Source MS Trust: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended that Gilenya (fingolimod) must not be taken by pregnant women or women of childbearing age who are not using effective contraception.

A review of Gilenya and pregnancy was carried out by the EMA’s safety committee following reports which suggested that babies born to mothers taking Gilenya during pregnancy have a greater risk of birth defects compared with the general population.  Read on.

Source Multiple Sclerosis News Today: A first group of healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 trial assessing the safety and tolerability of T20K, Cyxone‘s plant protein-derived candidate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis(MS), has been dosed in a study taking place in The Netherlands, the company announced.

T20K is an investigational prophylactic (preventive) therapy, possibly intended for all MS forms. The eight male volunteers that make up a group are being given one or two infused doses of the potential treatment and their blood analyzed.  Read on.

Source Medical News Toady: A Phase 3 trial is planned to confirm the safety and efficacy of oral ibudilast (MN-166) in treating people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) without relapses or those whose disease is not active, MediciNova announced.

Data from this single Phase 3 study may be used to request marketing approval for ibudilast with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company said in a press release.

Ibudilast, a first-in-class small molecule, works to suppress three cytokines (small signalling proteins) that promote inflammation: IL-1ß, TNF-a, and IL-6. It may also increase the activity of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and help block the signals of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) that is involved in inflammation. All these activities are thought to contribute to ibudilast’s ability to ease neuroinflammation.  Read on.

Source Science Daily: The research shows that projection neurons are damaged by the body’s own immune cells and that this damage could underpin the brain shrinkage and cognitive changes associated with MS. These new findings provide a platform for specific new MS therapies that target damaged brain cells to be developed.

Scientists have discovered that a specific brain cell is known as a ‘projection neuron’ has a central role to play in the brain changes seen in multiple sclerosis (MS). The research, published today in Nature, shows that projection neurons are damaged by the body’s own immune cells and that this damage could underpin the brain shrinkage and cognitive changes associated with MS. These new findings provide a platform for specific new MS therapies that target damaged brain cells to be developed.  Read on. 

Source Multiple Sclerosis News Today: The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) announced the start of a pioneering project to investigate the impact of microgravity on the neurodegeneration associated with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and Parkinson’s disease.

The project, a collaboration between the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute, the Summit for Stem Cell, and investigators with Aspen Neuroscience, will send 3-D brain organoids derived from patients with these disorders, for a first time, to the International Space Station (ISS) on SpaceX CRS-18.

This flight, set to launch on July 21 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is a test run for a 30-day study of neurodegeneration in microgravity set to take place on the space station this fall.  Read on.

Source Multiple Sclerosis News Today: A new study demonstrates that intracellular sigma peptide (ISP) can promote remyelination in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). 

Importantly, this study was independent of NervGen, a pharmaceutical company that is developing an ISP-like compound — NVG-291 — for the treatment of nerve injury and MS.

The study, “Modulating proteoglycan receptor PTPσ using intracellular sigma peptide improves remyelination and functional recovery in mice with demyelinated optic chiasm,” was published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience.

ISP is an inhibitor of the protein tyrosine phosphatase sigma (PTPσ), which slows the healing process when there is inflammation in the central nervous system. By blocking this healing-preventing receptor, ISP can promote nervous system healing and remyelination — the repair of myelin, the nerve cell “sheath” that becomes damaged in MS. Read on.

Source MS Society: Join us for an afternoon with Dr Claire Rice, Neurologist and MS Researcher in Bristol. Claire will give an overview about stem cell treatment for MS including its current role in disease management and research priorities.

There will also be the opportunity to meet others and visit information stands

The event is free but please register here or contact Karin Gray.

The talk will start at 2 pm with registration and refreshments from 1.30 pm.

Venue: Jury’s Inn, Gloucester Road, Cheltenham, GL51 0TS.

Find out more and book your place here.

Source Walking for Health: If you have problems with your health, or if you’ve had them in the past, it can be hard to stay active. But walking could make all the difference.

 It’s a low impact exercise, so it’s easy for you to get involved – even if you’re not feeling your best. In fact, walking could help you feel great again!

Walking for Health offer organised walks from “First Steps” which are from 30-minutes duration to longer more challenging walks.  Find out more here.