Sunday, March 30, 2008

Uterine Stem Cells Create New Neurons That Can Curb Parkinson's Disease

Grow Your Own Probiotics, Part 1: Kefir
American Chronicle - Beverly Hills,CA,USA
The complete clinical presentation of a patient with Lyme disease can present symptoms like many other diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis, ...
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Nonprofit gears up for biotech road show
San Francisco Chronicle - CA, USA
The scientists identified a possible way to defeat immune system cells in the blood called T-cells that sometimes attack myelin. Multiple sclerosis is an ...
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Early Research Suggests Umbilical Cord Blood Cell Therapy May Reduce Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease
Stems cells derived from umbilical cord blood are showing early potential in fighting Alzheimer's disease, according to results from a new preclinical study published in the March issue of Stem Cells and Development.

Mini Stem Cell Lab Formed From Self-Assembled Materials
Imagine having one polymer and one small molecule that instantly assemble into a flexible but strong sac in which you can grow human stem cells, creating a sort of miniature laboratory. And that sac, if used for cell therapy, could cloak the stem cells from the human body's immune system and biodegrade upon arriving at its destination, releasing the stem cells to do their work.

Large Multi Center Study Suggests New Genetic Markers For Crohn's Disease
What is believed to be the largest study of its kind for the genetic roots of inflammatory bowel diseases has suggested new links to Crohn's Disease as well as further evidence that some people of Jewish descent are more likely to develop it.

Various Forms Of Hope Among Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Sustaining hope in the face of a chronic, debilitating illness such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) should be a goal of palliative care and can take many forms, representing a continuum from focusing on the self to concern for others, as described in a paper published in the April issue (Volume 8, Number 3) of Journal of Palliative Medicine (28 Mar 2008

Uterine Stem Cells Create New Neurons That Can Curb Parkinson's Disease
The injection of uterine stem cells trigger growth of new brain cells in mice with Parkinson's disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in an abstract presented at the 2008 Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI) Annual Scientific Meeting held March 26-29 in San Diego, California.

Health Insurance / Medical Insurance News

Social Security Disability Insurance Recipients Need Better Understanding Of Pros And Cons Of New Debit Card, Allsup Says (USA)
Starting next month Social Security Disability Insurance recipients in some states will have the option of receiving their benefit payments electronically on a debit card, rather than via a paper check.
28 Mar 2008

Connecticut Hispanics Report Declining Quality Of Life, Including Access To Health Insurance, Survey Finds
The majority of Hispanics living in Connecticut believe their quality of life -- including finances, access to health insurance and affordable housing -- has declined in recent years, according to a study released on Wednesday, the 28 Mar 2008

Kansas House Approves Low-Income Health Insurance Subsidy
The Kansas House on Tuesday voted 103-20 to approve legislation that would create an insurance subsidy for low-income residents and expand other health care programs, the 28 Mar 2008

Minnesota Lawmakers Expected To Approve Health Care Legislation
Minnesota lawmakers this week are expected to approve legislation that is expected to reduce health care spending in the state by 20% by 2015 and extend coverage to an additional 47,000 residents, but the bill could face a veto by Gov.
28 Mar 2008

Seven Of 10 Likely Democratic Voters In Pennsylvania Concerned About Health Care Costs, Poll Finds
About 70% of likely voters in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary have concerns about their ability to afford health care, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Dancing gives woman hope

Dancing gives woman hope
Worcester Telegram - Worcester,MA,USA
Ms. McAuliffe, a Northboro resident and mother of two, has primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, a type of the disease characterized by slowly worsening ...
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We must continue to divide cells and conquer suffering
The Herald - Glasgow,Scotland,UK
I remember her as a lively child and engaging teenager before multiple sclerosis struck. She has parents, sisters, a husband and children. Shall I continue? ...
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MS drug Tysabri slapped with liver warning in Europe
Pharma Times (subscription) - London,UK
European regulators have concluded that US group Biogen Idec and Irish drugmaker Elan’s multiple sclerosis therapy Tysabri should come with a warning about ...
See all stories on this topic

Rudd's 17-day overseas trip a bitter pill for the ill
Daily Telegraph - Sydney,New South Wales,Australia
The medications being delayed are Humira (for Crohn's disease) Sensipar (for end stage renal disease) and Tysabri for multiple sclerosis which costs $37000 ...
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Biotech Busine$$ Daily (ACOR, CERS, DNDN, STEM, TCM)
24/7 Wall St. - New York,NY,USA
Yesterday, a study the company sponsored on multiple sclerosis was released showing the negative impact MS had on people suffering from the disease. ...
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Marie Curie researcher investigates role of innate immune system ...
Cordis News - Brussels,Belgium
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease and has many faces that researchers still do not fully understand. It is believed to be an autoimmune ...
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Woman finds many driven to help her out
The News-Press - Fort Myers,FL,USA
"I have multiple sclerosis, so I could identify with her situation,'' he says. "She's just a nice woman who needed a ride.'' Kartel had plenty of company. ...
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Doctors Hospital Goes Smoke-Free
Washington Post - United States
Jim Williams, a patient with multiple sclerosis at the Magnolia Square Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on the hospital's campus, sat outside in his ...
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Cannabis Law: British governments health argument in tatters
PR CannaZine (press release) - South Wales,UK
... AIDS and other diseases; of the pain and tremors associated with multiple sclerosis; and for relief of pain caused by a variety of other conditions. ...
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Montel Williams makes European poker debut
PokerListings.com - USA
Since then he has organized numerous charity poker tournaments for Multiple Sclerosis, of which he is afflicted. This year's Poker Nations Cup will include ...
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Choosing a hospital – where should I go for MS treatment? Multiple Sclerosis Trust Posted on: 26 Mar 08
PharmiWeb Thu, 27 Mar 2008 2:41 AM PDT
>From 1 April, people seeking non emergency treatment from the NHS in England will have the right to travel to any hospital in the country. This applies to both NHS hospitals and private hospital that provide care at the same cost as the NHS.

Loss Of Mobility Found To Impact Quality Of Life And Emotional And Financial Health Of Most People Living With ...
Medical News Today Thu, 27 Mar 2008 3:07 PM PDT
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) that affect mobility have a significant impact on quality of life, safety, and financial and emotional health among many people living with MS, according to the results of two 2008 surveys conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. and the National MS Society.


Strengthening The Tumor-fighting Ability Of T Cells
When faced with cancer, the immune system dispatches cells, called T cells, to kill the tumor. But these killer cells often fail to completely eliminate the tumor because they're deactivated by a distinct population of T cells known as regulatory T cells.
Therapeutic Cloning Treats Parkinson's Disease In Mice
Research led by investigators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) has shown that therapeutic cloning, also known as somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), can be used to treat Parkinson's disease in mice.
Drugs Based On Immune Factors Set To Double In Value By 2011
The discovery of the ubiquitous nature and influence of the human immune system on health and disease has led to the emergence of a number of powerful drugs that are bringing relief to patients afflicted with heretofore intractable conditions.
New Technique Will Speed The Development Of Vaccines
A team of Washington State University scientists has devised a method that could lead to the development of vaccines against some of the most troubling infectious diseases we face diseases that have so far been difficult or impossible to vaccinate against.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Health Care Manual: A Tattoo Could Prove Good For Health


Monday, March 24, 2008

Studies on mice show the future of vaccines may be in tattoos. Results show vaccines given by tattooing produced antibody levels about 16 times higher than vaccines by injection. It is more effective in delivering DNA vaccines, say researchers.

We may all be getting tattoos in the future— tattooed vaccinations against disease, that is. German researchers have shown that tattooing is a more effective way of delivering DNA vaccines than intramuscular injection.

Martin Mueller and his team at the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Centre) in Heidelberg published their findings in the online open access journal, Genetic Vaccines and Therapy.

Using a coat protein from the human papillomavirus (HPV the cause of cervical cancer) as a model DNA vaccine antigen, they compared delivery by tattooing the skin of mice with standard intramuscular injection with and without the molecular adjuvants that are often given to boost immune response.

The tattoo method gave a stronger humoral (antibody) response and cellular response than intramuscular injection, even when adjuvants were included in the latter. Three doses of DNA vaccine given by tattooing produced at least 16 times higher antibody levels than three intramuscular injections with adjuvant. The adjuvants enhanced the effect of intramuscular injection, but not of tattooing.

Tattooing is an invasive procedure done with a solid vibrating needle, causing a wound and sufficient inflammation to "prime" the immune system. It also covers a bigger area of the skin than an injection, so the DNA vaccine can enter more cells. These effects may account for the stronger immune response arising from introducing a DNA vaccine into the body by tattooing.

Of course, the tattooing approach may not be to everyone's taste - as it is likely to hurt - but the researchers believe that it could have a role in, for instance, routine vaccination of cattle or in delivering therapeutic (rather than prophylactic) vaccines to humans.

"Vaccination with naked DNA has been hampered by its low efficiency" says Mueller. "Delivery of DNA via tattooing could be a way for a more widespread commercial application of DNA vaccines."

This adds another reason for those who want to wear tattoo as a fashion acceessory because if you are planning to get a tattoo done, you are on your way to protect yourself from any number of diseases, including some cancers.
http://healthcaremanual.blogspot.com/2008/03/tattoo-could-prove-good-for-health.html

Eye test peers into heat-related multiple sclerosis symptoms
News-Medical-Net Mon, 24 Mar 2008 5:28 PM PDT
A bodysuit that heats or cools a patient, combined with painless measurements of eye movements, is providing multiple sclerosis researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center with a new tool to study the mysterious link between body temperature and severity of MS symptoms.

Merrill Goozner: The Social Determinants of Health
HuffingtonPost Tue, 25 Mar 2008 1:38 PM PDT
>From GoozNews.com: This morning, let's consider the case of Fay Derricote, an obese, 44-year-old former government contract worker confined to a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis....

The dose of worms that could cure MS
Daily Mail Tue, 25 Mar 2008 2:19 AM PDT
Could drinking a cocktail of worm eggs help patients with multiple sclerosis? It sounds like medieval witchcraft, but the Food and Drug Administration, which vets all drug trials in the U.S., has just sanctioned a study to see if the gruesome mixture can ease the symptoms of the disease

Diagnosis: MS
The Charlotte Observer Tue, 25 Mar 2008 0:12 AM PDT
Q&A FROM PAGE 1E She still remembers the denial, fear, anger and depression that followed her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2000. "When you're told you have MS and you're 34, that's a big deal," said Dr. Kym Orsetti Furney, of Charlotte. Eight years later, she has a more hopeful outlook, and she shares that with other newly diagnosed patients in a book that mixes her personal story with ...

Loss of Mobility Found to Impact Quality of Life and Emotional and Financial Health of Most People Living with ...
Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance Tue, 25 Mar 2008 7:00 AM PDT
NEW YORK & HAWTHORNE, N.Y.----The symptoms of multiple sclerosis that affect mobility have a significant impact on quality of life, safety, and financial and emotional health among many people living with MS, according to the results of two 2008 surveys conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. and the National MS Society.

Diagnosis: MS
The Charlotte Observer Mon, 24 Mar 2008 5:10 PM PDT
She still remembers the denial, fear, anger and depression that followed her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2000. "When you're told you have MS and you're 34, that's a big deal," said Dr. Kym Orsetti Furney, of Charlotte. Eight years later, she has a more hopeful outlook, and she shares that with other newly diagnosed patients in a book that mixes her personal story with medical advice. ...





Stem Cell Research News

BioMed Central Awards Dinner Celebrated Excellence In Open Access Research
The winners of the 2007 BioMed Central Research Awards were announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal Society of Medicine. The event was attended by shortlisted authors, eminent researchers from around the world, open access advocates and science journalists.


First Study To Investigate The Effect Of Father's Diet On Chromosomal Abnormalities In Sperm Reveals Link With Folate A Vitamin B
Researchers have found an association between a vitamin found in leafy green vegetables, fruit and pulses [1] and levels of chromosomal abnormalities in men's sperm. Men who consumed high levels of folate (a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food) and folic acid (the synthetic form of the vitamin) tended to have lower levels of abnormal sperm where a chromosome had been lost or gained (known as aneuploidy).

Therapeutics Daily News Article

EMEA Concludes New Advice to Doctors and Patients for Tysabri (natalizumab) Needed


From the PharmaLive.com News Archive - Mar. 20, 2008

LONDON, March 20, 2008-The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has concluded that warnings about liver injury should be added to the product information for Tysabri (natalizumab).

Tysabri is used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients with high disease activity despite treatment with a beta-interferon or whose disease is severe and evolving rapidly.

Following a review of reports of liver injury in patients treated with Tysabri, the EMEA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) concluded that there is a need to update the product information for Tysabri to warn patients and prescribers that liver injury may occur.

Doctors should monitor the liver function of patients receiving Tysabri. Patients who observe any signs of liver injury, such as yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, or unusual darkening of the urine should see their doctor.

The CHMP has requested that Elan, the marketing authorisation holder for Tysabri, submits a variation to the marketing authorisation to implement these changes.

As with all medicinal products, the EMEA will continue to monitor Tysabri closely to ensure that the benefits of the medicine continue to outweigh its risks.

-- ENDS --

Notes:

1. More information about the EMEA recommendation is available in a question-and-answer document.

2. More information about Tysabri, including the currently approved information to prescribers and patients can be found in the European Public Assessment Report: http://www.emea.europa.eu/humandocs/Humans/EPAR/tysabri/tysabri.htm

3. This press release, together with other information on the work of the EMEA, can be found on the EMEA website: www.emea.europa.eu

Media enquiries only to:

Martin Harvey Allchurch or Monika Benstetter

Tel. (44-20) 74 18 84 27, E-mail press@emea.europa.


http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentvalue=525176&contenttype=newsarchive&channelID=30



Genetic-testing consumers have tools but little guidance - Los Angeles Times

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You can test for genes linked to alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's, lung cancer and more. But then what? Insurance coverage and privacy are only a few of the issues.
By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 24, 2008
Wandering the virtual aisles of a genetic-test website can be as dazzling and chaotic as shopping at a big-box hardware store on Saturday afternoon. Shelves are bursting with innovative products that promise to reveal a patient's genetic propensity to conditions as varied as diabetes, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease and lung cancer. Fueled by the galloping pace of genomic research, new tests are being stocked daily.

Thinking about shoring up your personal health future? The signs say these are the tools you'll need.

But don't count on finding an employee to help you figure out how to use these intriguing new products, what to make of their results or whether you should have them to begin with. This is largely a DIY marketplace, and patients intent on detecting cracks and flaws in their personal genetic foundation and acting to patch them up are finding they're pretty much on their own.

That's the finding of a new study by researchers at the Rand Corp. and the Veterans Administration, published as the centerpiece of a special edition of the Journal of the American Medical Assn. devoted to genomics and genetic testing. After reviewing the findings of 68 studies on genetic testing -- its practice, its meaning as understood by healthcare professionals and patients, and its effect -- the authors concluded that a "wide gap" exists "between what knowledge is available and what health systems need to know" if genetic testing is to improve the nation's health.

"This is such an exciting time right now," said Dr. Maren Scheuner, an internal and genetic medicine specialist and lead author of the JAMA article, "Delivery of Genomic Medicine for Common Chronic Adult Diseases." But, she added, "lots of different things will need to change as we adopt this new information and technology."



Detailed advice lacking

Today, genetic tests can identify and characterize 1,550 genes linked to health outcomes -- a more than 15-fold increase in the last 15 years. As the 20th century came to a close, genetic tests were in wide use to identify carriers of single-gene mutations -- patients who, as a result, had a greatly increased likelihood of developing devastating diseases such as sickle-cell anemia or Huntington's disease. Among the best known and most widely used are those that test for the BRCA1 and BRCA 2 genetic mutations, which raise a woman's risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer to as high as 80%.

Many of the new assays, however, reveal health prospects more subtle and complex. They can ferret out the genes -- in some cases, whole suites of genes that interact with each other and the environment -- that raise a patient's risk of developing chronic disorders such as depression, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. But how they interact with each other and the environment, and how powerfully or marginally each of many genes contributes to a patient's increased disease risk, is poorly understood.

For patients, a finding of increased genetic risk for these chronic conditions could have the positive effect of encouraging lifestyle choices aimed at prevention. But genomic research remains short on specific advice that physicians could use to motivate patients, such as how much maintaining a healthy weight or a regular schedule of exercise could counteract the risk increase from a given genetic mutation.

As a result, a patient deliberating whether to get tested for these gene variations is likely to do so amid huge uncertainty. Researchers and scientists are still working to unlock these mysteries. In studies and surveys assessed by Scheuner and her colleagues, majorities of physicians acknowledged they feel poorly equipped to advise patients on whether to get these tests -- or, if they do, how to interpret their meaning. Medical geneticists and genetic counselors -- all but 7% of whom are clustered in pediatric and obstetric specialties -- are scarce and poorly trained in chronic disease and adult medicine. Insurance companies have no means of assessing the therapeutic value of the tests and therefore are disinclined to pay for them.

And patients, though excited by the promise of the new genomic medicine, worry that the results of genetic tests, when they suggest a heightened risk of disease, could be used against them by insurance companies, employers and even marital prospects. In studies reviewed by Scheuner, 30% to 50% of patients surveyed said concerns about privacy and insurance coverage would influence their decision about undergoing gene testing.

Finally, researchers acknowledge that there's substantial uncertainty about the effect genetic tests will have on patients. Amid abundant evidence that obesity and sedentary lifestyle contribute strongly to chronic diseases, large numbers of Americans remain overweight and don't exercise.

Whether a finding of increased genetic risk will prompt a patient to take action is equally uncertain, Scheuner said. One study in which overweight patients got dietary recommendations informed by genetic tests found improved weight loss compared with those who did not. But a 2002 study of longtime smokers found that those who received a positive finding for increased genetic risk of lung cancer were no more likely to stop smoking than were those whose genetic test found no such genetic predisposition.



Thriving market for tests

But ready or not, said UCLA cancer and genetic specialist Dr. Patricia Ganz, the age of genomic medicine is on its way. Scientists are finding significant associations between genes and diseases, and those are quickly finding their way into a thriving market for medical screening. Physicians and genetic counselors, Ganz said, will need to be trained in greater numbers to prepare for the increased use of such tests. And, he added, federal legislation -- such as a bill passed by the House but now stalled in the Senate -- will be needed to protect patients from genetic discrimination.

"We're going to have people who are willing to pay for genetic tests -- we know that because they already pay for full-body CT scans," Ganz said. "They'll have this done and no one will know how to present this information. That's the thing we really need to guard against."

melissa.healy@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-he-genetics24mar24,0,6725220.story


Designer t-cells suppress multiple sclerosis in mice: study
AFP via Yahoo! News Mon, 24 Mar 2008 2:35 PM PDT
A new drug currently being tested in humans has been found to suppress multiple sclerosis and other auto immune diseases in mice, according to a study published Monday.

EMEA Concludes New Advice To Doctors And Patients For Tysabri (natalizumab) Needed, Europe
Medical News Today Mon, 24 Mar 2008 9:11 AM PDT
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has concluded that warnings aboutliver injury should be added to the product information for Tysabri(natalizumab). Tysabri is used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) inpatients with high disease activity despite treatment with abeta-interferon or whose disease is severe and evolving rapidly.

They tried to put me in a wheelchair but I said no, no, no ... Amy Winehouse's mother reveals her secret 30-year ...
Daily Mail Mon, 24 Mar 2008 1:49 AM PDT
For nearly 30 years, Janis Winehouse was plagued with illness, but refused to acknowledge the mysterious symptoms that appeared from nowhere then vanished. Then, seven years ago, she suffered a total collapse and after a barrage of tests was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

Activists for the disabled take aim at Golden Gate National
Marin Independent-Journal - San Rafael,CA,USA
Sieck, who loved hiking before multiple sclerosis confined her to a wheelchair, has joined a lawsuit over access at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area ...
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'Therapeutic cloning' could help treat Parkinson's disease
Daily Mail - UK
The cells were successfully used to treat animals with the disease for the first time. The experiment marked the first time that cloned stem cells had been ...
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Hybrid cells - monsters or miracles?
Scotsman - United Kingdom
Supporters of the legislation say creating hybrid embryos will allow more research into how diseases like multiple sclerosis work. As stem cells have the ...
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Ghost of Reagan Urges Bush to Change Misering Ways
Second Supper (satire) - La Crosse,WI,USA
... stem cells and their division patterns could lead to advances in treatment for many degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis, ...
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Opexa Therapeutics Announces Retirement of CEO David McWilliams
Trading Markets (press release) - Los Angeles,CA,USA
... especially as we approach completion of the Tovaxin(R) Phase IIb trial." Opexa Therapeutics develops and commercializes cell therapies to treat ...
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Opexa Therapeutics to Present at the Cambria Capital Investor Meeting
InfoBolsa - Spain
The Company s lead product, Tovaxin, a T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis is in Phase IIb trials. The Company holds the exclusive worldwide license for ...
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

World of MS - Resources - Remyelination, the next treatment target for MS?



MS in focus Issue 11 - 2008

Robin J.M. Franklin, Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the UK MS Society Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

A section from the brain of a person with MS. Within the dark blue staining region (white matter) the pale (white) areas are demyelination - the pale blue areas are remyelination. Adult stem precursor cells (above) give rise to new myelinating cells in remyelination.

What is remyelination?
The nervous system works because nerve fibres (axons) convey information between nerve cells (neurons) by way of electrical impulses. Their ability to do so is greatly enhanced by an insulating sheath that wraps around the nerve fibre. This sheath is made by a substance called myelin and in the CNS – the brain and spinal cord – myelin is made by a cell called the oligodendrocyte. In MS the oligodendrocyte and the myelin sheath it makes are a major target of the disease process. Loss of oligodendrocytes leads to loss of myelin sheaths from around axons – a process called demyelination. The immediate consequence of demyelination is that the axons become considerably less efficient at conducting impulses. However, demyelination may be followed by a spontaneous regenerative or healing process in which new myelin sheaths are restored to the axons. This process is called remyelination or myelin repair, although this term suggests that damaged myelin gets patched up – which is not really what happens – and enables the axons to resume efficient impulse conduction.

Why is remyelination important?
Remyelination is the normal response to demyelination and was first shown to occur in MS many years ago. More recent studies have shown that in some patients, remyelination can be very widespread and extensive. However, for reasons that are currently far from clear and are likely to be multiple, remyelination is sometimes incomplete or fails altogether. This means that axons remain permanently demyelinated; a serious situation since in this state they become very vulnerable to death themselves. A view widely held by MS researchers is that the progressive loss of chronically demyelinated axons accounts for the progressive and largely untreatable deterioration experienced by nearly all MS patients. Preventing axonal loss is therefore a major therapeutic objective which, it is hoped, will allow treatment of stages of the disease for which none currently exist, and that will slow down or even arrest deterioration. Since myelin appears to be important for maintaining the health of the axons, many experts in the field believe that the therapeutic promotion of remyelination in situations where it has failed may represent one of the most effective ways of preventing axon loss. Preventing axonal loss is sometimes called neuroprotection.

How might remyelination be enhanced?
Since remyelination can occur as a spontaneous response to demyelination, one approach to its therapeutic enhancement is to persuade the body’s own remyelination mechanisms not to give up but to work more effectively. This is sometimes called the endogenous approach. Another approach is based on the argument that because endogenous healing has failed it needs some external help, which can be provided in the form of transplanted cells that are able to make new myelin. This is sometimes called the exogenous or cell therapy approach and is currently viewed by some as being more appropriate for rare genetic diseases of myelin rather than MS. A third, combined approach also exists in which transplanted (exogenous) cells are used to enhance endogenous remyelination. This approach is still in its infancy, but certainly has much potential. Recent experimental evidence suggests the remarkable possibility that transplanted cells, easily delivered into the blood stream, not only encourage endogenous repair but are especially effective at preventing damage occurring in the first instance by damping down the damaging inflammatory response that characterises acute MS episodes (relapses). An attraction of the endogenous approach is that it may be amenable to drug-based treatments. In order for this to be developed it is necessary to know why remyelination fails so that the faulty aspects can be identified and corrected. However, in order to do this it is important to understand how remyelination works. By analogy, it is very difficult to mend a broken car engine if you have no comprehension of the engine’s internal workings.

How does remyelination work?

Remyelination is mediated by a population of stem cells that are abundantly distributed throughout the entire adult CNS. These cells are often referred to as oligodendrocyte precursor cells or OPCs. When demyelination occurs, all the OPCs in the vicinity are stirred into action. This event is called activation and involves the cells increasing their responsiveness to factors generated by demyelination that make them move around and make copies of themselves. Very quickly the area of demyelination is filled up with OPCs, a process called recruitment. The next step is for these cells to become replacement oligodendrocytes that make new myelin sheaths around the demyelinated axons. This process is called differentiation. Thus, remyelination is the result of a two-stage process of OPC recruitment and differentiation. Over the last few years scientists have been busy identifying the multitude of factors involved in OPC recruitment and differentiation. Some of these are environmental factors to which the OPCs are exposed; others are factors within the OPCs that allow them to make the appropriate responses to environmental factors. While much has been learnt it is apparent that there is still a great deal more to be understood. The number of factors is very large and most work in complex networks, making the process an immensely complicated one to understand completely.

Why does remyelination fail?
In theory, remyelination might fail because of a failure of either OPC recruitment or differentiation, which would determine whether remyelination therapies were to be based on the provision of recruitment or differentiation factors. Differentiation seems to be the more complicated of the two processes, and therefore the one most likely to go wrong. It is therefore of little surprise that recent evidence shows that a common cause of remyelination failure in MS patients is not an absence of OPCs (these are often present in abundance) but due to the OPCs failing to differentiate into remyelinating oligodendrocytes. At what stage is remyelination research? Because remyelination appears to be failing at the differentiation stage, at least in a proportion of damaged areas in a proportion of patients, many scientists are currently focusing on how differentiation works and how it might be promoted. There are two possible explanations for differentiation failure and either or both of which may be possible: differentiation may fail because of an absence of factors to enhance it or the presence of factors that inhibit it. Several possibilities for both explanations are being investigated. These studies usually take the form of laboratory-based studies, using various animal models and cell cultures, and studies of post-mortem tissue from MS patients, which is becoming increasingly widely available thanks to the setting up of specific MS brain banks. An excellent example is the one funded by the UK MS Society based at Imperial College in London. The results obtained from the two types of studies mutually inform each other – the post-mortem tissue pointing the way to the laboratory studies and the laboratory study giving clues as to what one might expect to find in post-mortem material. This work is progressing on many fronts via an increasing number of researchers and research groupings.
Although patient-based studies are currently in progress to establish ways in which enhanced remyelination can be monitored and assessed in patients, remyelination research is still at present an essentially laboratory-based endeavour. This is inevitable considering the complexities of the problem and it is worth remembering that there are very few currently available treatments to enhance regenerative process for any tissue in the body, let alone the CNS. Nevertheless, scientists and clinicians involved are optimistic that in the future the availability of remyelination therapies will have a significant impact on the treatment of MS, given the pace and momentum that this important area of research has acquired in recent years
http://www.msif.org/en/resources/msif_resources/msif_publications/ms_in_focus/issue_11_stem_cells_and_remyelination_in_ms/remyelination_t.html



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Sunday, March 23, 2008


Therapeutic cloning used to treat brain disease - health - 23 March 2008 - New Scientist

  • 18:00 23 March 2008
  • NewScientist.com news service
  • Peter Aldhous

Therapeutic cloning works – in mice, at least. An international team has restored mice with a condition similar to Parkinson's disease back to health, using neurons grown in the lab that were made from their own cloned skin cells.

This is the first time that a disease has been successfully treated using cloned cells that had been derived from the recipient animals. "It is the proof of concept," says Lorenz Studer of the Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York, US, who led the research. But he warns that is too early to say whether the technique can be developed into a practical therapy for human patients.

Studer's team first gave mice a drug to kill neurons that make the neurotransmitter dopamine. This caused movement problems similar to those seen in people with Parkinson's disease. Then the researchers took biopsies from the tails of these mice and shipped them to Teruhiko Wakayama, a specialist in cloning at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan.

Wakayama's team transferred the nuclei from skin cells taken from these biopsies into mouse eggs stripped of their chromosomes, to create embryos. The Japanese researchers extracted embryonic stem (ES) cells from these cloned embryos, creating a total 187 ES cell lines from 24 mice.

Back in New York, Studer's team took the ES cells, coaxed them to develop into dopamine-secreting neurons, and then transplanted these neurons into mice with symptoms of Parkinson's.

All six mice that had been given grafts of neurons derived from their own skin cells got significantly better, scoring well on tests of movement.

Genetic match

This is similar to results obtained by a team led by Ron McKay of the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Maryland. That team transplanted neurons grown from conventional mouse ES cells into the brains of rats with the symptoms of Parkinson's. But unlike McKay, Studer did not have to suppress the immune systems of his animals to allow the grafts to survive.

Studer had less successful results, however, when he transplanted cloning-derived neurons into seven totally unrelated mice with Parkinson's-like symptoms, again without immune suppression. They showed little improvement, and autopsies conducted 11 weeks later revealed chronic inflammation in their brains. In three of them, none of the transplanted cells had survived.

"There's a major difference in the immune response depending on whether the cells are genetically identical," observes Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, US.

While Studer's study shows the value of achieving genetic matching by cloning, it is unclear whether the technique will prove viable in people. For one thing, nobody has yet managed to create a single human ES cell line by cloning. Even if this can be done, human eggs are in very short supply, which would limit the number of patients who could be treated.

Technically demanding

Also, Studer points out that his success in mice required a partnership between two research teams, one highly skilled in neural grafting, the other a world leader in cloning.

"It was a very challenging project," he says. "You need a special set of expertise that is typically not available in an individual lab."

If the process cannot be made less technically demanding, any treatment for human patients is likely to be extremely costly.

This is why many researchers are excited about the possibility of using a simpler genetic reprogramming technique pioneered by Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan. This can turn skin cells into cells that have similar properties to ES cells.

But Yamanaka's technique leaves behind active copies of genes that can induce cancer. This problem would need to be solved before such cells could be considered for use in human patients.

Stem Cells - Learn more about the promise and the controversy in our cutting-edge special report .

Journal reference: Nature Medicine (DOI: 10.1038/nm1732)

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http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/dn13523-therapeutic-cloning-used-to-treat-brain-disease.html

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Report: Biogen Idec CEO predicts more brain disorders in Tysabri ...

Report: Biogen Idec CEO predicts more brain disorders in Tysabri ...
Bizjournals.com - Charlotte,NC,USA
The CEO of Biogen Idec told investors Tuesday that he expects to see more cases of a rare, fatal brain disorder in patients taking the drug Tysabri, ...
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Last taping of the 'The Montel Williams Show' isn't the end
New York Daily News - New York,NY,USA
During that time, viewers have seen Williams go through a divorce, other turmoils and the shocking revelation he's got multiple sclerosis. ...
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Peptimmune Completes Phase I Study With A Novel Peptide Copolymer For The Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis
Medical News Today Wed, 19 Mar 2008 1:08 AM PDT
Peptimmune, Inc. a privately held biotechnology company, announced that it has completed its first clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of PI-2301, a novel peptide copolymer for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Cognitive Impairment Without Dementia Affects 5 Million Elderly Americans
A new study by researchers in the US suggests over 5 million elderly Americans below the threshold for dementia have cognitive impairment that reduces the performance of memory, thinking and other faculties.
Immune Systems Increasingly On Attack
Washington Post Tue, 18 Mar 2008 5:46 PM PDT
First, asthma cases shot up, along with hay fever and other common allergic reactions, such as eczema. Then, pediatricians started seeing more children with food allergies. Now, experts are increasingly convinced that a suspected jump in lupus, multiple sclerosis and other afflictions caused by m...
Regrowing Limbs: Can People Regenerate Body Parts?: Scientific American
Progress on the road to regenerating major body parts, salamander-style, could transform the treatment of amputations and major wounds
Two House Members Introduce Bill To Allow FDA To Approve Generic Versions Of Biotechnology Medications
Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas) on Thursday introduced a bill that would allow FDA to approve generic versions of biotechnology medications, CongressDaily reports.
Rx For High Drug Prices - New Book Presents A Solution
The mounting U.S. drug price crisis can be contained and eventually reversed by separating drug discovery from drug marketing and by establishing a non-profit company to oversee funding for new medicines, according to two MIT experts on the pharmaceutical industry.18 Mar 2008

Monday, March 17, 2008


The researchers looked at the activity of over 9,000 genes
Researchers have found population differences in the behaviour of immune system genes - potentially affecting how people respond to infection.

The Chicago University team looked at over 9,000 genes in 180 people, half Caucasian and half from Nigeria.

They found differences between the two races in 5% of key genes.

The American Journal of Human Genetics study may help explain why some groups are more vulnerable to disease, and aid development of more tailored treatment.

Gum disease

The researchers used gene chip array technology, which uses a microscope to analyse a specialised slide capable of containing thousands of genes derived from blood cells.

Sixty nuclear families, each including a mother, a father and a child were studied. Thirty were from Utah in the US, while the rest were Yorubans from Ibadan, Nigeria.

We want to understand why different populations experience different degrees of toxicity when taking certain drugs
Professor Eileen Dolan, University of Chicago

The researchers looked at expression levels - how active a gene is.

They found significant differences, particularly in immune system genes involved in producing antibodies to combat bacterial infection.

This backs up previous work which has shown African Americans may be more susceptible than Caucasians to infection, such as the gum disease bug Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The US study also found activity levels varied significantly in genes involved in basic cellular processes which are thought to play a part in how the body responds to drugs, including the risk of side effects.

'Small and subtle'

Professor Eileen Dolan, who led the research, said: "Our primary interest is the genes that regulate how people respond to medicines, such as cancer chemotherapy.

"We want to understand why different populations experience different degrees of toxicity when taking certain drugs and learn how to predict who might be most at risk for drug side effects."

She added: "Population differences in gene expression have only recently begun to be investigated.

"We believe they play a significant role in susceptibility to disease and in regulating drug response.

"Our current research focuses on how these genetic and expression differences play a role in sensitivity to adverse effects associated with chemotherapy."

Dr Chris Tyler-Smith, a geneticist at the Wellcome Trust's Sanger Institute, said genetic differences between ethnic groups were "small and subtle".

"They usually just consist of slight differences in frequency of a few variants found in all populations. But they are important for our understanding of recent evolution and can have medical implications as well.

"They have been difficult to identify, and it is particularly interesting to see that characteristics like variation in susceptibility to infection are showing up."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7270562.stm

Montel Williams hosts celebrity poker bash
Casino City Times - Newton Center,MA,USA
In 1999, Williams, host of the popular nationally syndicated television talk show,went public with his own personal battle against multiple sclerosis (MS), ...
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Disabled woman fights unfair system
TVNZ Sun, 16 Mar 2008 4:44 PM PDT
A court case which challenges New Zealand's accident compensation system has begun in Wellington on Monday. Melanie Tre-Vethic is suing the Crown because she says it's unfair she gets less compensation for being in a wheelchair from multiple sclerosis than if she had crashed her car while drunk.

New drug protects nerve cells from damage in mice
News-Medical-Net Sun, 16 Mar 2008 4:58 PM PDT
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the brain and spinal cord. Individuals with MS develop progressive neurological disability, and this is thought to be caused by degradation of the nerve cells.

Health Announcements
The Capital Sun, 16 Mar 2008 7:07 AM PDT
A Longaberger basket bingo to benefit multiple sclerosis will be held March 30 at the Columbian Center, 335 N. Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. The doors open at 2 p.m. and games begin at 3:30 p.m. This event features 20 games and 50 door prizes.




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Friday, March 14, 2008

Accentia Biopharmaceutical’s Revimmune Receives the Frost ...

Accentia Biopharmaceutical’s Revimmune Receives the Frost ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
If approved, Revimmune would be the first product capable of restoring neurological function in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). ...
See all stories on this topic

Micromet, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007 Financial ...
MSN Money - USA
MT110 binds to EpCAM, a cell surface molecule that is highly expressed on many solid tumors and on cancer stem cells -- those cancer cells responsible for ...
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Embryonic stem cell patent claims confirmed, but narrowed
North County Times - Escondido,CA,USA
The technology is seen by many as a key to treating such incurable diseases as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Control of the technology is ...
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Parents rejoice over daughter's miracle
Canada.com - Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
Leah Telder, 24, has seen great improvements in her health since she had a stem cell transplant aimed at curbing her multiple sclerosis. ...
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Endless Pools, Inc. And National Multiple Sclerosis Society Raise Awareness For Healthy Living
Medical News Today Thu, 13 Mar 2008 5:08 AM PDT
Endless Pools, Inc., the manufacturer of counter-current swimming pools for residential and commercial use, has teamed with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the world's largest MS organization, to highlight the benefits of exercise during MS Awareness Week, March 10-17.

What Will You Do? Join The Movement To End Multiple Sclerosis During MS Awareness Week March 10-17
Medical News Today Thu, 13 Mar 2008 5:09 AM PDT
MS Awareness Week March 10 - 17 unites MS organizations and all those living with the effects of multiple sclerosis nationwide in an effort to shine a spotlight on the exciting developments that have occurred this year in treating and understanding MS, a disease where someone is newly diagnosed each hour.

New drug protects nerve cells from damage in mice
EurekAlert! Thu, 13 Mar 2008 2:17 PM PDT
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the brain and spinal cord. Individuals with MS develop progressive neurological disability, and this is thought to be caused by degradation of the nerve cells.

Opexa Therapeutics Announces Completion Of Mid Study Descriptive Analysis On Phase IIb Trial Of Tovaxin(R) For ...
Medical News Today Thu, 13 Mar 2008 3:08 AM PDT
Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA) announced that the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of its ongoing 150-patient Phase IIb safety and efficacy study (TERMS) of Tovaxin in multiple sclerosis recommended that the trial be continued as scheduled.

Third blaze in less than a week destroys home, displaces couple
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg,FL,USA
Rich suffers from multiple sclerosis and her fiance is recovering from surgery to remove cancer from his face. "It just blew my mind how fast it went," Rich ...
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Breakthrough in treatment of kidney failure
Thaindian.com - Bangkok,Bangkok,Thailand
Faulty Notch signalling has been found in several types of cancer and in many other diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Collectively, the observations made ...
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Life with MS: ‘We don’t just go to bed and give up’
The Herald-Times (subscription) - Bloomington,IN,USA
By Colin Bishop 331-4374 | cbishop@heraldt.com When Janice Sansone found out she had multiple sclerosis 10 years ago, she didn’t feel the fear, ...
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UltimateBet Pro Annie Duke to Ante Up for Multiple Sclerosis
All In - New York,NY,USA
Duke will be playing in the The Montel Williams MS Foundation Gala and Pro-Celebrity Poker Challenge, a roaring ‘20s speakeasy-themed event featuring a ...
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Teva Provides Update on Glatiramer Acetate 40mg for Amyotrophic ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
Glatiramer acetate is indicated for the reduction of the frequency of relapses in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). ...
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Governor Doyle Announces World Stem Cell Summit to be Held in Madison
Wisbusiness.com - Madison,WI,USA
Hosted by WiCell and the University of Wisconsin Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, the World Stem Cell Summit is the preeminent gathering for the ...
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Local family walks to cure MS
Spring Grove Herald - MN, USA
There are four courses of MS: Relapsing-Remitting (there are clear attacks followed by recovery periods); Primary-Progressive (slowly worsening neurological ...
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Elan (ELN) NewsBite - Elan Still Dropping on Tysabri Safety Concerns

Injection Of Human Umbilical Cord Blood Helps The Aging Brain, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2008) — When human umbilical cord blood cells (UCBC) were injected into aged laboratory animals, researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) found improvements in the microenvironment of the hippocampus region of the animals’ brains and a subsequent rejuvenation of neural stem/progenitor cells.

Elan (ELN) NewsBite - Elan Still Dropping on Tysabri Safety Concerns
Market Intelligence Center - Charlottesville,VA,USA
Shares of Elan continued to drop today on concerns about the safety of its best-selling drug, Tysabri. This came after the company posted two weeks ago a ...
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Opexa Therapeutics Announces Completion of Mid Study Descriptive ...
Earthtimes - London,UK
The Tovaxin Phase IIb clinical study includes 150 patients in a multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial designed primarily to ...
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How one Lee County woman is coping with multiple sclerosis
The News-Press Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:13 PM PDT
In honor of National Multiple Sclerosis awareness week, March 10-17, Lisa Doyle, 42, of Fort Myers, wanted to share her experience with MS.

Philly Finds 56 Drugs in Its Water
The Associated Press -
... reduces fever Naproxen — for arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, aches; reduces fever Prednisone — for arthritis, allergic reactions, multiple sclerosis, ...
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Health briefs
Asheville Citizen-Times Mon, 10 Mar 2008 9:24 PM PDT
ASHEVILLE -- Cold Stone Creamery in Asheville will host Multiple Sclerosis Night 5-9 Wednesday at 129 Bleachery Blvd. Visitors to the store will be able to sign up for the Asheville MS walk April 6 and raise money for the National MS Society.

Aloha Aspartame? Unfortunately, Not Yet
Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
Consumption of aspartame can be linked to arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, insomnia, headaches/migraines, dizziness, and loss of vision ...
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Market Report -- In Play (OPXA)
MSN Money - USA
Opexa Therapeutics announces completion of mid study descriptive analysis on Phase IIb trial of Tovaxin for treatment of multiple sclerosis Co announces ...
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Become your own diagnositc detective: The real reasons for those ...
Daily Mail - UK
People with some neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, often yawn excessively. Some anti-depressants and Parkinson's drugs can also cause ...
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FNC’s Janice Dean Reveals Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis

FNC’s Janice Dean Reveals Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis
FOXNews - USA
... husband of Today Show host Meredith Vieira; Terri Garr and Montel Williams, all of whom have detailed their own struggles with multiple sclerosis. ...
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Hadassah: A jewish mission for medicine, youth and more
Sioux Falls Argus Leader - Sioux Falls,SD,USA
Ongoing stem cell research will have far-reaching effects on diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and cystic fibrosis, Wilschanski predicts. ...
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Embryology bill is a beacon of hope
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
I have to declare an interest: I have multiple sclerosis, so I am, as you will understand, very eager for the research to be successful - and it can't be ...
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Frustrated Baldelli say illness rumors are unfounded
The Providence Journal Sat, 08 Mar 2008 6:49 PM PST
The Rhode Island native and Tampa Bay Rays star says he doesn’t have multiple sclerosis and says doctors don’t know why he’s prone to injuries.

NeoStem Reports Positive Stem Cell Industry Research Trends From ...
PR Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
... Inc. ("the Company") to develop the adult stem cell business, to develop the VSEL technology, the future of regenerative medicine and the role of adult ...
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Acorda Therapeutics to Present at the Cowen and Company 28th ...
Centre Daily Times - Centre,PA,USA
... the risk of unfavorable results from future studies of Fampridine-SR, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain FDA approval of Fampridine-SR, ...
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Sunday, March 09, 2008

'On a wing and a prayer': Woman watches $600000 nest egg erode for ...

ADRs in Focus: Elan Sinks
Forbes - NY,USA
While analysts said the link between Tysabri and liver damage was already known, the news has weighed heavily on shares of Elan and US-based Biogen Idec ...
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'On a wing and a prayer': Woman watches $600000 nest egg erode for ...
Grand Forks Herald - Grand Forks,ND,USA
By Andrea Domaskin, The Forum She had nearly $600000 in a retirement account when multiple sclerosis forced her to retire after 25 years at Community First ...
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LIVING WITH MS MS in their words
Toledo Free Press - OH, USA
I am a 46 year old man with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. I was diagnosed 11 years ago, but didn't have any noted symptoms until six years ago. ...
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Nanotech: Not so nano anymore
Business Standard - Mumbai,Maharashtra,India
For instance, Virtuous Innovation, a group company of Khandelwal Laboratories, has already developed a patented technology on Gene Repair Therapy (GRT) to ...
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Carefree adventurer, cautious value hunter
Globe and Mail - Canada
The company's multiple-sclerosis drug, Tysabri, got pulled off the market after some side effects were discovered. But anyone taking the time to read the ...
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Scooting for Multiple Sclerosis
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Sat, 08 Mar 2008 3:31 PM PST
A 58 year old Hobart woman with multiple sclerosis is travelling around Tasmania on a motor scooter to raise money for research into the disease.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Pixantrone To Be Studied In Phase I/II Trial For Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced that its investigational drug pixantrone will be studied in a multicenter phase I/II trial initiated by the Fondation Charcot Stichting, in Brussels, Belgium, which sponsors a consortium of centers involved in studying new therapies for the treatment for multiple sclerosis.
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals' SRT501 Slows Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss During Optic Neuritis In A Preclinical Model Of Multiple Sclerosis
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat diseases of aging, announced that Kenneth Shindler, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia, will present preclinical data at the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society annual meeting showing that SRT501, when orally administered, slows retinal ganglion cell loss during optic neuritis, a neurodegenerative eye disorder, and suppresses neurological dysfunction in a preclinical model of Multiple Sclerosis.
Pixantrone To Be Studied In Phase I/II Trial For Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis
Medical News Today Fri, 07 Mar 2008 1:08 AM PST
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced that its investigational drug pixantrone will be studied in a multicenter phase I/II trial initiated by the Fondation Charcot Stichting, in Brussels, Belgium, which sponsors a consortium of centers involved in studying new therapies for the treatment for multiple sclerosis.
Health Tip: Understanding Autoimmune Diseases
HealthDay via Yahoo! News Fri, 07 Mar 2008 6:00 AM PST
(HealthDay News) -- An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly begins to attack itself. More commonly known autoimmune diseases include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
The Bill criticised as 'grossly irresponsible' for making up MS drug
Daily Mail Fri, 07 Mar 2008 6:04 AM PST
Police drama The Bill has been criticised as 'grossly irresponsible' for making up the name of a drug to treat multiple sclerosis. The MS Society received calls from sufferers who wanted to know more about 'Plavitron' after it was mentioned in Wednesday night's episode of the ITV drama

CORRECTION Bayer lowers drug unit's margin target after Yasmin ...
Forbes - NY,USA
... that raising the dosage of Betaseron improved efficacy of the multiple sclerosis drug. Bayer today said it will 'consider its legal options' with regard ...
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US court rejects patent for Bayer contraceptive Yasmin
AFP -
... of its Betaferon treatment for multiple sclerosis and a complaint by the drug group Novartis against the Bayer drug Kogenate, used to treat haemophilia. ...
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New Stem Cell Technique Improves Genetic Alteration
Science Daily (press release) - USA
These scientists study spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and central nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. ...
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MS Society Criticises Producers Of The Bill Over Made-up Drug, UK
The MS Society has criticised series producers of The Bill following an episode that featured an entirely made-up drug, which a storyline claimed was available for people with relapsing remitting MS.



Report On 547 New Medicines In Development For Neurological Disorders Released In San Antonio
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) delivered a new report on medicines in the research pipeline for neurological diseases. The report found America's pharmaceutical research companies are testing 547 new medicines to help treat neurological diseases.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Immune Systems Increasingly On Attack

Immune Systems Increasingly On Attack - washingtonpost.com

By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 4, 2008; A01

First, asthma cases shot up, along with hay fever and other common allergic reactions, such as eczema. Then, pediatricians started seeing more children with food allergies. Now, experts are increasingly convinced that a suspected jump in lupus, multiple sclerosis and other afflictions caused by misfiring immune systems is real.

Though the data are stronger for some diseases than others, and part of the increase may reflect better diagnoses, experts estimate that many allergies and immune-system diseases have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled in the last few decades, depending on the ailment and country. Some studies now indicate that more than half of the U.S. population has at least one allergy.

The cause remains the focus of intense debate and study, but some researchers suspect the concurrent trends all may have a common explanation rooted in aspects of modern living -- including the "hygiene hypothesis" that blames growing up in increasingly sterile homes, changes in diet, air pollution, and possibly even obesity and increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

"We have dramatically changed our lives in the last 50 years," said Fernando Martinez, who studies allergies at the University of Arizona. "We are exposed to more products. We have people with different backgrounds being exposed to different environments. We have made our lives more antiseptic, especially early in life. Our immune systems may grow differently as a result. And we may be paying a price for that."

Along with a flurry of research to confirm and explain the trends, scientists have also begun testing possible remedies. Some are feeding high-risk children gradually larger amounts of allergy-inducing foods, hoping to train the immune system not to overreact. Others are testing benign bacteria or parts of bacteria. Still others have patients with MS, colitis and related ailments swallow harmless parasitic worms to try to calm their bodies' misdirected defenses.

"If you look at the incidence of these diseases, a lot of them began to emerge and become much more common after parasitic worm diseases were eliminated from our environment," said Robert Summers of the University of Iowa, who is experimenting with whipworms. "We believe they have a profound symbiotic effect on developing and maintaining the immune system."

Although hay fever, eczema, asthma and food allergies seem quite different, they are all "allergic diseases" because they are caused by the immune system responding to substances that are ordinarily benign, such as pollen or peanuts. Autoimmune diseases also result from the body's defense mechanisms malfunctioning. But in these diseases, which include lupus, MS, Type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, the immune system attacks parts of the body such as nerves, the pancreas or digestive tract.

"Overall, there is very little doubt that we have seen significant increases," said Syed Hasan Arshad of the David Hide Asthma and Allergy Centre in England, who focuses on food allergies. "You can call it an epidemic. We're talking about millions of people and huge implications, both for health costs and quality of life. People miss work. Severe asthma can kill. Peanut allergies can kill. It does have huge implications all around. If it keeps increasing, where will it end?"

One reason that many researchers suspect something about modern living is to blame is that the increases show up largely in highly developed countries in Europe, North America and elsewhere, and have only started to rise in other countries as they have become more developed.

"It's striking," said William Cookson of the Imperial College in London.

The leading theory to explain the phenomenon holds that as modern medicine beats back bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases that have long plagued humanity, immune systems may fail to learn how to differentiate between real threats and benign invaders, such as ragweed pollen or food. Or perhaps because they are not busy fighting real threats, they overreact or even turn on the body's own tissues.

"Our immune systems are much less busy," said Jean-Francois Bach of the French Academy of Sciences, "and so have much more strong responses to much weaker stimuli, triggering allergies and autoimmune diseases."

Several lines of evidence support the theory. Children raised with pets or older siblings are less likely to develop allergies, possibly because they are exposed to more microbes. But perhaps the strongest evidence comes from studies comparing thousands of people who grew up on farms in Europe to those who lived in less rural settings. Those reared on farms were one-tenth as likely to develop diseases such as asthma and hay fever.

"The data are very strong," said Erika von Mutius of the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich. "If kids have all sorts of exposures on the farm by being in the stables a lot, close to the animals and the grasses, and drinking cow's milk from their own farm, that seems to confer protection."

The theory has also gained support from a variety of animal studies. One, for example, found that rats bred in a sterile laboratory had far more sensitive immune systems than those reared in the wild, where they were exposed to infections, microorganisms and parasites.

"It's sort of a smoking gun of the hygiene hypothesis," said William Parker of Duke University.

Researchers believe the lack of exposure to potential threats early in life leaves the immune system with fewer command-and-control cells known as regulatory T cells, making the system more likely to overreact or run wild.

"If you live in a very clean society, you're not going to have a lot of regulatory T cells," Parker said.

While the evidence for the hygiene theory is accumulating, many say it remains far from proven.

"That theory is so full of holes that it's clearly not the whole story," said Robert Wood of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

It does not explain, for example, the rise in asthma, since that disease occurs much more commonly in poor, inner-city areas where children are exposed to more cockroaches and rodents that may trigger it, Wood and others said.

Several alternative theories have been presented. Some researchers blame exposure to fine particles in air pollution, which may give the immune system more of a hair trigger, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Others say obesity and a sedentary lifestyle may play a role. Still others wonder whether eating more processed food or foods processed in different ways, or changes in the balance of certain vitamins that can affect the immune system, such as vitamins C and E and fish oil, are a factor.

"Cleaning up the food we eat has actually changed what we're eating," said Thomas Platts-Mills of the University of Virginia.

But many researchers believe the hygiene hypothesis is the strongest, and that the reason one person develops asthma instead of hay fever or eczema or lupus or MS is because of a genetic predisposition.

"We believe it's about half and half," Cookson said. "You need environmental factors and you need genetic susceptibility as well."

Some researchers have begun to try to identify specific genes that may be involved, as well as specific components of bacteria or other pathogens that might be used to train immune systems to respond appropriately.

"If we could mimic what is happening in these farm environments, we could protect children and prevent asthma, allergies and other diseases," von Mutius said.

Some researchers are trying to help people who are at risk for allergies or already ill with autoimmune diseases.

With new research suggesting that food allergies may be occurring earlier in life and lasting longer, several small studies have been done or are underway in which children at risk for milk, egg and peanut allergies are given increasing amounts of those foods, beginning with tiny doses, to try to train the immune system.

"I'm very encouraged," said Wesley Burks, a professor of pediatrics at Duke who has done some of the studies. "I'm hopeful that in five years, there may be some type of therapy from this."

Another promising line of research involves giving patients microscopic parasitic worms to try to tamp down the immune system.

"We've seen rather dramatic improvements in patients' conditions," said Summers of the University of Iowa, who has treated more than 100 people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis by giving them parasitic worms that infect pigs but are harmless to humans. "We're not claiming that this is a cure, but we saw a very dramatic improvement. Some patients went into complete remission."

Doctors in Argentina reported last year that MS patients who had intestinal parasites fared better than those who did not, and researchers at the University of Wisconsin are planning to launch another study as early as next month testing pig worms in 20 patients with the disease.

"We hope to show whether this treatment has promise and is worth exploring further in a larger study," said John O. Fleming, a professor of neurology who is leading the effort.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/03/AR2008030303200.html?hpid=topnews


New SSDI Guidebook Available To Individuals With Mutiple Sclerosis
Medical News Today Wed, 05 Mar 2008 5:08 AM PST
During the week of March 10-17, 2008, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is helping communities and organizations across the country raise awareness and raise funds in the battle against MS. Organizations, including Allsup Inc., which is a national SSDI representation company, are raising awareness about this disease and the resources that are available.

Multiple sclerosis: Perplexing and hard to treat
International Herald Tribune Tue, 04 Mar 2008 8:09 PM PST
MS is highly unpredictable. Rarely are any two patients alike in the duration or progression of symptoms, and rarely do any two respond in the same way to a given therapy, be it traditional or alternative.

More News
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Wed, 05 Mar 2008 0:36 AM PST
Montel Williams is 51, has six-pack abs, a new wife and multiple sclerosis. He's equally fine with all of it.

2 patients in Tysabri study found to have JC virus
Boston Globe - United States
A study of the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, made by Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Corp. PLC, shows some patients carried the virus associated with a ...
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Study shows new data on MS drug Tysabri -- analyst
Guardian - UK
BOSTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A new study of the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri shows some patients developed the virus associated with a potentially deadly ...
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Elan shares gain 2.9pc on 'outperform' rating
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
The addition to the focus list came on optimism about sales of the Tysabri multiple sclerosis treatment and an experimental Alzheimer's drug. ...
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Strip Poker: Golden Nugget to Host Grand Poker Series
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Beacon Hill Roll Call, March 7
Wicked Local Millis - Milford,MA,USA
James Vallee Yes/Yes STEM CELL RESEARCH (H 4554) — House 29-121, rejected a life science bill amendment prohibiting any of the funding in the legislation ...
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Beacon Hill Roll Call, March 7 - Millis, MA - Wicked Local Millis


$1 BILLION FOR LIFE SCIENCES (H 4554) — House 136-13 and 135-13, approved and sent to the Senate a complex 40-page bill expanding life sciences research in Massachusetts. Key provisions include $500 million for new research facilities and labs, $250 million for research grants and $250 million in tax credits to private companies involved in the life sciences industry. The measure also includes several specific earmarks including $95 million for a life science laboratory research center complex at UMass Amherst; $11.4 million for an advanced technology manufacturing center in Fall River; $90 million to assist in the construction of a $265 million biotech research center at the UMass Medical School in Worcester and $5.7 million for a stem cell bank and registry at the same school.

Supporters said this comprehensive landmark package would make Massachusetts the global leader in life sciences. They argued it would create 250,000 jobs and make the Bay State the leader in the search for cures for diseases including cancer, diabetes, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/millis/news/x39084263