What’s New in MS Research – September 2026

Study shows walking improves connectivity between key brain regions in people with MS

Did you know that walking may be a way to help manage your MS? That may be the key takeaway from a recent study that examined how 20 minutes of walking affected subsequent connectivity between different areas of the brain that play important roles in cognition and visuo-perceptual processing. This latter term refers to the ability to understand and interpret what you are seeing.¹

The study involved 24 people with MS. Each person took two 20-minute walks at a moderate-to-vigorous pace. One walk was on a treadmill; the other was on the ground. Immediately before and after each walk, study participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The imaging studies examined pre- and post-exercise connectivity between the thalamus, which serves as the brain’s main information-relay station, and regions of the brain associated with various functions.

The researchers found differences in pre- and post-exercise connectivity between the thalamus and 19 brain regions. Interestingly, relative to treadmill walking, walking on the ground resulted in greater connectivity between the thalamus and regions linked to higher-order cognitive function, while treadmill use was followed by greater connectivity between the thalamus and regions associated with visuo-perceptual processing.

The study’s authors noted that their research “provides the first empirical evidence that single bouts of aerobic walking exercise induce changes in thalamic RSFC [resting-state functional connectivity] across several regions that are important for cognition in MS.” They added, “Such evidence provides important insight into potential mechanisms for why aerobic walking exercise might improve cognition in persons with MS.”

 

– Back to index –

 

Adopting healthy behaviors to enhance MS outcomes: Does time since diagnosis affect benefits obtained?

Scientific evidence and common sense both support adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors to achieve better MS outcomes. But do the nature and extent of those benefits differ based on how many years have passed since a person was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis?

To answer that question, investigators conducted a prospective study of 1,401 people with MS.² The researchers evaluated those people when they enrolled in the study and 2.5 years later, assessing five lifestyle factors: high-quality diet, physical activity, smoking status, Vitamin D supplementation, and meditation.

The investigators wanted to compare outcomes between people who had been diagnosed in the previous five years (which we will refer to as the “more recently diagnosed” group), and those who had been diagnosed more than five years before study entry (which we will refer to as the “earlier diagnosed” group).

Compared to the “earlier diagnosed” group, to follow are the findings for the “more recently diagnosed” group:

• The association between increased physical activity and reduced disability, fatigue, and depression, was greater in the “more recently diagnosed” group.
• Meeting four-to-five of the criteria for a healthy lifestyle was associated with lower fatigue and disability risk in the “more recently diagnosed” group.
• Not smoking was associated with a lower risk of disability in the “more recently diagnosed” group.

To follow are the findings for both groups:

• Although greater in the “earlier diagnosed” group, following a high-quality diet had a favorable impact on depression and disability for both groups, and meeting four-to-five of the criteria for a healthy lifestyle was associated with lower depression risk in both groups.
• Vitamin D supplementation and meditation were not associated with improved outcomes in either group.

The study’s authors concluded, “Associations between lifestyle factors and MS outcomes may vary across the disease course, suggesting that the duration and timing of lifestyle engagement may influence their potential impact. These findings support further research on stage-specific lifestyle management strategies in MS.”

While additional research certainly will be helpful, the study’s findings reinforce the value of healthy eating, physical activity, and not smoking – behaviors that offer benefits not only in terms of MS but also with regard to cardiovascular health, reducing cancer risk, and enjoying a better quality of life.

 

– Back to index –

 

Swiss MS Registry looks to identify number of those with MS who experience heat sensitivity and how they keep cool

Who better than the Swiss, inhabitants of a land abounding in snow-capped Alpine peaks, to provide insights on cooling off when bothered by the heat sensitivity that is a frequent hallmark of multiple sclerosis?

An analysis of data from 760 people participating in the Swiss MS Registry found that:

• 73% had temperature sensitivity. That number included 49% who were sensitive to heat and 18% who were sensitive to both heat and cold.
• The MS symptoms most frequently exacerbated by temperature sensitivity were fatigue, reported by 70% of participants, weakness or muscle weakness (49%), and gait issues (39%).
• 62% of participants were aware of cooling methods, but only 44% of those who were aware of the methods and were sensitive to heat made use of those approaches.
• The cooling methods used most often were cold showers (49%), fans (46%), and cooling cloths (34%).
• Awareness of cooling methods tended to be greater among women than men, in people with a higher burden of MS symptoms, and in those who reported temperature sensitivity.³
  

The study’s findings suggest both differences and similarities in how people in Switzerland and the United States respond to the challenges of living with MS.

In terms of differences, air conditioning is relatively uncommon in Europe, which may explain why “cranking up the AC” was not among the top cooling methods listed. With regard to similarities, the fact that less than half of the people who experienced temperature sensitivity and were aware of cooling methods made use of those strategies speaks to a universal – and unfortunate – tendency to “tough it out” even when help is at hand.

Editor’s note: Early research conducted by MSAA found that the use of cooling products was one of the most effective methods to counter heat sensitivity. MSAA offers cooling products at no charge to those who qualify for assistance. Please visit mymsaa.org/cooling for more information or to apply.

 

– Back to index –

 

Small study offers brighter outlook for reducing MS-related fatigue

Maybe sometimes we should look at things through rose-colored glasses. Or, for that matter, through spectacles that shine a bright light on problems such as MS-related fatigue.

German and Austrian researchers recently examined how wearing dim red light (DRL) glasses or blue-enriched bright light (BL) therapy glasses for 20 minutes each morning affected fatigue in 20 people with MS.⁴

At the start of the study, all participants had significant fatigue as measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Each person wore either the DRL glasses or the BL glasses for 20 minutes each day after waking for one week. After a six-day washout period, the person then wore the other type of glasses, again for 20 minutes each morning for one week.

The researchers found that both types of glasses significantly reduced fatigue, as measured by change in FFS scores, by the sixth or seventh day of use, with the BL glasses achieving clinically significant reductions by Day 6. Both interventions also improved participants’ scores on another measure of fatigue, the Visual Analogue Scale for Fatigue (VAS_F), with the BL glasses showing a significantly greater reduction. However, use of the glasses was not associated with changes in quality of life or subjective sleep quality. Participants reported a low incidence of side effects.

In summarizing their findings, the investigators noted, “Despite its small sample size, the present exploratory study provides initial evidence for light therapy glasses as a feasible, immediately effective intervention for MS-related fatigue.”

Hopefully, larger studies will confirm the benefits of this approach to relieving one of the most common and challenging symptoms of MS.

 

– Back to index –

 

Predicting who will be diagnosed with MS following clinically isolated syndrome

Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) refers to a single neurological event, such as blurred vision or muscle weakness in the limbs, caused by inflammation and damage to the myelin sheath that protects the nerve cells of the central nervous system. It often precedes a diagnosis of MS. However, not everyone with CIS goes on to being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. So, what factors predict which people with CIS will and will not eventually have MS?

To answer that question, an international team of researchers analyzed the results of 72 studies involving more than 9,900 adults with CIS.⁵ They found that key predictors of a subsequent MS diagnosis included:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of lesions in the corpus callosum region of the brain. The presence of such lesions carried an odds ratio (OR) of 14.89, which means that the odds of a person with these lesions going on to be diagnosed with MS are almost 15 times the odds faced by a person who had CIS but no MRI findings of corpus callosum lesions.
• Higher number of T2 MRI lesions, which indicate injury, inflammation, or permanent scarring, which carried an OR of 7.46.
• Lesions in the periventricular region of the brain, with an OR of 4.08. (The periventricular region surrounds the fluid-filled ventricles of the brain and is involved with autonomic responses such as heart rate and breathing.)
• Presence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid, an indicator of inflammation, with an OR of 3.57. (Oligoclonal bands are abnormal immune proteins called immunoglobulins, and when present in the cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], this can indicate disease activity.)
• Gadolinium-enhancing lesions, which are markers of disease activity on MRI, with an OR of 1.91.
• Younger age, with an OR of 1.6.
• Multiple symptoms, such as blurred vision and weakness in the limbs versus one or the other, with an OR of 1.55.
• Spinal cord lesions, with an OR of 1.4.

While researchers and clinicians have long sought to better understand the relationship between CIS and MS, definitive answers remain elusive. For example, various studies have yielded a wide range of percentages – from 30% to 85% – when trying to determine the proportion of people with CIS who ultimately will be diagnosed with MS.

Those uncertainties complicate decisions about how to best manage people with CIS. This study brings welcome clarity to one aspect of the CIS-MS relationship. As its authors note, by pinpointing factors associated with an increased likelihood of MS after clinically isolated syndrome, “these findings may help identify high-risk individuals and guide personalized treatment strategies.”

 

– Back to index –

 

When it comes to DMT use and the risk of urinary tract infection, vigilance and a proactive approach are warranted

People with multiple sclerosis are at increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs) because of the bladder dysfunction that is a frequent symptom of MS. The disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that are vital to the treatment of MS can increase the risk of UTIs and even of urosepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of UTIs that involves a body-wide toxic response to infection.

The ways in which DMTs increase risk for UTIs and urosepsis are not fully understood. However, one important mechanism appears to be the immunosuppressant effect of therapies designed to stop the autoimmune activity that is a hallmark of MS.

To better understand the role of specific DMTs in these risks, a trio of investigators searched the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System and identified 12,997 UTI and 651 urosepsis reports associated with various MS therapies.⁶ After analyzing those reports, they reported that “ocrelizumab [Ocrevus^®] exhibited the greatest safety signal for UTI, while natalizumab [Tysabri^® and Tyruko^®], alemtuzumab [Lemtrada^® and Campath^®], and interferon beta-1a [Avonex^®, Rebif^®, and Plegridy^®], and others were also associated with disproportionately high reporting across sex and age subgroups.”

The study authors concluded, “Clinicians should maintain UTI vigilance and integrate proactive bladder management in routine MS care.”

That advice is just as applicable to people with MS as it is to their clinicians. Knowing the various symptoms of a UTI, seeing a clinician promptly when one or more are present, and practicing good bladder management in terms of adequate hydration, frequent voiding, and other clinician-recommended practices, can reduce the chances of infection, enabling people to obtain the benefits of DMTs while reducing urinary tract-related risks.

 

– Back to index –

 

“Talk therapy” soon after MS diagnosis shows benefits in those with mild as well as moderate depression

A large body of evidence has documented the medical benefits of initiating disease-modifying therapy (DMT) soon after a diagnosis of MS. A recent Australian study indicates that beginning individualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) early in the course of MS may offer parallel psychological advantages, reducing the symptoms of depression that frequently follow diagnosis.⁷

The ACTION-MS study was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial that enrolled 60 adults who had been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS within the past five years. All had mild to moderate symptoms of depression as identified by their scores on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II).

Study participants were assigned at random to meet with a psychologist for eight weekly, 60-minute sessions of either CBT or supportive listening (SL). CBT is a form of goal-oriented “talk therapy” that seeks to help people recognize and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. By contrast, supportive listening entails focusing on a person’s emotions and experiences to help the person feel heard, valued, and validated.

Study participants had a median age of 36 years, 80% were female, and more than 90% had been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. The study’s primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants who had a clinically meaningful 10-point or greater reduction in depression severity, based on BDI-II scores, at Week 8 compared to baseline.

At the end of the eight-week intervention period, 63.3% of those who received CBT had achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in the severity of their depression, compared to 33.3% in the SL group. The difference between groups was statistically significant. People in the CBT group also had lower BDI-II scores at a 28-week follow-up than their SL counterparts.

At both Week 8 and Week 28, those in the CBT group reported greater improvements in quality of life, sleep quality, and acceptance of their MS than the SL group members. Individualized CBT also showed benefits in terms of problem-solving ability, sustaining attention, and visuospatial memory. (Visuospatial memory refers to remembering the physical features of an object, such as size, shape, and color, while also referring to location and movements.) No serious adverse events were reported in either group.

Coming to terms with an MS diagnosis can be very difficult. Taking on one more set of appointments with a clinician may be the last thing you want to add to your plate at that point. However, making time to talk with a mental health professional about what you are feeling and experiencing, your worries and your questions, may be the best way to help take other concerns off your plate, and to give yourself the gifts of greater insight, self-compassion, and resilience as you adjust to your diagnosis.

 

– Back to index –

 

Examining the links between pain subtype, disability, and quality of life in MS

Pain is a daily companion for many people living with multiple sclerosis. While considerable research has examined how the severity of pain affects function and quality of life in people with MS, less attention has been paid to the impact of different types of pain.

To address that gap, a team of Turkish researchers analyzed data on 1,503 people with MS. Their key findings included:

• 68.2% of the people participating in the study reported pain.
• Of that total, 50.5% had musculoskeletal pain, while 17.7% had neuropathic pain. (Neurogenic pain in MS is caused by one or more lesions in the central nervous system [CNS] and is a direct result of damage to the nerves.)
• The people reporting neuropathic pain had a greater degree of disability, as measured by median scores on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), than those with musculoskeletal pain and people with MS who reported no pain.
• People with neuropathic pain also had significantly lower scores on two instruments used to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL). By contrast, people with musculoskeletal pain had modestly reduced HRQoL relative to their counterparts with no pain.⁸

The study’s findings reinforce the point that while all pain is unwelcome, not all pain is equal, and that differences in the impact of pain extend beyond severity and frequency to type. Identifying the nature of pain is critical to formulating a comprehensive treatment plan, in part because neuropathic pain typically does not respond well to many of the standard pain interventions, such as over-the-counter pain relievers, which can help with musculoskeletal pain.

An even bigger point, perhaps, is that people with MS should listen to their bodies and speak with their clinicians about pain and other symptoms. The range of options for managing pain has expanded dramatically in recent years, and while the medical community still isn’t where it would like to be in terms of solutions that are highly effective for all people, there is a great deal that neurologists can do to lessen the burden of pain for most people with MS.

 

– Back to index –

 

Assessing the impact of Briumvi^® as first-line therapy in relapsing MS

The high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Briumvi^® (ublituximab) achieved an annualized relapse rate (ARR) more than 50% lower than that of Aubagio^® (teriflunomide) over 96 weeks in people with relapsing MS who had not received a prior DMT.⁹

That lower relapse rate was a key finding from an analysis of outcomes for more than 700 people who participated in the ULTIMATE I and ULTIMATE 2 Phase III trials of Briumvi.

The ARR for the 345 study participants receiving Briumvi was 0.081, which means that eight people out of 10,000 would experience a relapse over the course of a year. This is opposed to an ARR of 0.188 for participants receiving Aubagio, which means that about 19 people out of 10,000 would experience a relapse over the course of a year. Aubagio is generally categorized as a moderate-efficacy DMT. The difference in rates was statistically significant.

There was also a statistically significant difference in ARR rates for a subset of participants who had experienced their first symptoms within three years of starting treatment. In that group, the ARR rate was 0.13 for the 139 people receiving Briumvi and 0.33 for 140 participants taking Aubagio.

Similarly, the rates of 12-week confirmed disability improvement were 10.7% for the overall Briumvi group vs. 5.3% for the overall Aubagio group. In the subgroup of people initiating therapy within three years of symptom onset, the rates of 12-week confirmed disability improvement were 14.4% for Briumvi recipients versus 3.6% for Aubagio recipients.

In both the overall group and subgroup, the differences in rates of 12-week improvement were statistically significant. Study participants receiving Briumvi also fared better in terms of reduction in MS lesions seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

When selecting initial therapy for a person with MS, clinicians long have debated whether it is preferable to begin with a therapy that offers moderate efficacy and carries relatively less potential for side effects, or a therapy that demonstrates greater efficacy but has a more-significant adverse events profile.

This study adds further evidence for clinicians and people with MS to consider all of the factors involved as they weigh the risk-benefit ratios of those two approaches.

 

– Back to index –

 

Kesimpta^® shows efficacy in people with relapsing MS who had breakthroughs on prior therapies

The injectable disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Kesimpta^® (ofatumumab) achieved a low annualized relapse rate (ARR) in a study involving 562 adults with relapsing MS who previously had experienced disease breakthrough on oral DMTs.¹⁰

Those people were participants in the Phase IIIb, open-label, single-arm ARTIOS study, which was conducted at several MS centers. To qualify for the study, participants had to have taken either fingolimod (marketed as Gilenya^® and available in generic versions) or a fumarate-based DMT (such as Vumerity^®, Tecfidera^®, or generic versions of the latter) and have experienced one or more relapses in the prior year or two, or more relapses in the last two years, and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of disease activity in the last year.

The study’s primary endpoint was a low ARR following a switch to Kesimpta. Researchers reported that Kesimpta met that goal, reaching an ARR of 0.06. This means that if 10,000 people took Kesimpta for one year, six of them would have a single relapse, while 9,994 would not.

The investigators added that use of Kesimpta resulted in “near-complete suppression of MRI lesions,” with 90.9% of participants achieving no evidence of disease activity. The researchers also noted that safety outcomes in ARTIOS were consistent with those of prior Kesimpta studies, with most treatment-emergent adverse events being mild to moderate.

Kesimpta works by binding to and depleting specific B cells, a type of immune white blood cell that mistakenly attacks the protective myelin sheath around nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It is considered a high-efficacy DMT. (The approved DMTs for MS are classified as either being moderately effective with greater safety, or high efficacy with more risk. Neurologists and their patients work together to determine their best treatment plan.)

The ARTIOS study’s results reinforce the fact that inadequate response to an initial DMT, while disappointing, should not be cause for discouragement given the availability of other, potentially more-effective alternatives.

 

– Back to index –

 

Study indicates that Mayzent^® reduces risk of progression to wheelchair use in active SPMS

Clinical trial participants with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who received Mayzent^® (siponimod) were 40% less likely to progress to wheelchair use than other study participants with SPMS who received a placebo.¹¹

That finding emerged from the Phase III EXPAND study, which enrolled more than 1,600 people with SPMS. Mayzent is a type of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) known as a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator. These medications work by binding to proteins on immune cells, causing the proteins to break down, so the cells get trapped safely inside lymph nodes rather than circulating throughout the body, where they can play a role in the MS disease process.

While the primary endpoint in the EXPAND study was time to three-month confirmed disability progression, researchers subsequently looked at risk of progression to a score of 7.0 – which indicates use of a wheelchair – on the 10-point Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). As noted, analysis showed a 40% overall reduction in that risk among people who received Mayzent in the trial.

When investigators dug deeper and examined the impact of Mayzent on active and non-active SPMS, they found that the risk reduction relative to placebo was 55% for people with active MS and 22% for those with non-active MS. While both the overall reduction in risk, and the reduction in risk for people with active SPMS were statistically significant, the lessened risk for people with non-active MS did not reach that threshold.

Commenting on the significance of their findings, the study’s authors noted, “Time to requiring a wheelchair is a highly relevant treatment goal and an important indicator of treatment effect in patients with SPMS.”

 

– Back to index –

 

Ocrevus^® shows efficacy across age and disability spectrums in PPMS

An international study found that Ocrevus^® (ocrelizumab) reduced disability progression, particularly in terms of hand function, in a wide range of people with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), including older people and those already living with a relatively greater degree of disability.¹²

Ocrevus is the only disease-modifying therapy (DMT) approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in people with PPMS, who represent about 10% to 15% of all people with multiple sclerosis. The FDA granted that approval in 2017 based on the results of the Phase III ORATORIO study.

In the recently published Phase IIIb ORATORIO-HAND study, researchers sought to delve deeper into the impact of Ocrevus on a wide range of people with PPMS. The study enrolled more than 1,000 people at 138 sites across 22 countries. Study participants ranged in age from 18 to 65 years, with roughly 28% being age 56 or older. Participants also had Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores between 3.0 to 8.0, with higher scores on the 10-point scale indicating a greater degree of disability.

The patients were assigned at random to receive either 600 mg of Ocrevus, which was given by intravenous infusion every six months, or a placebo, also given by infusion and at the same time interval. The study’s main focus was 12-week composite confirmed disability progression (12W-cCDP) in terms of changes in EDSS score or performance on the 9-Hole Peg Test, which assesses manual dexterity.

Among patients who entered the study between August 2019 and December 2024, 33% in the Ocrevus group had 12-week composite confirmed disability progression, as compared with 40% in the placebo group. That translates into a 30% relative reduction in risk, which was a statistically significant difference.

The difference between study arms was even greater among people who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of disease activity at the start of the trial. In that subset of study participants, the Ocrevus group had a 55% relative reduction in risk for disability progression compared to the placebo group. That difference also was statistically significant.

Safety outcomes were similar between the two groups. There was a greater incidence of infections in people receiving Ocrevus (48% versus 45% for those receiving placebo), but that difference was negated once COVID infections were excluded. Investigators reported that the rates of serious adverse events and serious infections were similar between groups.

 

– Back to index –

 

Study documents long-term safety profile and efficacy of Ponvory^®

Could real-life experience with an approved disease-modifying therapy (DMT) differ from the findings shown in clinical trials conducted prior to its approval? It’s a question that clinicians and patients routinely ask when considering a therapy that requires ongoing use, whether in MS or any other chronic condition.

As far as the DMT Ponvory^® (ponesimod) is concerned, the latest evidence examining up to 13 years of use provides encouraging answers to that question.¹³

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ponvory for use in relapsing forms of MS in 2021. The medication is a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator. This type of DMT binds to proteins on immune cells, prompting the proteins to break down so that the immune cells are sequestered inside lymph nodes, preventing them from traveling throughout the body and facilitating the MS disease process.

Investigators evaluated the long-term safety profile and efficacy of the therapy in more than 350 people with relapsing MS. These individuals had enrolled in a 24-week study and then agreed to participate in ongoing follow-up.

While the original study assigned people to receive one of three doses of Ponvory or placebo, all participants in the later stage of the long-term extension study received 20 mg of the medication daily. Key findings for study participants with long-term use of the 20-mg dose included:

• 92.4% had at least one treatment-emergent adverse event over the course of treatment, with 73.1% having mild or moderate side effects.
• The annualized relapse rate was 0.14, meaning that if 1,000 people took a medication for one year, 14 of them would have one relapse in that period.
• The average number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions – indicators of MS disease activity – seen on T1 magnetic resonance imaging declined from 2.62 before starting Ponvory to 0.26 after 12.4 years.

Summing up those findings, the study’s authors observed that “treatment for up to 13 years was not associated with new safety concerns. Participants continued to experience low levels of disease activity consistently across clinical and MRI outcomes.”

 

– Back to index –

 

References

1. Sandroff BM, Motl RW, Nauman H, et al. Acute aerobic walking exercise induces changes in thalamic resting-state connectivity in persons with multiple sclerosis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026;58(8):1729-1740.
2. Yu M, Jelinek G, Naq N. Associations between lifestyle factors and 2.5-year clinical outcomes differ by time since multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Neurol Sci. 2026;47.698.
3. Iaquinto S, Patt N, Bansi J, et al. Keeping cool – how persons with MS manage heat sensitivity: Insights from the Swiss multiple sclerosis registry. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2026; 113; 107395.doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2026.107395.
4. Ottersbach J, Canazei M, Bauer SK, et al. Exploratory crossover field study indicates efficacy and feasibility of light therapy glasses to mitigate fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 23;16(1):19533. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-56950-3.
5. Zafra-Sierra MP, Ferreira-Atuesta C, Rodriguez DS, et al. Predictors of multiple sclerosis after clinically isolated syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Neurol. 2026;33(8):e70711.doi: 10.1111/ene.70711.
6. Balshi A, Esser M, Kaplan TB. Urinary tract infections, urosepsis, and multiple sclerosis disease modifying therapies: a disproportionality analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2026;113:107351.
7. Kiropoulos LA, Kilpatrick TJ, Kalincik T, et al. A tailored cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for depression in those newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (ACTION-MS): A randomised, assessor-blinded, active comparator trial. J Affect Disord. 2026:410:121917.
8. Alizada S, Ozdogar AT, Kara I, et al. Impact of pain subtypes on disability and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: Neuropathic pain demonstrates the strongest association. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2026;113:107341.
9. Robertson D, Alvarez E, Steinman L, et al. Disease outcomes with ublituximab in treatment-naïve participants: subpopulation analyses of the phase 3 ULTIMATE I and II studies in participants with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Front Immunol. 2026:17:1771848.
10. Bove R, Langdon D, Maciejowski M, et al. Efficacy and safety of ofatumumab in participants with relapsing multiple sclerosis and breakthrough disease on oral fingolimod or fumarates: results from the ARTIOS study. J Neurol. 2026;273(7):434.doi: 10.1007/s00415-026-13960-5.
11. Vermersch P, Arnould S, Gold R, et al. Progression to wheelchair in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and impact of siponimod: post hoc analyses from the EXPAND Study. Eur J Neurol. 2026;33:e70659.
12. Giovannoni G, Arias L, Bove R, et al. Efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in primary progressive multiple sclerosis, including older patients and those with more advanced disease (ORATORIO-HAND): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3b study Lancet. 2026;407(10544):2195-2207. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00617-3.
13. Olsson T, Montalban X, Hohlfeld R, et al. Long-term safety and efficacy of ponesimod, an oral S1P1 receptor modulator, in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS): Results from randomized phase 2b core and extension studies spanning up to 13 years. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2026;114:107403.

 

– Back to index –

 

For More Information

For general information or to speak with a trained Client Services Specialist, please call MSAA’s Helpline at (800) 532-7667, extension 154. Questions to MSAA’s Client Services department may also be emailed to MSquestions@mymsaa.org.

Written by Tom Garry, Medical Writer
Reviewed by Dr. Barry Hendin, MSAA Chief Medical Officer
Edited by Susan Wells Courtney, MSAA Senior Writer

Medical details and study results provided in MSAA’s published materials are for informational purposes only and are not to be considered as treatment advice or recommendations. Readers are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional before making any changes to their current treatment regimen.