NeuroRx Research Developed Novel Brain MRI Measures of Chronic Lesion Activity and Progressive Pathology in People With Multiple Sclerosis

MONTREAL, Dec. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuroRx Research (www.neurorx.com) announced today the online release of an Original Research Article published in Multiple Sclerosis Journal and describing a novel method enabling the detection of 'Slowly expanding/evolving lesions as a magnetic resonance imaging marker of chronic active multiple sclerosis lesions'

Article Details: Elliott C, Wolinsky JS, Hauser SL et al. Slowly expanding/evolving lesions as a magnetic resonance imaging marker of chronic active multiple sclerosis lesions. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. 2018:135245851881411.       
Available at:   https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458518814117

Conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides reliable markers of the acute inflammatory lesions that are associated with relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS), but does not detect ongoing brain injury within MS lesions associated with the (chronic) progressive phase of the disease. Chronic MS lesions that show evidence of ongoing, low-grade inflammation have been termed chronic active or "smoldering" lesions.

There is currently no consensus about the reliable in vivo detection of chronic active or smoldering lesions. NeuroRx Research developed (in collaboration with F. Hoffmann-La Roche) a method to identify and quantify change over time in chronic active lesions based on their subtle, but consistent enlargement over time. The method can identify these lesions, which are termed slowly expanding lesions (SELs) using conventional, clinical MRI scans. SELs were examined across the MS disease continuum in 1,334 patients with relapsing MS (RMS, NCT01247324 and NCT01412333) and 555 patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS, NCT01194570). The prevalence of SELs was found to be high in both RMS and PPMS patients. SELs were devoid of signs of acute inflammation as measured by gadolinium-enhancement. Compared with areas of T2-weighted lesions not classified as SEL, SELs had significantly lower T1 intensity at baseline and larger decrease in T1 intensity over time, reflecting chronic tissue injury and loss of nerve cells.

This NeuroRx Research article suggests that SELs reflect chronic, ongoing brain injury in the absence of acute inflammation. SELs may represent a biomarker for smoldering inflammation that could be very useful phase 2/3 clinical trials to assess pathology associated with progressive disease.

About NeuroRx Research:

NeuroRx Research is dedicated to working with the pharmaceutical industry to facilitate clinical trials of new drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. NeuroRx Research provides professional management of all MRI-related study activities and promptly delivers MRI outcome measurements that are performed in a regulatory compliant environment.

NeuroRx Research uses advanced image analysis techniques to provide outcome data that maximize study power. Customized automatic segmentation techniques are combined with expert supervision to maximize the accuracy and precision of outcome measures related to both lesional and non-lesional pathology, as well as brain volume changes (atrophy). 

NeuroRx Research contacts:

Douglas Arnold, NeuroRx Research CEO ([email protected])

Colm Elliott, NeuroRx Research Scientist and corresponding author of the article ([email protected]; Tel.: +1 514 906 3909)

Marie-Josee Rho, NeuroRx Research COO ([email protected]; Tel: +1-514-908-0088)

For questions regarding NeuroRx Research capabilities/future studies:
+1 - 514 - 908-0088 
Email: [email protected]

3575 Parc Avenue, Suite #5322
Montreal, QC, H2X 3P9
Canada

SOURCE NeuroRx Research

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