MS vaccine trials begin

A firm developing a vaccine to fight multiple sclerosis is to begin trials in patents.

PharmaFrontiers’ personalised vaccine is designed to attack malfunctioning versions of white blood cells which damage the nerve and brain-coating myelin cells, using the patents own blood.

To produce the vaccine, doctors take a sample of the patient’s blood from which the malfunctioning cells will be extracted. Radiation is then used to kill the cells which are reinjected into the body. If the treatment works, the immune system kills other malfunctioning white blood cells, although it will also attack healthy cells.

David McWilliams of PharmaFrontiers told the New Scientist that if the vaccine is successful regular jabs could help reduce or stop the disease progressing. “If that’s the case, the earlier we can do it after diagnosis the better,” he said.

The new trial will test the vaccine out on 100 volunteers, following a successful trial among 15 people which saw a 92 per cent success rate.

However, specialists are cautious at the news, claiming that many pharmaceutical firms have tried and failed to find a working vaccine.

“None have worked so far. This one may, but we don’t yet know,” said Richard Rudick of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research in Ohio.

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