Disease activity-free status: the new gold standard?

Could we use disease-activity free status to determine the effectiveness of new MS disease-modifying therapies? It may make it easier to do head-to-head studies.

Please see the following links:
Coles et al. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Apr;10(4):338-48.

Giovannoni et al. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Apr;10(4):329-337.

Natalizumab can lead to sustained improvements in disability

Why can't patients improve on disease modifying therapies?

Please see Phillips et al. Mult Scler. 2011 Mar 18.

Reversible axonal damage in an animal model of MS

It looks as if the mitochondria are the target in focal axonal damage in EAE, the animal model of MS.

Nikić et al. Nat Med. 2011 Mar 27. [Epub ahead of print]

EMA approves Fingolimod for RRMS

European Commission approves Fingolimod, the first oral multiple sclerosis treatment for use in the EU.
(1) Fingolimod is approved in the EU for people with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) despite treatment with beta interferon, or in patients with rapidly evolving severe RRMS. (2) Fingolimod showed superior efficacy to interferon beta-1a IM, a commonly prescribed treatment, reducing relapses by 52% (p<0.001) at one year. (3) Two-year, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that Fingolimod significantly reduced the risk of disability progression. Click here to see a YouTube clip of Fingolimod's mode of action

The science of cannabis therapy

Click here for PBS webcast

You are invited to our MS Research Day on the 26th March 2011

Click here to download details!