman@bellsouth.net

End of the week Humor - Entertainment

Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a government official, 'You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done.'

The Chief nodded in agreement.

The official continued, 'Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?'

The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied. 'When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water.
Women did all the work, Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex.'

Then the chief leaned back and smiled. 'Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that.'