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Adoptive T Cell Therapy Improves MS Symptoms

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    Adoptive T Cell Therapy Improves MS Symptoms

    A new cellular immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) has improved symptoms and quality of life for the majority of patients in a world-first clinical trial. The treatment targets the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

    Full story here:
    https://reliawire.com/ms-immunotherapy-ebv/

    #2
    [QUOTE=Marco;1514978]A new cellular immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) has improved symptoms and quality of life for the majority of patients in a world-first clinical trial. The treatment targets the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

    This certainly does sound good! 👍👍👍

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Thinkimjob View Post
      This certainly does sound good! 👍👍👍
      Yes, it does sound good!

      Especially this:

      "Improvements ranged from reduced fatigue and improved productivity and quality of life to improvements in vision and mobility. Importantly, we found the treatment was safe and without serious side-effects."

      Take Care
      PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
      ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

      Comment


        #4
        Thank you, Marco!

        This is the promising treatment by Aussie doctor Michael Pender introduced and widely discussed in March of 2014 and beyond at this site in the Charcot Project thread under New Treatments Trials and Research.

        The Charcot Project is aimed at a viral cause for MS; which is the basis for Pender's treatment, also. As the article points out, Pender took blood from MS patients, treated it to kill EBV in brain lesions of MSers and re-infused the treated blood with very good success.

        It certainly does appear from Pender's research along with many others, that MS is caused by improper immune response to EBV infection. In my mind, it is beyond question.

        Pender's Adoptive T Cell Therapy treatment is based on that theory and it works. We highlighted Pender's first treatment case using this therapy in the Charcot Project thread over 4 years ago. We found his theory very plausible (that EBV cause MS) and have discussed it and related research in depth in that thread.

        I was surprised this thread found its way to Questions and Answers since it is the very definition of New Trials and Treatments.

        What we see here, IMO, is the future of MS treatments which directly address the cause of MS. We are at the very beginning of a paradigm shift in MS therapies.

        Finally, someone is treating the cause of the disease and this is a first which cannot be overstated!

        Comment


          #5
          Any thought on the prevalence of EBV and why if it is a contributing factor more people don't have MS?

          https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/faq-20058444

          https://www.cdc.gov/epstein-barr/about-ebv.html
          He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
          Anonymous

          Comment


            #6
            Thanks Marco - this is huge news!

            I'm moving this thread to the New Trials and Treatments forum
            1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
            Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

            Comment


              #7
              Yes I’m grateful to you as well. It’s comforting to know that things are happening. I’m not sure that anyone has hit the nail on the head yet so far but they are getting close. Fingers crossed. Patiently waiting can be tough on us people.
              It was one agains't 2.5million toughest one we ever fought.

              Comment


                #8
                Thank you for your great question, Jules.

                EBV infection is very common, almost everyone has been exposed to and infected by EBV or will be at some point in life. Yet, only a small fraction develop MS. Why? Because the immune response is insufficient toward EBV in those who get MS. What Pender is doing is improving an MSer's response to EBV by removing blood, treating it to enhance a better immune response to EBV such as normally happens in the majority of the population not getting MS, and re-injecting it.

                Why don't more people get MS if EBV is so common? The answer is because of 3 factors... genetic differences, risk factors, and environmental causes. There are contributing factors such as smoking, low vitamin D, stress, etc. However, if there were no EBV, there would be no MS, in the opinion Pender and other researchers.

                As far as genetic differences go, perhaps it can be explained by this example...It is known that people with MS have genetic differences in how well their bodies handle Vitamin D. PwMS have genetic deficiencies which often lead to low vitamin D levels. Similarly, IMO, there appear to be genetic deficiencies which allow EBV to wreck havoc leading to MS. Just as PwMS handle vitamin D a bit less efficiently than most of the population, PwMS also handle EBV a bit less efficiently than most of the population with EBV. As we know, most people with EBV infection, or having had it, never get MS. Only a small percentage.

                But in Pender's opinion, as with many researchers, EBV is driving the disease process in MS. Pender's solution is targeting EBV by enhancing immune response against it.

                So, let's consider this further. This small Phase 1 trial involved 5 PPMS and 5 SPMS. That is a tough group to see a response in as evidenced by the fact there is only one approved DMT for PPMS (Ocrevus) and none for SPMS.

                Also, just because progression is slowed or halted does not guarantee function will return... we know that if reserve capacity has been exhausted or if a nerve has died function will not return in that case.

                Unfortunately, there are those who believe in a form of magic, not science, by thinking that a "cure" for MS must include the restoration of what was lost. Ridiculous thinking because the only way function can return is if reserve capacity has not been exhausted and the body can configure a work-around of the damaged nerve or nerves. Of course, that frequently happens early on in the disease process, especially in RRMS. Our bodies are always engaged in re-myelination and much study is directed toward enhancing that capability. But if a nerve has died, it is dead forever no matter what. The only possibility of recovering lost function is the body using reserve capacity to figure a work-around of the damage.

                There is much work to be done by Pender and others. The Phase 2 trial will be pursued enthusiastically in 2019 but nothing in MS is ever simple or easy, it seems. Is Pender on the right track? It surely seems so to me.

                I understand that the company funding the Phase 2 trial is going to try and develop Pender's treatment NOT using an individual patient's own blood like Pender did so we'll have to wait and see if that is wise, unwise, or makes no difference. Obviously, they are trying to monetize a treatment, which is fine with me as long as it works. We have to realize and accept companies develop treatments because of financial interests. I wish them Godspeed. If it is true that Pender's method is actually treating the direct cause of MS then this is a great day for all of us.

                Maybe it has to be perfected but I totally believe Pender's method will slowly revolutionize MS DMTs... they will become much less toxic and much more effective.

                And, further down the road, an EBV vaccine will be developed and MS will fade like polio, IMO.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks for sharing this piece of important information, Marco. Good find ! Now all we have to do is wait and watch the developments for the next 20 or 30 years and MS 's reign of terror will be ended .

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Experiences on T cell therapy?

                    Thank you for letting us know about this research! The treatment seems really promising! I read that it has been used for some time (from the 90's) to treat some cancers, so there must be plenty of specialists around the world mastering this treatment. Since it appears to be safe, I would be very interested of trying it. Has anyone on this forum perhaps received T cell therapy? Did it work? Are there private clinics in USA or elsewhere that would offer this treatment?
                    Many thanks in advance for advice and comments!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Has Anyone seen update on this project

                      Has Anyone seen update on this project
                      last report that I See is from October 2019

                      https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...019.01107/full

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