Myelitis News and Research

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Rutgers Health treats children with multiple sclerosis at the dedicated pediatric MS program

Alexander Wallerson was 12 years old when he saw a popular movie with his mother. Now 26, he remembers that specific day vividly. It was the first time he experienced the signs of multiple sclerosis (MS)."I walked like I was drunk," says Wallerson, who lives in New Brunswick. "I was limping but not in pain."

29 Jul 2019

Johns Hopkins co-leads study on 'poliolike' condition affecting children

Johns Hopkins Medicine and University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers will lead a multicenter, multinational study of acute flaccid myelitis, the “poliolike” condition affecting children that causes loss of muscle control.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 25 Jul 2019

NIH contract awarded to UAB for acute flaccid myelitis natural history study

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham approximately $10 million over 5 years to study acute flaccid myelitis, a rare but serious condition which causes muscle weakness and paralysis.

23 Jul 2019

Puzzling paralysis affecting healthy children warns CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that a series of rare and difficult to treat cases of paralysis are being seen in otherwise healthy children since 2018. This outbreak is 2018 may soon make a comeback in 2020 the organization warns doctors and paediatricians. The report was published in the CDC’s Vital Signs this week.

11 Jul 2019

FDA approves first drug for treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Soliris (eculizumab) injection for intravenous use for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in adult patients who are anti-aquaporin-4 antibody positive.

27 Jun 2019

TGen identifies polio-like virus as potential cause of Acute Flaccid Myelitis outbreak

The Translational Genomics Research Institute, an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified a polio-like virus as a potential cause of an outbreak of a disease known as Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a crippling condition that causes muscle weakness and paralysis usually among children.

23 Jan 2019

Nerve transfer surgery restores arm movement in children with acute flaccid myelitis

An innovative and complex surgery involving nerve transfers is restoring hope and transforming lives torn apart by a mysterious and devastating illness. Acute flaccid myelitis, also known as AFM, strikes without warning, shows no mercy and frequently results in paralysis.

15 Jan 2019

Clearer diagnosis of polio-like illness in young children

Johns Hopkins researchers have analyzed patient data from 45 cases of what they thought was acute flaccid myelitis, the polio-like outbreak occurring in U.S. children, and realized that only 75 percent of diagnosed cases were AFM.

4 Dec 2018

Potential treatment for rare polio-like illness shows no signal of efficacy

Researchers have been searching for possible treatments for the polio-like illness causing paralysis in children, called acute flaccid myelitis.

9 Nov 2018

Cases of acute flaccid myelitis on the rise say federal health officials

The cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) – a polio like debilitating illness affecting children is still on the rise announced the health officials from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this Monday (5th November 2018).

5 Nov 2018

Merck presents MK-1454 Phase 1 data for treatment of advanced solid tumors or lymphomas

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the first presentation of preliminary data from a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating MK-1454, an investigational STING (stimulator of interferon genes) agonist, as monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas.

22 Oct 2018

Merck presents KEYNOTE-057 trial results for patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the first presentation of results from an interim analysis of KEYNOTE-057, a Phase 2 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, for previously treated patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ or CIS plus papillary disease (Cohort A).

22 Oct 2018

Cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis on the rise across U.S.

According to the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), cases of dangerous and rare Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) are being noted across United States. This disease manifests similar to acute flaccid paralysis caused by polio virus say the experts. There is at present no treatment for this condition that primarily affects children and leads to paralysis of the limbs.

18 Oct 2018

Mysterious polio-like illness baffles medical experts while frightening parents

A spike in the number of children with a rare neurological disease that causes polio-like symptoms has health officials across the country scrambling to understand the illness. Yet, more than four years after health officials first recorded the most recent uptick in cases, much about the national outbreak remains a mystery.

17 Oct 2018

Alexion announces positive results from Phase 3 PREVENT study of Soliris in patients with NMOSD

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced positive topline results from the Phase 3 PREVENT study of Soliris in patients with anti-aquaporin-4 auto antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

24 Sep 2018

CNDA approves KEYTRUDA for treatment of advanced melanoma

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, has been approved by the China National Drug Administration for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma following failure of one prior line of therapy.

26 Jul 2018

Phase 3 study of KEYTRUDA monotherapy meets primary endpoint

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-048 trial investigating KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, for first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, met a primary endpoint of overall survival as monotherapy in patients whose tumors expressed PD-L1.

25 Jul 2018

Merck announces FDA acceptance of supplemental Biologics License Application for KEYTRUDA

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for standard review a new supplemental Biologics License Application for KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma and granted a Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or target action, date of February 16, 2019.

25 Jun 2018

UT Southwestern scientists identify gene mutation linked with perplexing brain condition

Scientists conducting one of the largest full DNA analyses of a rare disease have identified a gene mutation associated with a perplexing brain condition that blinds and paralyzes patients.

20 Jun 2018

Popular allergy drug may reduce relapses in patients with neuromyelitis optica

The addition of cetirizine (the popular allergy medication sold under the brand name Zyrtec) to standard therapy is safe, well-tolerated, and may reduce relapses in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a rare and severe disease that causes inflammation and demyelination (damage to the myelin - the protective coating of nerve cells), primarily in the optic nerve (optic neuritis), spinal cord (myelitis), and brainstem.

2 Feb 2018