Researchers gain funds to advance a new type of treatment for MS
Regenerative therapy aims to repair damaged nerves, restore lost function
An international research team has secured nearly $800,000 (about CA$1.1 million) to advance a potential regenerative therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) toward clinical testing.
While existing treatments can slow disease progression, none can repair the nerve damage that has already occurred. This new project aims to change that by helping to repair damaged nerves and restore lost function for those living with MS.
The project is led by Fang Liu, MD, PhD, a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, in collaboration with Iain Greig, PhD, researcher at the University of Aberdeen.
Funding comes from Brain Canada, the U.S.-based National MS Society through its Fast Forward program, and Health Canada via the Canada Brain Research Fund.
Targeting nerve damage
The therapeutic approach is designed to counter excitotoxicity — when nerve cells fire more than they should, leading to injury and cell death — and help restore normal nerve signaling.
“The potential of this therapy is enormous, not only could it stop MS progression, but it could actually help repair damaged nerves and restore some functions already lost for people living with MS, something never achieved previously,” Greig said in a press release from the University of Aberdeen.
MS develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, the protective coating around nerve fibers that helps them send electrical signals more effectively. Myelin damage disrupts nerve cell communication, causing a range of symptoms.
While currently approved MS therapies can reduce disease activity and slow disability progression, none can repair the damage that’s already occurred.
Liu’s team has been working on small molecules that protect nerve cells and promote remyelination, the natural process of repairing and replacing the damaged myelin sheath.
Although the press release did not specify the compound now being advanced, the researchers have previously reported the development of ZCAN262, a treatment candidate designed to modulate a receptor involved in excitotoxicity.
Glutamate is an important neurotransmitter that nerve cells use to communicate with each other. However, in MS and other neurological conditions, excessive glutamate signaling can overstimulate nerve cells.
Because blocking glutamate signaling altogether would disrupt many normal brain functions, ZCAN262 was selected because of its ability to modulate the activity of AMPA glutamate receptors specifically. In preclinical studies, the compound prevented myelin loss and led to milder disease in animal models, without interfering with important brain functions.
The experimental therapy being developed is now entering the final stages of preclinical testing to prepare for clinical studies, according to a press release from Brain Canada. If results are positive, this could become Canada’s first regenerative therapy for MS, and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases.
“Our compound could transform MS treatment, not just slowing the disease, but helping people regain what they’ve lost,” said Liu, who is also a professor at the University of Toronto. “I’m grateful for this new funding to take us one step closer to clinical trials for this potentially life-altering treatment.”
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