If I had MS, I'd be excited over this!

[lynnifer]

http://www.healthline.com/health-new...unteers-091813
If successful, a new remyelinating antibody called rHIgM22 may help reverse nerve damage caused by MS.


In a collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., a “first-in-human” trial of the drug rHIgM22to repair nerve damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS) is currently recruiting volunteers.
Earlier animal studies of rHIgM22 showed improvements in motor activity, meaning a possible reversal of disability. If successful, this could be a groundbreaking achievement, particularly for those with progressive forms of MS, for which there are no treatments currently available.

How the Drug Works

In MS, the immune system targets myelin, the fatty covering that insulates nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and destroys it. The body’s imperfect attempt to repair the damage leaves scar tissue, or “plaques,” in place of myelin. These plaques are less effective at transmitting signals between nerves, sometimes halting the signals altogether. When signals from the brain to the rest of the body are interrupted, disability results ...

[Sebastiang]

This could, if effective, be used on SCI also. This is great not just MS.

[lynnifer]

I figured ... but plaque is involved. I have great hopes for Transverse Myelitis sufferers (me!) but not so sure on SCI ... I wonder?

[SCI-Nurse]

It is great to see something this promising
pbr

[Sebastiang]

When an SCI occurs, several lose their myelin but the nerve cell is intact. That is w hy I think it would have application for us.

[lynnifer]

Brought to you by Acorda! There are trial sites here from California to New York to Seattle: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...Acorda&rank=12

[willingtocope]

But none in Iowa. Damn.

[lynnifer]

Phase I .. if successful they'll expand next year.

Hi Jennifer, we are only taking patients from our own clinic because this is a Phase I safety trial. There is only 1 exposure to drug and we are gradually increasing doses to find tolerable doses to study in the next phase. If this one is successful the Phase II study will have more sites and will start looking at efficacy. Currently the studies are only open to those with diagnosed MS.

[willingtocope]

lynnifer? What am I missing? It seems to me that the only real difference between TM and MS is you've got one big scar around your spinal cord and I've got a couple little ones pushing here and there. If that's true, are we looking at another instance where the medical community has labeled the symptoms without identifying the underlying disease?

Out of curiosity, have you ever been to www.cpnhelp.org ?

[lynnifer]

No idea and no. The difference between TM and MS is that the 'plaque' or 'scar' appears on your brain AND spinal cord. Mine is solely on the spinal cord at T-11. A lot of my info came second-hand as docs talked to my parents and didn't explain the science to me. Haven't dealt with a doc for almost 30yrs in dealing with TM ... just docs about complications from paralysis.

I'm so impressed with Fampyra and instantly became a fan of CEO Ron Cohen and Acorda. I saw him speak over a decade ago in London ON and thought he was full of horse-pucky but I was way wrong. Let's see if they can do this again. Phase I should be finished by September 2014 according to the clinicaltrials.gov site.

From what little I understand - Transverse Myelitis is like a singular episode of MS. I believe that's why a lot of these 'new' meds dealing with myelin will work as TM is a one-time demyelinating syndrome as well (though I'm confused as some claim to get TM a second time and others have it turn into MS). I'm not sure why we're so overlooked ... Johns Hopkins was supposed to start a trial with Fampyra and TM this Autumn. So few of us that I think we're just overlooked.

[lynnifer]

willing, I just read your reply again and get it. How will the myelin stop degrading by not treating the underlying cause. That I have no clue. My strongest belief in the many theories of cause lay in the environment and the way we eff it up (production farming, pesticides etc). Who knows if they will ever find out? If they do, what are they going to do when thousands want compensation?

The conspiracy theorist in me also ties this to autism in children ... how many parents will want compensation if they can prove this is from vaccines gone wrong in some? A lot of money at stake there ... so the 'conglomerate of government and pharma' will never let that happen.

Same with MS.

[Sue Pendleton]

Hopkins lost their biggest TM/MS researcher on the stem cell front a few years ago. That probably contributed to the delays.
TM is normally a one hit disease but can reoccur or have additions like optic neuritis add on later. In about a third of cases TM seems to turn into MS. But MS includes lesions on the brain also and is an ongoing disease process.

[Sue Pendleton]

The only problem with the conspiracy ideas is the virus that causes TM is gone from the CSF by the time people suffer the effects so it is hard pinning it to a flu virus, a weakened live vaccine or another virus. Most believe there is a three week lag between virus to symptoms.
And MS suffers from geography. Ever looked at where it is most prevalent? The further from the equator you are the more it is seen. But most cases are in predominantly white, first world areas such as Canada, the US, Australia, Scandanavia and South Africa. Yes, blacks also get it but it hits mainly those of northern European extraction. We use many more preservatives in the US and have for longer than say, Finland. The TM vaccine connection is most likely valid in many cases of TM but not due to mercury derivatives or Europe would have stopped their vaccine possibles decades ago. Most educated parents of kids with autism are now looking at overly medicated food such as antibiotics in meats and poultry and preservatives in many canned foods.
Back when the polio vaccine first came out the US formed a vaccine caused disabilities fund to help families effected. Unfortunately most prefer suing manufacturers who settle before a jury sees any kids even when there is no proof at all that vaccines cause autism.
But the above news is fantastic!

[CIDP_LEMS]

I have CIDP caused by a flu shot.