Interesting nugget in Montel Williams story

Turns out he was in Wisconsin because he's participating in a trial at UW-Madison involving "stimulating the tongue with electrical impulses that then flow into the brain stem and enable the brain to more effectively process information in patients with MS, stroke, brain injury or Parkinson's disease." Link.

Interstim for your mouth?

Rituxan looks good in Phase II

Just read a Reuters story reporting on promising results of a Stage II clinical trial of Rituxan, a drug developed for treating lymphoma:

The number of lesions at weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24 was statistically far lower in the Rituxan group. At week 24, the total number of lesions was reduced by 91 percent -- to an average of 0.5 per patient in the Rituxan-treated group, compared with 5.5 lesions in the placebo arm of the trial.

"In addition, the proportion of patients with relapses over 24 weeks in the Rituxan-treated arm was 14.5 percent compared to 34.3 percent in the placebo arm," representing a 58 percent relative decrease, the drugmakers [Genentech and Biogen] said in a joint release.

Link.

More data on Tysabri: MRI outcomes

New data indicate that Tysabri reduces both quantity and volume of lesions showing up on MRI examination, as compared to placebo. Here's a link to the abstract.

I wonder how that compares to the CRABs.

Study: More GA is better

A recent study found that doubling the dose of Copaxone resulted in a 38% drop in enhancing lesions when compared to the current 20 mg standard dose, though injection-site reactions were worse. Take two, they're small.

Link

Study: Tysabri reduces MS vision loss

Forbes.com reports that a new study finds Tysabri (which the report describes as "controversial") reduces vision loss by almost half. Snip:

"Vision loss is probably one of the most disabling things that happens to people with MS," said lead researcher Dr. Laura J. Balcer, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "The exciting thing is, first, that we now have an eye-chart test that can pick that up and can show if treatments help vision. Second, this particular drug appears to help prevent vision loss."

I haven't had much noticeable vision trouble, though I remember several years ago I had a bit of vision loss in my right eye when I got overheated. Seems like it mostly resolved after a month or so.
Link.