THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA), a company developing Tcelna, a novel T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), today announced that Health Canada has approved the Company's Clinical Trial Application (CTA). The application was filed with the Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate. With this approval by the Canadian Health Authority, Opexa expects to expand its ongoing clinical trial in Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) patients to include several sites in Canada. The Abili-T trial, a Phase 2b study of Tcelna in subjects with SPMS, is currently enrolling patients in the United States. To date, over a half of the clinical sites have been initiated and approximately ten percent of subjects have been enrolled. Enthusiasm and support remains strong among the patients and the treatment sites. The trial is expected to enroll 180 patients in approximately 30 sites in the U.S. and Canada and conclude in 2015. In addition, at the end of September, The United States Adopted Names Council (USANC) officially adopted Tcelnas non-proprietary name, imilecleucel-T. USANC is tri-sponsored by the American Medical Association, the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, and the American Pharmacists Association. USANC aims to standardize drug nomenclature by selecting informative and unique non-proprietary names for all … Continue reading →

Saskatchewan residents with multiple sclerosis who have travelled outside Canada for liberation therapy can soon be evaluated by sonographers using Doppler ultrasound at Radiology Associates of Regina (RAR). Dr. Kunal Goyal, a radiologist with the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region and RAR and an assistant professor of clinical radiology at the University of Saskatchewan, believes RAR is the first site in the province to offer the service. The Doppler ultrasound that will be offered at RAR aims to provide timely, safe and in-province service to patients who would otherwise have to travel outside Saskatchewan for followup. Hundreds of Canadians started going outside the country for liberation treatment after Dr. Paolo Zambo-ni hypothesized in 2009 that MS is caused by a narrowing of veins in the neck - a condition he dubbed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). Zamboni believes the constriction causes blood draining from the brain to back up, creating iron deposits and setting off brain inflammation. His treatment uses angioplasty, where a tiny balloon is threaded into the vein and inflated to open the narrowing. RAR worked with the Ministry of Health to offer the Doppler ultrasound service to those who have had liberation therapy. The College of Physicians and … Continue reading →

MS Dhoni today paid tribute to Yuvraj Singh as the Indian prepares to return to Test cricket after winning his battle with cancer. The 30-year-old has not played Test cricket for a year after treatment for a rare form of lung cancer. He made a successful international return in the World T20 before scoring a double century in the Duleep Trophy followed by five wickets and a 50 for India A against England. Dhoni said today: He looks in good shape. It takes a lot of fitness to score a double hundred. Im just hoping he does not have to field for two days. There is no need for the car which is capable of a long haul to be driven the full distance. Dhoni said Yuvrajs recovery is an indication of his character. Hes aggressive, said the skipper. Hes someone who really wants to perform at the top level. The best thing for us is he bats at five or six and is a left-arm spinnner. Its a very important role for us because we dont have a genuine all-rounder and play with four bowlers. His contribution will be very important. He can be quite intimidating the way he … Continue reading →

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- My MS Manager, the first-of-its-kind mobile phone application developed to help individuals better manage their MS, is now available on the Android platform. Since its launch in the Apple App Store in June of 2011, My MS Manager has been downloaded more than 9,000 times, with users entering data about their MS on various Apple mobile products. Developed in conjunction with Ringful Health, My MS Manager offers individuals a convenient and effective tool to manage the ever-changing course of the disease. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120620/PH27981LOGO ) According to rock-n-roll photographer and MSAA Ambassador Anna Webber, My MS Manager has made a difference in her life. "The travel and hours alone in my industry are enough to wreak havoc on a healthy body, let alone one that is managing MS on a daily basis," says Webber. "My MS Manager has been a life saver for me! It keeps me on top of everything, from taking my medicine to journaling my flare-ups and any other issue that I might encounter. My MS Manager has filled an important void in managing not only my MS, but my health." MSAA President and CEO Douglas G. Franklin states, "It … Continue reading →