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Jan 30, 2009 07:40 PM | 15
A new stem cell therapy improved the symptoms of early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS) in 80 percent of patients enrolled in a small clinical trial published today in The Lancet Neurology.
But lead author Richard Burt, chief of immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, cautions that the results have yet to be confirmed in large randomized clinical trials.
MS is a chronic debilitating neurological disorder that may cause symptoms including numbness of the arms and legs, and, in later stages of the disease paralysis and vision problems. Scientists believe that it's an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system – which ordinarily goes after invading germs—attacks healthy tissue. In the case of MS, the patient's immune system destroys protein sheaths that protect the nerve cells, or neurons, disrupting signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
Using a method known as autologous non-myeloablative haemopoietic stem cell transplantation, Burt and his colleagues essentially eliminated misbehaving immune cells and replaced them with healthy ones (made from stem cells) in 21 patients (11 women and 10 men) with relapsing-remitting MS, a common form of the disease in which symptoms come and go.
The way they did this: patients were given drugs that prompted their bone marrow to release immune stem cells (which have the ability to morph into any type of immune cell) into the blood; they then extracted the cells from the blood and gave patients drugs that wiped out their overactive immune systems. The researchers then injected the patients with their stem cells that had been removed earlier; the stem cells quickly divided, giving rise to a fresh batch of normal immune cells in the patients.
The idea behind the therapy, Burt says, is to "regenerate a new immune system" that recognizes healthy tissue and does not destroy the protein sheaths.
After an average follow up time 37 months, 17 of the patients (80 percent) scored better on a standard test used to gauge their vision, muscle strength, motor coordination, and other aspects of neurological function than they had before the trial. The other four patients did not improve, but they also didn't get any worse, Burt notes.
The next critical step is to figure out how the stem cell therapy stacks up against existing treatments for MS, such as tysabri and novantrone. These meds slow the disease by blocking or suppressing overactive immune systems, but they do not improve symptoms. Burt says he's currently conducting another clinical trial with 110 MS patients in which he is comparing the safety and effectiveness of the stem cell therapy and MS drugs.
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stem cells,
multiple sclerosis
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15 Comments
Add CommentThe very nerve of them doing this without using embryonic stem cells!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am an MS patient that has never responded well to current treatment and would welcome the opportunity to utilize a treatment that makes such obvious clinical sense as this one.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have relapsing remitting MS and would like to know more about this course of treatment, it seems to be very effective. Using autologus cells appeals to me.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThat seems a bit cheeky for such a serious subject...what do you mean by this comment?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow can a person with MS get a stem cell transplant
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have Secondaryprogressive MS and I am losing my leg function
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswmvrana - I have been researching this possibility too but because I have been tagged with primary progressive, I am not eleigible for any clincal trials. I too am losing function in my legs slowly and there is no current medication they will perscribe for me. I am looking outside the country for help. You may be eligible for clinical trials here. Go to Clinicaltrials.gov and search for stem cells and ms and there are a few studies available. Good luck
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI had cord blood stem cell treatment in 2004 and improved dramatically but only for about three months. I've got progressively worse since then but can still walk short distances with crutches. I reckon that in about five years time stem cells will be available to all MS sufferers.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWHERE DID YOU HAVE THE TRANSPANT DONE? I AM GOING TO COSTA RICA FOR TREATMENT WITH CORD BLOOD AND FAT STEM CELLS. INSTITUTE FOR CELLULAR MEDICINE IS WHERE I AM HAVING THE TREATMENT.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCan you tellme how the treatment went in Costa Rica? I'm planning on sending my twin sister who has MS. Thank you,
~Anya
I had umbilical cord stem cell thearapy in the US. I live in Arizona. I did it by I.V. It has been 2 months. I have a lot of issues. M/S, Fibro, and back issues with degenative disc disease. A company that I am working with, said it takes some time to respond because they have to divide to become the cells you need. First thing I noticed was my depression was gone!! My fatuige is gone! That is so far have noticed. I am looking forward to better days with my back pain, and muscles to change. I would be glad to tell you about the company. E-mail back and I would be glad to help anyone in need of some quality of life. Theresa
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am going to Mexico Sept 27th 2009, for my MS treatment with stem cells. I am a 54 year old male with primary progressive MS since 06. I did two years of research all over the world and chose this clinic in Mexico as it gives you the most stem cells of any clinic I researched. More stem cells mean a better chance for recovery and possibly less need to come back for further treatments. The Docs seem top notch and I have only read great things about the clinic. Also travel is simple: just into San Diego, cross the border and the clinic is 2 miles over the border. They pick you up at the San Diego airport; take you across the border, and to your hotel-which is included in the price of the treatment! No costly international travel with hotels for the longer stay. Also, it is only a 6-day time commitment! I am going to be blogging here about my journey, but if you want more info feel free to contact me at fairtaxgodfather@yahoo.com. Best wishes to all and wish me luck with my stem cells! Rich
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am going to Mexico Sept 27th 2009, for my MS treatment with stem cells. I am a 54 year old male with primary progressive MS since 06. I did two years of research all over the world and chose this clinic in Mexico as it gives you the most stem cells of any clinic I researched. More stem cells mean a better chance for recovery and possibly less need to come back for further treatments. The Docs seem top notch and I have only read great things about the clinic. Also travel is simple: just into San Diego, cross the border and the clinic is 2 miles over the border. They pick you up at the San Diego airport; take you across the border, and to your hotel-which is included in the price of the treatment! No costly international travel with hotels for the longer stay. Also, it is only a 6-day time commitment! I am going to be blogging here about my journey, but if you want more info feel free to contact me at fairtaxgodfather@yahoo.com. Best wishes to all and wish me luck with my stem cells! Rich
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am going to Mexico Sept 27th 2009, for my MS treatment with stem cells. I am a 54 year old male with primary progressive MS since 06. I did two years of research all over the world and chose this clinic in Mexico as it gives you the most stem cells of any clinic I researched. More stem cells mean a better chance for recovery and possibly less need to come back for further treatments. The Docs seem top notch and I have only read great things about the clinic. Also travel is simple: just into San Diego, cross the border and the clinic is 2 miles over the border. They pick you up at the San Diego airport; take you across the border, and to your hotel-which is included in the price of the treatment! No costly international travel with hotels for the longer stay. Also, it is only a 6-day time commitment! I am going to be blogging here about my journey, but if you want more info feel free to contact me at fairtaxgodfather@yahoo.com. Best wishes to all and wish me luck with my stem cells! Rich
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMore information about Multiple Sclerosis you can find in:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.geneticsofpregnancy.com/Encyclopedia/Multiple_sclerosis.aspx?pid=62
This site contains information On Pregnancy Diseases And Genetic Testing.