of experimental drugs—possibly
even putting their health at risk.
I expect that we will see more
failures with current and future
MS therapies being developed.
Nevertheless, if we learn from
these and help others learn from
them, we will speed efforts to create a world free of MS.
Dr. Timothy Coetzee is the Society’s
chief research officer.
In the news and on
our website
Results support further
study of “probiotic” parasitic
worm treatment
Two recently published studies
are reporting results related to
parasitic worms, called helminths,
and their possible implications for
treating multiple sclerosis. Further
study, including the second phase
of a clinical trial in Wisconsin
supported by the National MS
Society, should determine whether
a “probiotic” treatment approach
using relatively harmless parasitic
worms to alter immune activity
will benefit people with MS.
International panel revises
criteria for diagnosing MS
An international panel supported
by the Society and the European organization ECTRIMS
has revised and simplified the
“McDonald Criteria” commonly
used to diagnose MS, incorporating new data that should speed
Read more news and
details of these stories at
nationalmssociety.org/
bulletins.
the diagnosis. This is the latest
evolution of MS diagnosis. Further research is needed to tie the
underlying pathology to MS and
its subtypes, especially primary-progressive MS. The Society paid
to make this report “free access”
to non-subscribers of Annals of
Neurology, and has produced a
revised pocket card to help neurologists use the criteria.
Sunshine and higher
blood levels of vitamin D
reduce MS risk
Higher levels of sun exposure
and higher blood levels of vitamin D were both associated with
decreased risk of having a first
demyelinating event that can be
the initial indicator of multiple
sclerosis, in a comprehensive study
conducted in Australia. The findings from the Ausimmune Study,
which was supported by the Society and other funders, support
other evidence suggesting both
factors may lower risk of MS.
Positive results for oral BG- 12
Biogen Idec announced that the
experimental oral therapy BG- 12
significantly reduced the propor-
tion of people with MS who
experienced relapses in a two-
year study of more than 1200
people with relapsing-remitting
MS. Although its exact mode of
action is not yet known, BG- 12
is thought to inhibit immune
cells and molecules involved in
MS attacks on the brain and
spinal cord. The results were
announced in an April 11 press
release. Data analysis is ongoing
and the company expects to pro-
vide a full report at an upcoming
medical meeting. Another trial of
BG- 12 is currently underway.
$17.5 million in
new research projects launched
by the Society
Investment in 50 new MS
research projects is part of the
Society’s comprehensive strategy
to stop MS in its tracks, restore
function that has been lost, and
end the disease forever. This
financial commitment is part of
the Society’s nearly $40 million
2011 investment in cutting-edge
research projects. Read more
about these projects at national
mssociety.org/fundedresearch.
Vitamin D in African-Americans with MS
A study supported in part by
the National MS Society found
that African-Americans with
MS have significantly lower
levels of vitamin D than those
who do not have MS, but these
levels are not linked to disease
severity. The team studied 339
African-Americans with MS and
342 African-American controls
without MS, looking at vitamin
D levels in the blood, disease
severity and other factors. n
