AHSCT

Blood stem cell transplants lead to significant improvements in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients’ disability, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. The 110 patients who took part in the MIST study (NCT00273364) were having relapses after receiving standard therapies such as beta interferon, Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), Novantrone (mitoxantrone), Tysabri (natalizumab), Gilenya (fingolimod),…

Stem cell transplants are most effective if done in young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in early disease stages, who have not gone through several rounds of other treatments, according to a large study that followed transplant patients for more than five years. Study results also found that people with relapsing MS are much…

There is some good news about stem cell therapy. A just-published study concludes that one form of human stem cell therapy is more effective at treating multiple sclerosis than the best of the MS medications being used currently. The not-so-good news is that approval of this…

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) has been used to stop autoimmune processes in multiple sclerosis (MS), although the treatment is not effective for every person. Now, an improved version of the technique is showing astonishingly good results, with patients free of both the need for treatment and the risk of relapses for…

People with MS who were involved in a long-term clinical trial are out and about enjoying a full and normal life with no signs of the disease. This follows their recovery from the stem cell transplants involving aggressive chemotherapy, or aHSCT as the procedure is known. Results of the clinical…

Stem cell treatment has been proven to both halt MS clinical relapses and the development of new brain lesions over a prolonged period, according to the results of a new study. The results, achieved in 23 out of 24 patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial, were published in…

Stem cell treatment of MS, which came under the spotlight at last week’s 16th Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) when Dr. Mark Freedman discussed the procedure, is an exciting area within the development of therapies. Dr. Freedman, professor of medicine (neurology) at the…