Marta Figueiredo, PhD, science writer —

Marta holds a biology degree, a master’s in evolutionary and developmental biology, and a PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal. She was awarded a research scholarship and a PhD scholarship, and her research focused on the role of several signaling pathways in thymus and parathyroid glands embryonic development. She also previously worked as an assistant professor of an annual one-week embryology course at the University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Medicine.

Articles by Marta Figueiredo

#ECTRIMS2022 — Ultomiris Prevents Relapses in Clinical Trial

Ultomiris (ravulizumab) — Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ approved therapy for certain complement-associated disorders — prevents relapses in adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who are positive for antibodies against the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) protein. The therapy also helped preserve walking skills, with treated patients showing a markedly lower risk of experiencing clinically…

Immunotherapy Clears Optic Neuritis, Lesions Prior to Symptoms

Giving immunosuppressive therapy to patients with antibodies against aquaporin-4 protein (AQP4) and optic neuritis but no symptoms may help resolve observed lesions and prevent a relapse of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a case report suggests. The case study, “Radiologically isolated aquaporin-4 antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder,” was…

SB12, Potential Soliris Biosimilar, Fares Well in Phase 1 Trial

SB12, Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar candidate of Soliris (eculizumab), is comparable to the original medication in terms of safety, pharmacological properties, and immunoreactivity profile, according to data from a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers. Soliris, by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, is an approved therapy for a number of conditions,…

Uplizna May Be Effective for Patients Without Anti-AQP4 Antibodies

Long-term treatment with Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon) safely and effectively reduced the frequency of attacks in the 12 neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients who were negative for antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in the N-MOmentum Phase 2/3 trial. Future, appropriately-controlled studies are needed to confirm Uplizna’s benefits in this subgroup…

#ECTRIMS2021 – Greater B-cell Depletion With Uplizna Linked to Better Outcomes

Treatment with Horizon Therapeutics’ Uplizna (inebilizumab) leads to a rapid and sustained drop in immune B-cells in adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), data from the N-MOmentum Phase 2/3 clinical trial show. Notably, while all Uplizna-treated patients experienced significant clinical benefits, those with greater B-cell depletion showed lower…

#ECTRIMS2021 – Enspryng Prevents Relapses Over Long Term in Trials

Long-term treatment with Enspryng (satralizumab) safely and sustainably prevents relapses in adolescents and adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who are positive for antibodies against the aquaporin-4 protein (AQP4-IgG), according to four-year data from the SAkura Phase 3 clinical trials. These benefits were observed when the therapy…

1st NMOSD Patient Enrolls in SPHERES Observational Study

The SPHERES registry, an observational study to better understand the underlying mechanisms and clinical course of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), as well as effects of current treatments, has enrolled its first patient. SPHERES, which stands for Synergy of Prospective Health & Experimental Research for Emerging Solutions in NMOSD,…