New global trial testing oral therapy for MS spasticity
UC expert featured in MS News Today article
The University of Cincinnati's Shahla Hosseini, MD, PhD, was featured in a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) News Today article discussing a new international clinical trial testing an oral drug that enhances naturally occurring molecules in the body to help muscles relax as a treatment for spasticity in patients with MS.
Many patients with MS experience spasticity, which causes muscles to resist being stretched, leading to pain, impaired function, decreased mobility and poorer quality of life.
“Physicians who treat muscle spasticity have a limited number of medications from which to choose. In the past 20 to 30 years, we haven’t seen development of new effective oral medications to treat spasticity in the United States,” said Hosseini, adjunct associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in UC’s College of Medicine and a UC Health physician. “The majority of the currently available oral medications have side effects like drowsiness, which limits their usefulness during the daytime, and so we really need a new effective treatment for spasticity that’s better tolerated by patients.”
The body naturally produces molecules called endocannabinoids that help muscles relax and play a role in other functions, including regulating mood, pain and sleep, Hosseini explained. The trial drug is designed to inhibit two enzymes that break down endocannabinoids, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), allowing the endocannabinoids to help regulate the overly reactive spastic muscles.
Read the MS News Today article.
Featured photo at top of a person with knee stiffness. Photo/PonyWang/iStock Photo.
Related Stories
Cincinnati sees record rainfall in weekend deluge
July 21, 2026
The Cincinnati Enquirer talks to UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Associate Professor Patrick Ray for context about a July 17 rainstorm that dumped a record amount of rain on parts of Cincinnati.
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Engineering magnets for a cleaner future
July 20, 2026
The United States is heavily reliant on imported rare-earth materials to make permanent magnets. Ugochukwu Philip Ochieze, materials science student at the University of Cincinnati, is studying how to use common materials to create permanent magnets, eliminating the need for expensive and scarce rare-earth materials. Pursuing his PhD, Ochieze was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.