CLINICAL TRIALS FOR
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS APPROVED
Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disorder in which the
immune system attacks the myelin sheath covering the neurons. This myelin
sheath on axonal parts is essential for the conduction of signals/messages from
the brain to the various muscles of the body.
The mesechymal stem cells are those derived from the bone
marrow. The approved phase I clinical trial will primarily determine the safety
of introducing autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived neural progenitors
(MSC-NPs). The isolated and expanded autologous MSC-NPs will be injected into
the spinal theca and, this will be done for six months. It is a three-year
study during which the participants will have follow-up visits frequently and
upto 27 months followed by the final injection.
The proof-of-concept was exhibited in the Experimental
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal model (Harris et al., J Neurol Sci,
2012). This study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of MSC-NPs in EAE
mice. This study showed that the injected MSC-NPs influenced the rate of repair
by migrating to the demyelinated areas and effecting the endogeneous progenitors
in the spinal cord. The protocol of the clinical trial, regarding dosage and
its frequency, comes from this research.
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