News

Long-term rituximab lowers NMOSD relapse risk, eases disability

Treatment with rituximab significantly reduces the risk of relapse and lessens disability in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients with antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), according to a long-term, retrospective Australian study. Most of the analyzed patients received an initial infusion of rituximab at 1,000 mg, given as two separate…

In NMOSD, Enspryng promotes B-cells’ anti-inflammatory profile

Enspryng (satralizumab-mwge) promotes an anti-inflammatory profile in plasmablasts, the immune cells that produce large amounts of the self-reactive antibodies that drive most cases of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). That’s according to a study analyzing immune cells from NMOSD patients before and after treatment with Enspryng, as well…

Uplizna benefits sustained over long term: Final trial data

Long-term treatment with Uplizna (inebilizumab) was well tolerated and led to sustained disease control for adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). That’s according to final data from the open-label extension period of the Phase 2/3 N-MOmentum clinical trial (NCT02200770), top-line data of which supported the therapy’s…

Area postrema syndrome at NMOSD onset tied to relapse risk

People having area postrema syndrome (APS), that is, uncontrollable nausea, vomiting, or hiccups, as the first symptom of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are more likely to relapse sooner and more frequently than those having another first symptom. These are the main findings of a single-center study that retrospectively…

Anti-AQP4 antibodies linked to relapses, visual disability: Study

Higher levels of self-reactive antibodies against aquaporin-4 protein (AQP4), which drives neuroinflammation in most cases of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), correlate with more severe relapses and visual disability, according to a large study. Even after treatment with immunosuppressive agents, patients with high anti-AQP4 antibodies experienced more severe relapses.

Elevated sex hormone progesterone in women tied to NMOSD risk

Women with elevated blood levels of the sex hormone progesterone have an increased risk of developing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a study that analyzed genetic variants associated with sex hormone levels. In a reverse analysis, having NMOSD appeared to lower testosterone and increase the sex hormone-binding…

Low vitamin D levels found in NMOSD patients, per study review

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have significantly lower vitamin D levels in their blood than do healthy individuals, according to a meta-analysis of data from studies covering more than 900 people in Asia. While the findings don’t prove that vitamin D deficiency causes NMOSD, they call attention…

Dynamics of CAR T-cell therapy in NMOSD shown in study

Immune T-cells of the CAR T-cell therapy CT103A are able to rapidly eliminate disease-driving immune cells and reduce immune cells’ overall inflammatory activity in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a study shows. “This study is the first in-depth single-cell … analysis of multiple types of body fluids…

Study links NMOSD to increased type 2 diabetes risk

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is more than 50% higher among people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) compared with matched people without the neurological condition, a study found. Results suggest that the risk of diabetes is particularly high in NMOSD patients who have receive treatment with…