Transplants of immune cells that target the Epstein-Barr virus have shown promise for treating multiple sclerosis in an early stage trial.
How bloomin amazing is this??
From New Scientist]
Transplants of immune cells that target the Epstein-Barr virus have shown promise for treating multiple sclerosis in an early stage trial. Brain scans suggest the progression of the condition was reversed in some participants, but this needs to be confirmed by larger trials.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is caused by someone’s own immune system attacking the myelin coating that helps nerve cells conduct signals, causing a range of symptoms from fatigue to difficulty walking. In most cases, people have relapses, suddenly getting worse but then gradually improving again.
In around 1 in 10 people with MS, symptoms get progressively worse with no relapses. While some treatments can slow the course of relapsing MS, there are few treatments for progressive MS.
In an initial trial, US firm Atara Biotherapeutics gave 24 people with progressive MS injections of T-cells that seek out and destroy cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of glandular fever or mono. The cells are extracted from donors who had previously had an infection of Epstein-Barr virus, and are immunologically matched to avoid rejection.
In a presentation on 22 March, Atara said that 20 of the people who received the injections saw their condition either stabilise or improve. The results were also previously presented at a conference.
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