Category: Latest News

Article summary: Published studies to date continue to affirm the safety of several vaccinations for individuals with MS. These vaccines (listed in this article) do not increase the risk of developing MS or exacerbating its symptoms. The safety of the shingles vaccine is more difficult to judge for individuals with MS, since this is a live-virus vaccine. Vaccines that use a live virus could pose a risk for individuals with compromised immune systems, resulting from an illness or a medication taken for an illness. The shingles vaccine is important for individuals 60 years and older, because the risk of developing shingles, as well as a painful long-term complication of shingles, greatly increases with age. Similar to the shingles vaccine, the yellow fever vaccine also uses a weakened, live virus. In a small study, the yellow fever vaccine was shown to increase MS disease activity. Before receiving any vaccine, individuals with MS should consult their physician to make sure that the specific vaccine and its timing is appropriate for them.

Article summary: Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes varicella (chickenpox). The reactivation of this virus causes a painful rash with clusters of fluid-filled blisters. Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of shingles, causing chronic, sometimes excruciating pain. The shingles vaccine (Zostavax®) is recommended for use in people 60 years and older to reduce the risk of shingles. The shingles vaccine is a live, attenuated vaccine, which could be an issue for members of the MS population, as medications that may modulate or suppress the immune system could pose a risk with a live vaccine. Individuals with MS who are considering a shingles vaccine should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctor.

The largest and most comprehensive meeting on multiple sclerosis (MS) care and research in North America took place May 29 through June 1 in Orlando, Florida, combining the 27th Annual Meeting of CMSC and the 18th Annual Meeting of ACTRIMS. This meeting is unique in that it brings together researchers and clinicians from across the spectrum of MS care, including physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, rehabilitation specialists, and advocacy professionals.

It is now known that mitoxantrone can harm your heart’s pumping action. This harm can show up while you are being treated with the medicine or many years later. To be sure it is working well, your heart needs to be tested before you are treated with mitoxantrone and every year thereafter, even after you stop using mitoxantrone. If the testing shows your heart needs some help, the sooner you get treatment, the better for your health.

Today the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition (MSC) debuts new accounts on Facebook and Twitter that will serve as a “one-stop” source for information on available MS programs and services. Representing the leading organizations in MS research, advocacy, education, and treatment, the MSC will provide information on the individual offerings of member organizations as well as collaborative efforts orchestrated through the Coalition itself. The MSC can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MSCoalition and on Twitter at @MSCoalition.

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries, Ltd., the makers of Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate), announced on May 30, 2013 that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had accepted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Copaxone at a higher dose and reduced frequency. The present FDA-approved dose of Copaxone is 20 mg given daily via subcutaneous injection. The new dosing under review is double the concentration (40 mg) and is given three days per week (also via subcutaneous injection) versus every day. If FDA approved, a less-frequent treatment option for Copaxone may become available.

UPDATE: On July 19, 2013, Biogen Idec announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had accepted their application for the marketing approval of Plegridy&#0153 in the United States. The FDA will review the drug under its standard review timeline. The European Medicines Agency (an agency in Europe similar to the FDA in the United States) is also reviewing an application for the approval of Plegridy in the European Union. On May 21, 2013, Biogen Idec submitted a new treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. This potential new disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for the long-term treatment of MS is a pegylated version of interferon beta-1a. Using the brand name of “Plegridy&#0153,” if approved, this new product would require fewer injections than the other presently approved self-injectable DMTs for MS.

The American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) 65th Annual Meeting took place in San Diego, California in March. This large medical conference presents the latest findings in research and treatments for neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). To follow are some important highlights.

Two cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in individuals taking either fumaric acid or a compound of fumaric acid esters were reported in The New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med 2013;368;17:1657-1660) on April 25, 2013. PML is a potentially fatal brain infection with the JC virus (JCV), in people with weakened immune systems. Both of these reports were from Europe in individuals receiving long-term treatment for psoriasis (a chronic skin problem that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin [WebMD]).

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on March 27, 2013 that it has approved Tecfidera™ (dimethyl fumarate or DMF, formerly known as BG-12) as a first-line therapy for the long-term treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Tecfidera’s parent company, Biogen Idec, submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for the approval of this drug in February 2012. (Read the FDA’s press release on the approval of Tecfidera.)