News

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with another autoimmune disease — specifically lupus or Sjögren’s syndrome — according to a large-scale analysis of inpatient hospitalization data in the U.S. In fact, NMOSD patients had a 12 times higher…

Two blood markers — neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) — provide complementary clinical information about neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a review study highlights. “Based on the results of several studies, both NfL and GFAP are considered to have their own strengths as clinical…

A new study of disease prevalence estimates that about 22,000 people in the U.S. were living with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in 2022. The findings also suggest that the progressive autoimmune disease is most common in Black women, as compared with other U.S. demographics. For Asian American women,…

People who develop neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) at an older age are more likely to experience spinal cord inflammation and less likely to have eye nerve involvement, not only in the first attack but also in subsequent relapses, a study has found. In addition, data show “different relapse…

Tocilizumab, an anti-inflammatory medication used off-label for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), can help prevent relapses (flare-ups) and ease disability while being generally safe, according to a meta-analysis. The study, “Tocilizumab treatment in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: Updated meta-analysis of efficacy and safety,” was published in the journal…

Health Canada has approved Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon) to treat adults in the country with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who test positive for disease-driving anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies. The decision adds Canada to the list of nations where the medication is now available. The intravenous or into-the-vein infusion, developed by…

SAB Biotherapeutics has developed therapeutic antibodies — without the need for human donors — that can neutralize self-reactive antibodies associated with autoimmune diseases, such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Working in collaboration with CSL Behring, a partnership established in 2020, SAB used its DiversitAb…

Certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) — a family of molecules that can regulate gene activity — tied to immune function were at significantly higher levels in the blood of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) compared with the general population, a study reports. All four evaluated markers —…

Nearly all neuroimmunologists treating patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who test positive for anti-AQP4 antibodies have prescribed one of the three currently approved therapies: Soliris (eculizumab), Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon), and Enspryng (satralizumab-mwge). These are the findings of a U.S. survey that also found most responding…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who switch between treatments more than once because of side effects or non-medical reasons have an increased risk of disease activity, a study shows. While each additional switch for either reason increased the risk of NMOSD activity, no such association was seen…