Alemtuzumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets CD52 on T and B lymphocytes, has received approval in Canada for the treatment of adults aged 18-64 years with relapsing-remitting MS who have had an inadequate response to interferon-beta or other disease-modifying
therapies.
The drug is administered by IV infusion at a dose of 12 mg/day x 5 days, followed one year later by 12 mg/day x 3 days. The recommended duration of the infusion is approximately 4 hours. Read More
A new study in mouse cortical neurons suggests that fingolimod, a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator currently used to treat MS, may reduce beta-amyloid neurotoxicity (Doi et al. PLoS One 2013;8:e6; free full text at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3625222/pdf/pone.0061988.pdf).
A new study in Brazil reports that risk factors for treatment failure among MS patients are comparable to those reported for patients in the northern hemisphere (Damasceno et al. J Neurol Sci 2013;324:29-33). Read More
Over the past few decades there have been numerous studies investigating whether proximity to high-voltage power lines and exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) contributes to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The most recent epidemiological study reports that living near a power line does not increase the risk of developing dementia, Parkinson’s disease or motor neuron disease (Frei et al. Am J Epidemiol 2013; epublished April 9, 2013). Read More