High-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed by a stem cell transplant can induce remission of a severe form of multiple sclerosis, according to new research published on February 1. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the central nervous system and symptoms include motor and speech difficulties, weakness, fatigue and chronic pain.
For the experimental stem cell therapy, doctors at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that is part of the National Institutes of Health in the United States collected bone marrow cells of patients, before giving them high doses chemotherapy to deplete their immune systems. They then transplanted each patient’s own stem cells into his or her body to rebuild the immune system.
The study showed that five years after receiving the experimental treatment, 69% of the 24 trial participants survived without experiencing any progression of disability, relapse of symptoms or new brain lesions.
The trial tested the safety, efficacy and the durability of this therapy in 24 volunteers aged 26 to 52 years with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. These patients had severe symptoms of the disorder despite being on medication for the condition. Three patients died during the study, but the deaths were not related to the study.
Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy said that these results support the development of a large randomised trial to compare this treatment to the usual treatment of medications given for multiple sclerosis. The experimental treatment aims to suppress active disease and prevent further disability by removing disease-causing cells and resetting the immune system, the release stated.
The study was published in the journal Neurology.