A new study out is finding that childhood MS takes longer to develop disability in walking by 10 years over average aged (32) adult diagnosed MS. Very interesting. It'd be great if they could figure out why though! "When MS started in childhood, it took about 10 years longer to worsen to the point at which patients had trouble walking, the study shows. But childhood cases began nearly 20 years earlier than adult-onset cases. So even with the decade of delay in worsening symptoms, patients with childhood-onset MS were younger than adult patients when walking became difficult. "Patients with childhood-onset multiple sclerosis take longer to reach states of irreversible disability but do so at a younger age than patients with adult-onset multiple sclerosis," write the researchers. It's not clear why childhood-onset MS took longer to worsen to that point than adult-onset MS. About half of the children with MS took drugs that target the immune system, but "none of these drugs has a proven effect on the long-term development of disability," write the researchers."
Tovaxin keeps giving positive results from the lastest trials
I'm facinated by this therapy and where it will go... 92%reduction in relapses? Damn, thats a good number! "The one-year extension clinical trial enrolled 8 subjects. Tovaxin therapy achieved a 92% reduction in annualized relapse rate in patients who received two treatment doses of Tovaxin eight weeks apart and were monitored for an additional 44 weeks. Patients enrolled in the extension clinical trial were earlier treated with a T-cell vaccine developed from myelin basic protein reactive T-cells. The company noted that data from the extension trial indicates that subjects previously treated with T-cell vaccine can be safely and effectively retreated with Tovaxin. The Tovaxin Phase IIb clinical study known as TERMS will include 150 patients and will evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the Tovaxin T- cell vaccination with clinically isolated syndrome and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Opexa completed patient enrollment in the 52-week TERMS study on May 17, 2007. All patients who complete the TERMS trial will be eligible to participate in an optional one-year extension study.
Enrollment Begins For Study Of MBP8298 In Secondary-Progressive
I do believe there are some readers here who are interested in this potential drug... so here's some more news coming out about it. "Eligibility and Details: To enroll in this phase III study, people must be 18-65 years of age, with a documented history of secondary-progressive MS. Only people who are positive for the HLA DR2 and/or DR4 genes can participate; a blood test will be taken to determine HLA status. Participants must have had no relapse in the 3 months before the study. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 500 mg of MBP8298 or inactive placebo intravenously every six months for two years. The primary goal of the study is to determine the effectiveness of MBP8298 as measured by the EDSS, a widely used rating system of clinical status. Secondary objectives are to assess the drug's effects on disease activity observed on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging scans), relapse rates, quality of life and fatigue. Contact: For information on sites that are currently enrolling, please consult the study's listing on clinicaltrials.gov
TRIMESTA (oral estriol) potential oral med in trial
Did I read this right? This trial for an oral med is only for women with MS? Err... I think there's a gender missing in the MS population that might need a treatment option! Okay, so this is a drug already in use elasewhere in the world for menopause in women! No wonder men wouldn't be taking this drug... Anyways, they just got a $5 million grant from the NMSS and are recruiting. "TRIMESTA is an orally active, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory molecule the has been approved and marketed throughout Europe and Asia for approximately 40 years for the treatment of post-menopausal hot flashes, but has never been introduced in North America. Estriol, the active ingredient in TRIMESTA, is a weak estrogenic-based molecule that is produced in the placenta by women during pregnancy. Estriol is considered to play an important role in the immunologic privilege offered to the fetus during pregnancy and is also thought to be responsible for the spontaneous remission of Th1-mediated autoimmune diseases of women (such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis) during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester."