Stem Cell Transplants May Work Better than Existing Drug for Severe Multiple Sclerosis
Posted: February 12, 2015 at 5:49 am
Contact Information
Available for logged-in reporters only
Newswise MINNEAPOLIS Stem cell transplants may be more effective than the drug mitoxantrone for people with severe cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published in the February 11, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study involved 21 people whose disability due to MS had increased during the previous year even though they were taking conventional medications (also known as first-line treatments). The participants, who were an average age of 36, were at an average disability level where a cane or crutch was needed to walk.
In MS, the bodys immune system attacks its own central nervous system. In this phase II study, all of the participants received medications to suppress immune system activity. Then 12 of the participants received the MS drug mitoxantrone, which reduces immune system activity. For the other nine participants, stem cells were harvested from their bone marrow. After the immune system was suppressed, the stem cells were reintroduced through a vein. Over time, the cells migrate to the bone marrow and produce new cells that become immune cells. The participants were followed for up to four years.
This process appears to reset the immune system, said study author Giovanni Mancardi, MD, of the University of Genova in Italy. With these results, we can speculate that stem cell treatment may profoundly affect the course of the disease.
Intense immunosupression followed by stem cell treatment reduced disease activity significantly more than the mitoxantrone treatment. Those who received the stem cell transplants had 80 percent fewer new areas of brain damage called T2 lesions than those who received mitoxantrone, with an average of 2.5 new T2 lesions for those receiving stem cells compared to eight new T2 lesions for those receiving mitoxantrone.
For another type of lesion associated with MS, called gadolinium-enhancing lesions, none of the people who received the stem cell treatment had a new lesion during the study, while 56 percent of those taking mitoxantrone had at least one new lesion.
Mancardi noted that the serious side effects that occurred with the stem cell treatment were expected and resolved without permanent consequences.
More research is needed with larger numbers of patients who are randomized to receive either the stem cell transplant or an approved therapy, but its very exciting to see that this treatment may be so superior to a current treatment for people with severe MS that is not responding well to standard treatments, Mancardi said.
Go here to read the rest:
Stem Cell Transplants May Work Better than Existing Drug for Severe Multiple Sclerosis
- Most Common Multiple Sclerosis Treatments - March 21st, 2018
- Pittsburgh PA Neurologist Doctors - Multiple Sclerosis (MS ... - October 20th, 2015
- Buffalo NY Neurologist Doctors - Multiple Sclerosis (MS ... - October 7th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis - MidMichigan Health - September 27th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis | University of Michigan Health System - September 27th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - September 15th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis News -- ScienceDaily - September 10th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis signs and symptoms - Wikipedia, the ... - September 10th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis Pictures: MS Brain Lesions, Symptoms ... - September 6th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis - MedlinePlus - September 5th, 2015
- Low Vitamin D Tied to Multiple Sclerosis - August 31st, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis - KidsHealth - August 31st, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis | GreenMedInfo | Disease | Natural Medicine - August 31st, 2015
- All About Multiple Sclerosis : MS news and information on ... - August 29th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Check Your Symptoms and Signs - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - When to ... - August 20th, 2015
- 13 Early Signs & Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Overview - HealthCommunities.com - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis, Causes, Tests, Diagnosis & Treatment - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis | Overview - August 20th, 2015
- multiple sclerosis (MS) | pathology | Britannica.com - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis News Topix - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis | University of Maryland Medical Center - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis - Lab Tests Online - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments and ... - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis - Genetics Home Reference - August 20th, 2015
- Medical Xpress - multiple sclerosis - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis - August 20th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments - July 12th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis. Medical information about MS | Patient - June 13th, 2015
- Stem Cell Treatment #5 for Multiple Sclerosis - Video - April 30th, 2015
- Experimental multiple sclerosis therapy stops disease in its tracks - April 13th, 2015
- Multiple sclerosis treatment on the cards for Ilfracombe mother - March 25th, 2015
- Stemedix Patient Experience - Debra F. Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) - Video - March 23rd, 2015
- Caldwell resident fighting battle with multiple sclerosis - March 13th, 2015
- 21-year-old MS sufferer: 'I feel like my life is on hold' - March 13th, 2015
- From chick to bedside: Removing the Wnt barrier - March 5th, 2015
- Woman swears by Multiple Sclerosis remedy - February 25th, 2015
- Stem cells reduce MS brain damage - February 12th, 2015
- New MS Treatment - Big Hope from Little Cells - Video - January 24th, 2015
- Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Treatment - Patient Testimonial - Video - January 23rd, 2015
- Researchers Reduce MS Disability With Stem Cells - January 21st, 2015
- Stem cell treatment for Multiple Sclerosis - Case study - Video - January 5th, 2015
- Stopping Multiple Sclerosis with Stem Cell Transplants - December 30th, 2014
- Report on remission in patients with MS three years after stem cell transplant - December 30th, 2014
- Hunt after cure for MS disease - December 22nd, 2014
- Clinical Trials for MS and Rheumatoid Arthritis with Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells - Video - November 26th, 2014
- Stem Cell Research & Therapy Explained - From MS to Spinal Injury - Video - November 5th, 2014
- Stem Cell Treatment | Multiple Sclerosis | www.stemrx.in - Video - October 21st, 2014
- Stem Cell Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis - Video - September 17th, 2014
- hES-MSC treat multiple sclerosis mouse - Video - June 6th, 2014
- New stem cells may help in battling multiple sclerosis - June 6th, 2014
- Multiple Sclerosis Treatment through Stem Cells - Video - May 21st, 2014
- Stem cell treatment Multiple Sclerosis - Video - May 17th, 2014
- Advancing Toward Multiple Sclerosis Therapies Using Stem Cells - Video - May 16th, 2014
- Stem Cell Treatment For MS Working Wonders - Video - April 24th, 2014