MS Research Roundup: FDA Approves Ocrevus for Children, GLP-1 Drugs Show New Benefits

May 2026 brought significant news for the multiple sclerosis community, with a major FDA approval for younger patients, encouraging findings about a popular class of medications, and a wealth of data from the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in Chicago. Neurologists from across the world gathered to present the results of more than 190 MS-focused studies, covering everything from new treatments to the role of artificial intelligence in care.

The most immediately impactful announcement was the FDA's approval of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for children and adolescents age 10 and older who weigh at least 55 pounds and have relapsing-remitting MS. This makes Ocrevus only the second disease-modifying therapy with an FDA-approved indication for pediatric MS; the first was Gilenya, approved in 2018. For the estimated 5,000 to 10,000 children and adolescents in the United States living with pediatric-onset MS, this approval offers a powerful new treatment option backed by robust clinical trial data. In the OPERATTA II study, Ocrevus demonstrated that it was not only comparable to Gilenya in reducing relapse rates but superior in reducing new lesion formation seen on MRI scans, with 48 percent fewer new lesions and 87 percent fewer gadolinium-enhancing lesions compared to Gilenya. The safety profile in children was consistent with what has been observed in adults, and no patients in the Ocrevus group withdrew from the study due to adverse events.

Among the most exciting findings presented at the AAN meeting were two studies examining whether GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, the class of medications used widely for weight loss and diabetes that includes semaglutide, offer additional benefits for people with MS. In a large study drawing on data from more than 14,300 people with MS, those who had been prescribed GLP-1 medications showed substantially lower rates of acute MS relapses, optic neuritis, mobility problems, fatigue, and depression compared to people with MS who had not used these drugs. Specifically, steroid-treated relapses occurred in only 2.33 percent of GLP-1 users compared to 5 percent in the non-user group. Fatigue, one of the most debilitating MS symptoms, affected 8.3 percent of GLP-1 users versus 14.2 percent of non-users.

A smaller study from the University of Washington reinforced these findings, showing that 70 people with MS who started GLP-1 therapy more than doubled their weekly physical activity within months, going from an average of 52 minutes per week to nearly 116 minutes. They also reported meaningful improvements in anxiety, bowel function, bladder function, and sensory symptoms. Researchers believe GLP-1 drugs may offer neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects that are particularly relevant to MS, though prospective clinical trials will be needed to confirm these benefits and determine whether they add to the effects of existing disease-modifying therapies.

The AAN meeting also featured a thought-provoking study from Spain in which ChatGPT-4o was compared to 290 neurologists in making treatment decisions for 20 hypothetical MS cases. When given an explicit prompt to follow current clinical guidelines, the AI achieved 80.5 percent accuracy, compared to 66.5 percent for the neurologists. Even without such a prompt, it reached 72.9 percent accuracy. Researchers noted that AI tools are best understood as decision-support instruments that complement the nuanced, relationship-centered judgment that only a clinician can bring to a real patient. Still, the findings highlight AI's potential to help clinicians stay current with rapidly evolving treatment guidelines.

Beyond these highlights, the meeting covered a wide range of topics including the long-term benefits of frexalimab on MS biomarkers, the relationship between sleep apnea and MS progression, and the economic and personal costs of not taking disease-modifying therapies. For women with MS, one study raised important awareness about gynecologic health, finding that those on disease-modifying therapies had somewhat higher rates of gynecologic conditions and emphasizing the need for regular preventive care. The overall picture from May 2026 is one of a field moving quickly, with more tools than ever available to help people with MS lead fuller, healthier lives.