NeurologyLive® Year in Review 2022: Most-Watched Multiple Sclerosis Expert Interviews

In 2022, the NeurologyLive^® team spoke with hundreds of people and posted hundreds of hours of interview clips. The staff spoke with neurologists, investigators, advanced practice providers, physical therapists, advocates, patients, pharmacists, and industry experts—anyone involved in the process of delivering clinical care.

These conversations were had with individuals from all over the world, both virtually and in person. The team attended more than 10 annual meetings of medical societies, each and every time sitting down with experts on-site to learn more about the conversations driving care and the challenges being overcome.

From those in the field of multiple sclerosis this year, we learned about the evolving understanding of the pathogenesis of MS and the focus on better treating progressive disease. Experts told us about the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus and MS onset, the novel therapeutic targets that are being explored, how thinking about the neurodegenerative aspect of disease operates, the need to better address invisible symptoms such as fatigue and cognition, and so much more.

Here, we'll highlight the most-viewed expert interviews on NeurologyLive^® this year. Click the buttons to watch more of our conversations with these experts.

1. ATA188, Targeting EBV Antigens to Treat Progressive MS: AJ Joshi, MD

The chief medical officer at Atara Biotherapeutics discussed the investigational agent ATA188, its mechanism to treat multiple sclerosis, and what to look for in its upcoming EMBOLD trial data readout. WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

"This is not pan B-cell depletion or pan past plasma cell depletion. It’s only attacking the bad players, essentially. It’s these EBV-infected B-cells and plasma cells that are felt to be the causes of the autoimmune cascade and the pathology we’re seeing."

2. Exploiting Anti-CD3 Antibodies, Relevant Biomarkers in Progressive MS: Tanuja Chitnis, MD

The associate neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital provided insight into the current state of promising targets in progressive MS and why anti-CD3 therapy might be a new consideration for future trials. WATCH TIME: 2 minutes

"From our studies, at least in animal models, the drug accumulates in the cervical lymph nodes and probably has an effect throughout the brain through the glymphatic and through regulatory molecules and cells that then get into the brain. I think this approach of nasally delivered treatments might be the future for both progressive MS as well as other neurological diseases."

3. Properly Assessing Cognition in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: John DeLuca, PhD

The senior vice president for research and training at the Kessler Foundation discussed the assessment of cognitive challenges among patients with multiple sclerosis and planning for treatment options when necessary. WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“Once you have the assessment, you also have to have a plan for treatment, and that’s more challenging. These are times where you refer out to [specialists]. If your patient has a cardiac problem, you refer them to a cardiologist. If the person has a cognitive problem, you should be referring out to a cognitive expert.”

4. Newest Updates in Multiple Sclerosis at ECTRIMS 2022: Tianrong Yeo, MBBS, MRCP, MMED, FAMS, MCI, PhD

The senior consultant for the department of neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute shares what he looks forward to at the 2022 ECTRIMS conference. WATCH TIME: 2 minutes

“I think I just want to know, the newest things happening in MS. The newest treatments—and I mean, there's quite a few of them on the horizon, so I'd like to hear a bit more about that.”

5. Beginning and Transitioning DMT in MS: Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH

The assistant professor of medicine at University of Toronto, and neurologist at St. Michael's Hospital spoke about the process of changing or beginning treatment with a variety of disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis. WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

"There are a number of different things we have to consider when we’re making a decision about treatment. When we have that conversation with patients, we always want to talk about the patient’s personal preferences in terms of their comfort level with risk. Some of our medications have some rare, but serious, potential adverse events long term, so we always want to talk about the safety profile of the medication. We also always want to talk about access issues."

6. Where Tolebrutinib and Other BTK Inhibitors Fit in the MS Treatment Landscape: Jiwon Oh, MD, PhD

The staff neurologist and medical director of the Barlo Multiple Sclerosis Program at St Michaels Hospital discussed how investigational BTK inhibitors will be used among an ever-growing MS treatment toolbox. WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

"There are very few treatments that we have which have shown efficacy in progressive types of MS. Possibly having a molecule that shows an effect across the spectrum of MS would be incredibly helpful. That would mean that this medication could be used at any stage of MS."

7. Tackling Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis: Emily Harrington, MD, PhD

The assistant professor of neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center provided insight on finding strategies to prevent neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis. WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

"On the clinical side, we need more sensitive markers to determine repair. Following someone’s type of walk or their [Expanded Disability Status Scale] score is probably not a great measure for more repairing, remyelinating strategies."

8. Technological Advancements Improving, Expanding Capabilities of Antibody Testing: Sean Pittock, MD

The director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology discussed the technological capabilities the center has, including the improved use of neural antibody testing. WATCH TIME: 6 minutes

"Using the living cell, we have optimized the sensitivity and specificity for a water channel assay to 100%. Nobody else has that. We then use flow cytometry and a variety of different color agents to allow us to detect whether or not a patient’s antibodies are binding to those living cells."

9. CBT as an Effective Mood Therapy for Patients with MS Experiencing Fatigue: Federica Picariello, PhD

The postdoctoral researcher and health psychologist at King's College, London spoke at ECTRIMS 2022 about the relationship between mood and fatigue in patients with MS. WATCH TIME: 2 minutes

“CBT is a great talking therapy, and it is very effective. But, it's a constellation of different techniques, that has an underlying overall treatment logic model—the way you think and the way you feel and what you do in response to the thoughts and emotions will lead you to act in certain ways that can contribute to how you feel. But the treatment protocol needs to be tailored to the presenting problem.”

10. The State of Multiple Sclerosis Therapy and Trends in Thinking: Robert K. Shin, MD

The professor of neurology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital shared his perspective on the trends in thinking about the treatment of MS and how an improved understanding of underlying processes has led to a shift in the field. WATCH TIME: 5 minutes

“As we've seen at AAN and other meetings, data using different biomarkers, whether it's optical coherence tomography, serum neurofilament light, other biological markers, volumetric MRI, other more investigational MRI markers—what's the common theme? We're seeing that neurodegeneration occurs from the beginning of the disease process, if not probably before the patient's even aware or the providers are even aware of the diagnosis. I would say, rather than two different stages, we now see them almost as overlapping. We see that there is a progressive neurodegenerative component that is occurring, as best we can tell, probably from the beginning of the disease process that is punctuated by relapses.”