Scientists give hope to patients with multiple sclerosis
Scientists from the University of Cambridge published the results of their study in the New England Journal of Medicine. They claim that the new drug helps to restore the disorders that have arisen in the brain as a result of the disease.
However, experts warn that the drug has very serious side effects. Scientists also emphasize that the study is at an early stage.
Alemtuzumab refers to antitumor drugs based on monoclonal antibodies. It was created at the University of Cambridge in the late 1970s and is used to suppress leukocytes affected by blood cancer.
In the course of the latest study, which has been going on for three years and in which 334 patients with RRRS participate, it was found that this drug reduces the number of relapses of the disease by 74% more often than conventional beta-interferon therapy.
In addition, the probability of disability during treatment with alemtuzumab is 71% lower than with conventional methods.
Patients receiving this drug also showed the restoration of some functions that were thought to have been lost irretrievably. As a result, three years after the start of the study, they became healthier.
Patients who received conventional beta-interferon therapy during the same three years had progressive disability.
These data are confirmed by the results of brain scans, which showed that in patients receiving alemtuzumab, the brain increased in size, while in others it became smaller.
As scientists point out, this study shows that alemtuzumab can restore damaged brain tissue.
However, they stress that it is necessary to continue research and confirm these initial results before recommending the drug for widespread use within the UK national health system.
"Alemtuzumab is the most promising experimental drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. At the third stage of testing, we hope we will be able to confirm that it not only stabilizes the condition, but also restores the patient's ability to work to some extent," said project manager Professor Alastar Comston.
Multiple sclerosis occurs when the body's immune system malfunctions, as a result of which it begins to attack nerve fibers and their protective coating - the myelin sheath.
This leads to the fact that the nerves cannot properly perform their functions and die off. This, in turn, causes severe violations of the physical and mental state of the patient.
Alemtuzumab destroys white blood cells or leukocytes, which cause major damage to the body in multiple sclerosis.
This allows you to turn off the immune system, so that after a while it starts up again in the correct mode of operation.
"The ability of the drug to restore functions disrupted by the disease is unprecedented. We have found a drug that, if given to patients at an early stage of the disease, can really stop its progression and restore the damage done to brain tissues," said project participant Alasdar Coles.
However, the drug has side effects. During the study, 20% of patients who were given alemtuzumab had thyroid dysfunction - either its insufficiency or hyperactivity.
In a small part of the group, the number of platelets contributing to blood clotting decreased, which increased their risk of bleeding. One person died. However, scientists emphasize that complications are treatable if they are detected at an early stage.
The head of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lee Dunster, is optimistic.
"This is the first drug that can potentially stop the disease and even repair the damage caused by it. This study will give hope to people who live with this disease," he said. "However, we need to continue working to test the effectiveness of the drug in the long term, and we look forward to the results of the next stage of this promising study."
Professor Paul Matthews of Imperial College London considers this study very important, but urges caution.
"Alemtuzumab caused very serious side effects in a small group of patients. This shows that it is probably not suitable for everyone, but only for patients with the most aggressive form of the disease," he said.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru23.10.2008