WHAT: Starting with a consumer program focused on Living With MS, Sept. 16 at 9.00 - 17.00 in LE CENTRE SHERATON and moving on to the scientific proceedings on treatment and research in MS, Sept. 17-20 at the PALAIS DES CONGRES DE MONTREAL, the World MS Congress offers several historic firsts.

With its nearly 5200 participants including clinicians, clinical researchers and basic scientists from 55 countries, it is the largest MS scientific conference ever held. It also marks the first time that the Americas Committee, the European Committee and the Latin American Committee for Treatment and Research in MS have met jointly. The first world Atlas on MS will also be introduced.

WHY: Including late breaking news, there will be 45 platform and 900 poster presentations covering the most important topics in the field of multiple sclerosis, plus 10 teaching courses. These presentations will be made by some of the greatest scientific leaders in the field of MS research and treatment. The complete abstracts are available on the Congress Web site. www.msmontreal.org, under Program.

OVERVIEW OF HOT TOPICS FROM DAILY SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS

Specific Select Daily Highlights with Presenters Available from the Press Officer, Arney Rosenblat

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

- Young Researchers Sessions - Including new work on identifying MS predictors and the implication of low levels of Vitamin D in children who develop MS at 14.45

- Atlas of Multiple Sclerosis Launch - This is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the occurrence of multiple sclerosis around the world. The study focuses on the the global prevalence of MS and the resources available to diagnose, inform, treat, rehabilitate and support people with MS worldwide. More than 100 countries, representing almost 88% of the world's population, participated in the study, undertaken by the World Health Organization and the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, at 19:00, Room 516A

Thursday, September 18, 2008

- Neurodegneration and inflammation - including presentations on reductions in brain volume across disease types, and nervous system repair/protection at 10.30-12.00

- Brain plasticity and repair - including reports on mesenchymal stem cell injections (from patient's own bone marrow) at 14.00-15.30

- Pediatric MS - including studies on how age modifies MS profile, symptoms, and disease course at 15.30- 17.45

- Costs and Availability of MS Treatments - including generics and biosimilar therapies at 17.00 - 17.45

- Genomics and Proteomics in Understanding MS - including whether different disease courses display different genetic architecture and specific proteins influence MS relapses and remissions at 17.00 -17.45

- Emerging Therapies posters - including studies on low-dose Naltrexone, a drug normally used to combat addiction, and its potential in preventing, delaying or reducing the severity of MS at 15.30 - 17.00

Friday, September 19, 2008

- Advances in imaging techniques - including metrics that might predict clinical disability at 10.30 - 12.00

- Emerging Therapies - including an overview of oral and IV treatments in MS (14.00), studies on alemtuzumab's effect on reducing relapse rates vs. standard interferon (14.40), the results of a one year trial of a T-cell vaccination, Tovaxin, (14.55), and the first results from an early human trial of injections of mesenchymal stem cells (15.10)

- Bone Marrow Transplantation - pros and cons at 17.00 - 17.45

- Novel Cytokine, Chemokine and Adhesion Molecules - including adhesion molecules of the blood brain barrier and immunologic and clinical behavior in parasitic infection at 17.00 - 17.45

- Better Understanding MS Disease Activity posters - including research examining why MS is usually more aggressive in the African-American population (15.30), and a study showing evidence that a gene linked to pain perception in healthy adults may also underlie differences in pain perception experienced by people with MS (15.30).

- Possible MS Risk Factors posters - including a presentation focusing on latitudinal variation of sun exposure in the incidence of MS which explores the question of whether exposure to sunlight can protect people from developing MS (15.30)

- Pediatric MS posters - including a study indicating that as many as 70% of children diagnosed with MS had psychiatric disorders in addition to MS, and a report that African-American children with MS in general experience more severe disease than children with MS from other racial or ethnic groups (15.30).

- Emerging Therapies posters - includes a report on rituximab and its ability to treat breakthrough disease in people still taking a standard MS therapy (15.30)

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Late Breaking News on Emerging Therapies - including

- rituximab a report that focuses on possible clues to the drug's beneficial activity in an unsuccessful trial in the more rare primary- progressive form of the disease at 8.30

- a proof-of-concept study of the first antisense approach in MS, ATL1102 that shows significant reduction in the accumulation of new brain lesions at 9.15

- Low-dose Naltrexone poster that suggests it improved mental, but not physical, quality of life in people with MS at 10.00

- Fampridine poster will present the results of a Phase 3 trial showing that the therapy could temporarily improve walking speed and leg strength. This is the first time the results of the 9-week trial, which will serve as the basis of an application for approval, will be presented to a public medical audience at 10.00

WHERE: Palais des Congrès de Montréal, 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle or 201 Viger Ave. West September 17-20, from 8.30 - 17.30 Wed, Thur., Fri, and 8.30 - 10.30 Saturday

Assistance is available to reporters seeking to speak with specific study presenters, conference representatives or people with MS and their families who might be impacted by particular study results.

For further information: Arney Rosenblat, Associate, vp public affairs, National MS Society, Mobile: (917) 613-5711 (from 9/15 - 9/26), arney.rosenblat@nmss.org, Press Room 521B, www.msmontreal.org