Archive for the ‘Multiple Sclerosis Research’ Category

WASHINGTON & SARATOGA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) today announced the support of the Ballenger Trust to accelerate the development of myelin repair therapeutics for multiple sclerosis (MS). The $700,000 gift will provide support for the MRF biomarker project, myelin repair research in human brain tissue and a repurposing opportunity. With the Ballenger Trusts support, these critical projects will accelerate the Myelin Repair Foundations research to develop a myelin repair therapeutic for multiple sclerosis.

The trustee of the Ballenger Trust, Chris Ballenger, selected the Myelin Repair Foundation to honor his fathers wish to accelerate new treatments for multiple sclerosis. Chris Ballengers sister Jacqueline passed away in 2009 from complications of MS. The MRF biomarker, human cell myelin repair assay and drug repositioning projects were selected for support by the Ballenger Trust to ensure promising myelin repair therapeutics enter clinical trials and benefit patients with MS.

The Myelin Repair Foundations myelin research for MS brings hope to patients with the disease, said Chris Ballenger, trustee of the Ballenger Trust. It was important for my father, John Ballenger to leave a long-lasting legacy to advance new treatments for those suffering from multiple sclerosis. With the Myelin Repair Foundations pioneering work in advancing myelin research into a drug for patients, I believe its our best chance to making my fathers dreams a reality.

We applaud the forward-thinking perspective of the Ballenger Trust to support several of our programs to advance promising myelin research, said Scott Johnson, CEO, President and Founder of the Myelin Repair Foundation. With their critical support, we are committed to honoring the memories of both John and Jacqueline Ballenger by continuing our progress towards developing a myelin repair drug for MS by 2019.

About the Myelin Repair Foundation

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) (http://www.myelinrepair.org) is a Silicon Valley-based, non-profit research organization focused on accelerating the discovery and development of myelin repair therapeutics for multiple sclerosis. Its Accelerated Research Collaboration (ARC) model is designed to optimize the entire process of medical research, drug development and the delivery of patient treatments.

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Ballenger Trust Selects the Myelin Repair Foundation to Advance Myelin Repair Therapeutic Development for Multiple ...

A Christchurch neurologist is leading part of the worlds first clinical trial into whether oral vitamin D may prevent multiple sclerosis (MS).

The trial is being conducted in both Australia and New Zealand and will include 240 people with early MS.

Dr Deborah Mason will oversee the New Zealanders taking part in the study while Professor Bruce Taylor, a former Christchurch neurologist now based in Hobart, Australia, is one of the principal researchers heading the trial in Australia.

Dr Mason says MS prevalence in New Zealand is high compared to many other parts of the world and appears to be increasing particularly in females.

Researchers believe New Zealanders may be particularly susceptible to MS because of our low latitude which results in low levels of vitamin D.

"This is particularly true for people living in Canterbury, Otago and Southland. We are uniquely placed to perform this research here and it has particular relevance given our high MS rates," Dr Mason says.

"It will be the worlds first randomised controlled interventional study using vitamin D in people with MS to see how it might influence this disease."

MS Research Australia has pledged $3.5 million towards the study.

"This trial may not only find a very modestly priced treatment for early MS it may also give us a lot of information about the effect of vitamin D on MS and may be a precursor to intervention in at risk groups prior to developing disease. It also has synergies with other research being done in NZ in children and others as vitamin D is currently a hot topic of research."

Dr Mason says the timing of the study has also worked in perfectly as it correlates with other research she has been doing including the NZ MS Incidence Study for the MS Society.

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Christchurch neurologist part of MS trial

Therafit Gym Multiple Sclerosis Jody MS (stem cell trial).wmv
PLEASE SEND THE LETTER BELOW TO YOUR US SENATORS! We are writing to encourage the FDA and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) to approve a clinical trial of mesenchymal stem cell derived neural progenitors (MSC-NPs) in the treatment of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS). The initial 20 person trial will be conducted at the Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York (MSRCNY) under the direction of Dr. Saud Sadiq, neurologist and director of the MSRCNY. Dr. Sadiq was previously the head of Neurology at St. Luke #39;s Roosevelt Hospital in New York City (NYC). In 2006, he started this research center in NYC working only on MS. In November 2011, the MSRCNY received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS) to conduct this trial for patients with SPMS, the first of its kind ever done in the US. This trial is very specialized as it uses a patient #39;s own adult stem cells that are removed from the patient #39;s breast bone marrow, grown, isolated and injected into the spinal fluid (intrathecal) where the disease attacks the myelin. The trial will last for 3 years with stem cell treatments every 3 months for the first year and potentially more, depending on the many evaluations to determine physical and mental progress. MSRCNY requested approval in the past and is currently seeking approval for this trial AGAIN!! We are at a breakthrough point in the treatment of patients with SPMS. These ...From:therafitgymViews:11 0ratingsTime:08:46More inNonprofits Activism

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Therafit Gym Multiple Sclerosis Jody MS (stem cell trial).wmv - Video

jodyMSvideo2012 0001
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Consumer Affairs Branch Food and Drug Administration 1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 200N/HFM-47 Rockville, MD 20852-1448 We are writing to encourage the FDA and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) to approve a clinical trial of mesenchymal stem cell derived neural progenitors (MSC-NPs) in the treatment of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS). The initial 20 person trial will be conducted at the Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York (MSRCNY) under the direction of Dr. Saud Sadiq, neurologist and director of the MSRCNY. Dr. Sadiq was previously the head of Neurology at St. Luke #39;s Roosevelt Hospital in New York City (NYC). In 2006, he started this research center in NYC working only on MS. In November 2011, the MSRCNY received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS) to conduct this trial for patients with SPMS, the first of its kind ever done in the US. This trial is very specialized as it uses a patient #39;s own adult stem cells that are removed from the patient #39;s breast bone marrow, grown, isolated and injected into the spinal fluid (intrathecal) where the disease attacks the myelin. The trial will last for 3 years with stem cell treatments every 3 months for the first year and potentially more, depending on the many evaluations to determine physical and mental progress. MSRCNY requested approval in the past and is currently seeking ...From:Jennifer DavidViews:2 0ratingsTime:08:46More inNonprofits Activism

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jodyMSvideo2012 0001 - Video

By Denise Mann WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Oct. 10, 2012 -- New research suggests that stem cell transplants to treat certain brain and nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis may be moving closer to reality.

One study found that experimental stem cell transplants are safe and possibly effective in children with a rare genetic brain disease. Another study in mice showed that these cells are capable of transforming into, and functioning as, the healthy cell type. The stem cells used in the two studies were developed by study sponsor StemCells, Inc.

Both papers appear online in Science Translational Research.

The work, while still in its infancy, may have far-reaching implications for the treatment of many more common diseases that affect the brain and nervous system.

Researchers out of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), looked at the how neural stem cells behaved when transplanted into the brains of four young children with an early-onset, fatal form of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD).

PMD is a very rare genetic disorder in which brain cells called oligodendrocytes can't make myelin. Myelin is a fatty substance that insulates the nerve fibers of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves (central nervous system), and is essential for transmission of nerve signals so that the nervous system can function properly.

In multiple sclerosis, the myelin surrounding the nerve is targeted and damaged by the body's immune system.

The new study found that the neural stem cell transplants were safe. What's more, brain scans showed that the implanted cells seem to be doing what is expected of them -- i.e. making myelin.

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Stem Cell Transplants May Show Promise for Multiple Sclerosis

LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --New research directions are being explored to find therapies for hard to treat diseases. One exciting new approach is the use of autologous Adult Stem Cells. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the many notable diseasesadult stem cell therapycould potentially impact. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disorder in which an individual's own immune system attacks the 'myelin sheath'. The myelin sheath serves to protect the nerve cells within the body's central nervous system (CNS). The damage caused by MS may result in many types of symptoms including:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121010/LA89802-INFO)

Currently there is no cure for MS, but MS stem cell therapiesattempt to slow the disease's progression and limit symptoms. Since adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into many different types of cells, such as those required for proper functioning and protection of nerve cells, the use of adult stem cells for MS therapy could be of substantial value. Adult stem cells can be isolated with relative ease from an individual's own 'adipose' (fat) tissue. As a result, adult stem cell therapy is not subject to the ethical or religious issues troubling embryonic methods.

Encouragingly for MS treatment potential, scientific researchers have been studying the properties of adipose-derived stem cells. Their results from canine and equine studies suggest anti-inflammatory and regenerative roles for these stem cells. Also, further research findings suggest these adipose-derived stem cells can have specific immune-regulating properties. Markedly, clinical-based work conducted overseas has indicated that individuals suffering from MS could respond well to adipose-derived stem cell treatment, with a substantially improved quality of life.

The US based company, StemGenex, is pioneering new methods for using adipose derived adult stem cells to help in diseases with limited treatment options like MS. StemGenex has been conducting research with physicians over the last 5 years to advance adult stem cell treatment protocols for alleviating MS symptoms. StemGenex's proprietary protocol includes the use of a double activation process, which increases both the viability and the quantity of stem cells that are received in a single application.

To find out more about stem cell treatments contact StemGenex either by phone at 800.609.7795 or email at Contact@StemGenex.com.

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StemGenex™ on Adult Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2012) Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found evidence that a unique type of immune cell contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS). Their discovery helps define the effects of one of the newest drugs under investigation for treating MS -- daclizumab -- and could lead to a new class of drugs for treating MS and other autoimmune disorders.

In these disorders, the immune system turns against the body's own tissues. Ongoing clinical trials have shown that daclizumab appears to help quiet the autoimmune response in MS patients, but its precise effects on the legions of cells that make up the immune system are not fully understood.

The new study, published in Science Translational Medicine, shows that one effect of daclizumab is to thin the ranks of lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells. These cells are known to promote the development of lymph nodes and related tissues during fetal life, but their role during adulthood has been unclear. The new study marks the first time that LTi cells have been implicated in any human autoimmune disorder.

"While further study is required to confirm the role of LTi cells in autoimmunity, our results point to the cells as a promising target for the development of new drugs to treat autoimmune disorders," said Bibiana Bielekova, M.D., an investigator at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Dr. Bielekova and her team found that among MS patients participating in clinical trials of daclizumab, the number of LTi cells was elevated in patients not receiving daclizumab compared to those on the drug. Patients receiving daclizumab also had reduced signs of inflammation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surrounds the brain. And the researchers found that daclizumab appears to steer the body away from producing LTi cells, in favor of another cell type that counteracts autoimmunity.

In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, a material that insulates nerve fibers running throughout the brain and spinal cord. This typically leads to vision loss, and other sensory changes such as numbness and tingling, weakness, and fatigue. The disorder affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States. In about 85 percent of patients, MS starts as a relapsing-remitting form, in which symptoms come and go. Many patients eventually develop secondary progressive MS, in which symptom flare-ups are followed by worsening disability. Many medications are available to decrease the number of flare-ups, but no medication is effective at slowing the course of progressive MS.

The newer, sophisticated drugs for relapsing-remitting MS target key cells and molecules responsible for triggering and maintaining autoimmunity. Cytotoxic T cells, the immune system's specialized mobile infantry, are known to lead the attack. Antibodies, the immune system's guided missiles, appear to help reinforce it.

Daclizumab is a lab-engineered antibody, or monoclonal antibody, that alters signaling by interleukin-2 (IL-2), a key factor that mobilizes T cells. In a large clinical trial (NCT00109161), it has shown promise as an add-on therapy for patients taking the approved MS drug interferon-beta. Another ongoing trial (NCT00390221) is investigating whether or not daclizumab is effective as a stand-alone therapy for reducing relapses in MS.

The drug was designed to suppress T cell responses to IL-2, and it does so -- but Dr. Bielekova had found previously that this suppression is indirect and depends on other immune cells. For example, one effect of daclizumab is to stimulate the non-specialized counterparts of T cells, called natural killer cells. These cells in turn suppress T cell activity.

In their new study, Dr. Bielekova and her team discovered that daclizumab's stimulatory effect on natural killer cells is paired with an inhibitory effect on LTi cells. They found evidence that the drug, via its effects on IL-2 signaling, acts on a type of stem cell. The drug appears to decrease the likelihood that this stem cell will develop into LTi cells, and sway it toward becoming natural killer cells.

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Unique cell type in implicated in multiple sclerosis

SARATOGA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) today announced the achievement of a myelin repair Phase 1 clinical trial for multiple sclerosis earlier than the foundations goal set for 2014. By establishing its Accelerated Research Collaboration (ARC) Model to advance myelin repair treatments forward into clinical trial Phase 1 within a decade, the Myelin Repair Foundation achieved this critical milestone ahead of its goal, validating the efficiency of the ARC model to speed drug development.

This Phase 1 clinical trial conducted at Cleveland Clinic will examine the efficacy of a new myelin repair therapeutic pathway with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), based on MRF supported research conducted by MRF Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Miller, Professor of Neurosciences and Vice President for Research & Technology Management at Case Western Reserve University. To date, half of the 24 patients planned for this initial trial have been enrolled.

Scientists hope that one day their research will reach clinical trials, and Im thrilled to achieve this milestone in my career, said Dr. Robert Miller. Without the support of Myelin Repair Foundation funding a critical component of our research that is the basis of this trial, this achievement would not have been possible. Our partnership with the Myelin Repair Foundation has helped identify new pathways to treat disease that reverses damage, ultimately accomplishing so much more than the suppression of MS symptoms.

Funded by the Myelin Repair Foundation, Dr. Millers team of scientists identified an innovative clinical pathway through mesenchymal stem cell signals that not only protect myelin, which is damaged by the autoimmune reaction in MS, but also facilitates myelin repair. Current MS drugs on the market only focus on the suppression of the immune system to protect myelin from future damage; patients have no treatment options available to repair myelin once damage occurs in MS.

Our goal to support research that would enter Phase 1 trials within a decade was deemed nearly impossible, said Scott Johnson, president and CEO of the Myelin Repair Foundation. To think we achieved this ambitious goal even earlier than we planned illustrates the effectiveness of our innovative research model that accelerates promising scientific discoveries into clinical trials. Even with this success, we refuse to rest on our laurels and will continue to progress myelin research into multiple clinical trials. We remain focused on our singular goal: To speed the development of an effective myelin repair treatment to reach patients with multiple sclerosis.

For more information about the clinical trial and enrollment, please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About the Myelin Repair Foundation

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) (http://www.myelinrepair.org) is a Silicon Valley-based, non-profit research organization focused on accelerating the discovery and development of myelin repair therapeutics for multiple sclerosis. Its Accelerated Research Collaboration (ARC) model is designed to optimize the entire process of medical research, drug development and the delivery of patient treatments.

About Case Western Reserve University

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The Myelin Repair Foundation Achieves Phase 1 Myelin Repair Clinical Trial

A UC Irvine stem cell researcher won a $4.8-million grant to fund research toward a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded immunologist Thomas Lane, of the campus' Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, an Early Transitional Award last week to create a new line of neural stem cells to treat multiple sclerosis, according to a UCI press release.

"I am delighted that [the California Institute] has chosen to support our efforts to advance a novel stem cell-based therapy for multiple sclerosis," Peter Donovan, director of the research center, said in the release.

Lane is collaborating with Jeanne Loring, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, and Claude Bernard, a multiple sclerosis researcher at Monash University in Australia.

The research project "really embodies what [the California Institute] is all about, which is bringing science together to treat horrible diseases like multiple sclerosis," said Lane, who is a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry.

Multiple sclerosis is a central nervous system disease that causes inflammation and a loss of myelin, a fatty tissue that insulates and protects nerve cells.

The three are working on a stem cell treatment that will stop myelin loss while promoting the growth of new myelin to mend damaged nerves.

Loring creates the neural stem cells, said Lane, while he is testing the therapeutic effects the cells have on multiple sclerosis cells in animals.

The stem cells are already having a positive effect and the scientists are trying to understand why. They hope to identify the cells that have the most promise before going to clinical trials.

"I really want to thank the [California Institute] for allowing, and for funding, us," Lane said.

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UCI researcher wins large research grant

A TEAM of fundraisers was expecting to ride rickshaws into London today ending a mammoth challenge in aid of multiple sclerosis research.

Three rickshaws, six bikes and 14 people left the Clifton Suspension Bridge on Friday for the ride to London's Tower Bridge. The Bridge to Bridge Challenge expected to take four days and was due to finish today.

Cyclists gather on the Leigh Woods side of Clifton Suspension Bridge before setting off on their Bridge to Bridge Challenge to raise money for a Multiple Sclerosis research project at Frenchay Hospital Picture: Dan Regan BRDR20120525A001

Money raised will go towards a research project at Frenchay Hospital that is looking at using stem cells to repair the damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).

The challenge was the idea of Kieran Murphy whose partner Maria has MS. She was due to join him in the challenge but has had to go into hospital due to problems with her condition.

MS sufferers have been travelling in the back of the rickshaws for the challenge, including Bristol and Avon Multiple Sclerosis Centre voluntary fundraising manager Shaun McCarthy.

Speaking last night from Slough, Mr McCarthy said: "We are very tired and people have put a lot of effort in but it's going really well."

To sponsor the team visit http://www.justgiving.com/bramsrickshaw or text BRAM50 + DONATION to 70070.

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The Post published No bridge too far for these charity riders

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Lab assistant Dave Ferguson holds up stem cell cultures in a lab at the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at the University of California, Irvine.

California has granted a University of California, Irvine researcher nearly $5 million for stem cell research into multiple sclerosis.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine issued the grant for the development of a new line of neural stem cells to treat multiple sclerosis, or MS, as its also known.

The disease causes inflammation and loss of fatty tissue that insulates and protects cells in the bodys central nervous system. Researchers at UC Irvine will use the $4.8 million grant to target stem cell treatments designed to both stop the loss of fatty tissue that causes the diseases progression and to encourage new growth of the tissue in order to heal damaged nerves.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reports that 400,000 people in the United States suffer from MS, with about 200 new cases diagnosed every week.

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UC Irvine stem cell research to receive $4.8 million in state funding

Public release date: 24-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Tom Vasich tmvasich@uci.edu 949-824-6455 University of California - Irvine

Irvine, Calif., May 24, 2012 A UC Irvine immunologist will receive $4.8 million to create a new line of neural stem cells that can be used to treat multiple sclerosis.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded the grant Thursday, May 24, to Thomas Lane of the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at UCI to support early-stage translational research.

CIRM's governing board gave 21 such grants worth $69 million to 11 institutions statewide. The funded projects are considered critical to the institute's mission of translating basic stem cell discoveries into clinical cures. They are expected to either result in candidate drugs or cell therapies or make significant strides toward such treatments, which can then be developed for submission to the Food & Drug Administration for clinical trial.

Lane's grant brings total CIRM funding for UCI to $76.65 million.

"I am delighted that CIRM has chosen to support our efforts to advance a novel stem cell-based therapy for multiple sclerosis," said Peter Donovan, director of the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.

MS is a disease of the central nervous system caused by inflammation and loss of myelin, a fatty tissue that insulates and protects nerve cells. Current treatments are often unable to stop the progression of neurologic disability most likely due to irreversible nerve destruction resulting from myelin deficiencies. The limited ability of the body to repair damaged nerve tissue highlights a critically important and unmet need for MS patients.

In addressing this issue, Lane who also directs UCI's Multiple Sclerosis Research Center will target a stem cell treatment that will not only halt ongoing myelin loss but also encourage the growth of new myelin that can mend damaged nerves.

"Our preliminary data are very promising and suggest that this goal is possible," said Lane, a Chancellor's Fellow and professor of molecular biology & biochemistry. "Research efforts will concentrate on refining techniques for production and rigorous quality control of transplantable cells generated from high-quality human pluripotent stem cell lines, leading to the development of the most therapeutically beneficial cell type for eventual use in patients with MS."

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UCI stem cell researcher to receive $4.8 million in state funding

Public release date: 20-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jessica Studeny jessica.studeny@case.edu 216-368-4692 Case Western Reserve University

A substance in human mesenchymal stem cells that promotes growth appears to spur restoration of nerves and their function in rodent models of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have found.

Their study is embargoed until published in the online version of Nature Neuroscience at 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, May 20.

In animals injected with hepatocyte growth factor, inflammation declined and neural cells grew. Perhaps most important, the myelin sheath, which protects nerves and their ability to gather and send information, regrew, covering lesions caused by the disease.

"The importance of this work is we think we've identified the driver of the recovery," said Robert H. Miller, professor of neurosciences at the School of Medicine and vice president for research at Case Western Reserve University.

Miller, neurosciences instructor Lianhua Bai and biology professor Arnold I. Caplan, designed the study. They worked with Project Manager Anne DeChant, and research assistants Jordan Hecker, Janet Kranso and Anita Zaremba, from the School of Medicine; and Donald P. Lennon, a research assistant from the university's Skeletal Research Center.

In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, risking injury to exposed nerves' intricate wiring. When damaged, nerve signals can be interrupted, causing loss of balance and coordination, cognitive ability and other functions. Over time, intermittent losses may become permanent.

Miller and Caplan reported in 2009 that when they injected human mesenchymal stem cells into rodent models of MS, the animals recovered from the damage wrought by the disease. Based on their work, a clinical trial is underway in which MS patients are injected with their own stem cells.

In this study, the researchers first wanted to test whether the presence of stem cells or something cells produce promotes recovery. They injected mice with the medium in which mesenchymal stem cells, culled from bone marrow, grew.

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Growth factor in stem cells may spur recovery from MS

SARATOGA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) today announced the results of a new peer-reviewed research study published in Nature Neuroscience that demonstrates functional improvement in immune response modulation and myelin repair with factors derived from mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment in animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Funded by the Myelin Repair Foundation, this research conducted by Case Western Reserve University scientists showed positive results with human mesenchymal stem cells in animal models of MS by not only successfully blocking the autoimmune MS response, but also repairing myelin, demonstrating an innovative potential myelin repair treatment for MS.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the immune system that attacks the myelin, causing exposed nerves or lesions which block brain signals, causing loss of motor skills, coordination and cognitive ability. Compared to the controls, this research study showed fewer and smaller lesions found on the nerves in the MSC treatment group. MSCs were found to block the formation of scar tissue by suppressing the autoimmune response, which would otherwise cause permanent damage to the nerves. Furthermore, the research showed that MSC treatment also repaired myelin, enhancing myelin regeneration of the damaged axon and the rewrapping of the myelin around the axon in animal models of MS. One treatment of MSCs provided long-term protection of the recurring disease.

Led by Myelin Repair Foundation Principal Investigator and Vice President for Research & Technology Management at Case Western Reserve Universitys Dr. Robert Miller, this study documents a new promising pathway for treating multiple sclerosis that blocks the autoimmune response and reverses the myelin damage in animal models of MS. The human MSCs used in this study were culled from adult stem cells derived from the bone marrow.

We are thrilled with the publication of this important research study that examines a new pathway to treat multiple sclerosis, one that reverses the damage of the disease, said Dr. Robert Miller. Since we were just beginning to understand how MSCs provide myelin repair for lesions, with the Myelin Repair Foundations support, we continue to deepen our knowledge of exploring the next generation of MS treatments that stimulate healing, rather than symptom suppression of the disease.

We pride ourselves on supporting best-in-class scientists devoted to find new ways to treat multiple sclerosis, advancing highly innovative research projects that otherwise would not have moved forward, said Scott Johnson, president of the Myelin Repair Foundation. The success of Case Western Reserve Universitys study and recognition in this prestigious journal furthers our goal to identify new pathways to treat multiple sclerosis by supporting a multi-disciplinary team of the best researchers in the field.

About the Myelin Repair Foundation

The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) (http://www.myelinrepair.org) is a Silicon Valley-based, non-profit research organization focused on accelerating the discovery and development of myelin repair therapeutics for multiple sclerosis. Its Accelerated Research Collaboration (ARC) model is designed to optimize the entire process of medical research, drug development and the delivery of patient treatments.

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Nature Neuroscience Study Shows Unique Scientific Support for Potential New Myelin Repair Treatment for Multiple ...

Sbastien Benoit, TV and Radio Host, provincial spokesperson, and Louis Adam, Executive Director, of the MS Society

MONTREAL, April 29, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - On Sunday, Walkers of all ages turned out for the 18th MS Walk for the benefit of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. Through their efforts, over $1,029,000 was raised.

The Walk was held in 16 regions of Quebec: Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Blainville, Drummondville, East of Montreal, Gatineau, Granby, Laval, Lvis, Montreal, Mont-Tremblant, Repentigny, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jrme, Sainte-Catherine, Sept-les and Trois-Rivires. These are preliminary results as we will hold seven other Walks in June and September. Please visit mswalks.ca for further information.

Television and radio host Sbastien Benoit, provincial spokesperson of the MS Walk, joined the event in Montreal for a sixth consecutive year.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada would like to thank all the Walkers, volunteers and organizers who made this event a huge success!

Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada and near 20,000 people have MS in Quebec. It affects three times more women than men. Every step matters. Together we can end MS.

End MS

For more information on how to help persons with MS and contribute to the progress of research on the disease, visit http://www.scleroseenplaques.ca/qc or call 514-849-7591 or toll-free in Quebec at 1-800-268-7582.

Image with caption: "Sbastien Benoit, TV and Radio Host, provincial spokesperson, and Louis Adam, Executive Director, of the MS Society - Quebec Division (CNW Group/Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada )". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120429_C2233_PHOTO_EN_12852.jpg

Source: Marie-Eve Ouellet Communications Coordinator Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Quebec Division 514-849-7591 ext. 245 1-800-268-7582 (toll-free in Quebec) ormarie-eve.ouellet@scleroseenplaques.ca.

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We've walked for people living with Multiple Sclerosis!

Public release date: 13-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Sampson ajpmedia@elsevier.com 215-239-3171 Elsevier Health Sciences

Philadelphia, PA, March 13, 2012 A new study suggests that administering FTY720, an oral drug that has shown promise in trials for human multiple sclerosis, significantly improves locomotor recovery in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI). The research suggests a possible new avenue to counteract the degeneration of the spinal cord in human SCI. The study will be published in the April 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Beyond the initial tissue damage, much of the degradation of the spinal cord in SCI is due to a cascade of secondary injuries, including neuronal and glial apoptosis, inflammation, glial scar formation, local edema and ischemia, and oxidative stress. The aim of current SCI treatment is to counteract the mechanisms of secondary injury and prevent their pathological consequences, because central nervous system (CNS) neurons have very limited capacity to self-repair and regenerate.

Researchers from the Jichi Medical University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Tokyo had previously shown that the concentration of the lysophospholipid mediator, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), was significantly increased in the location of a contusion injury, triggering the migration of neural progenitor/stem cells to the site of the injury. They hypothesized that targeting S1P receptors may become a candidate therapy for various refractory central nervous system disorders, including SCI.

FTY720 acts as a broad S1P receptor modulator. Its efficacy in central nervous system disorders is believed to derive from immunomodulation. Researchers found that orally administering FTY720 to mice shortly after contusion SCI significantly improved motor function recovery. Importantly, they found that the therapeutic effects of FTY720 were not solely dependent on immune modulation. The administration of FTY720 induced lymphopenia, clearing lymphocytes from the blood, and reduced T-cell infiltration in the spinal cord. But it did not affect the early infiltration of neutrophils and activation of microglia, and it did not reduce plasma levels and mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord. Tests in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice) with SCI found that FTY720 significantly improved recovery of hind limb motor function.

"These data clearly indicate the importance of immune-independent functions of FTY720 in the amelioration of functional deficits after SCI in mice," explains lead investigator Yoichi Sakata, MD, PhD, Research Division of Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine.

Dr. Sakata notes that S1P receptors exist in many types of cells and play a role in many cellular processes. "We observed that FTY720 decreased vascular permeability and astrocyte accumulation in injured spinal cord. These changes were also noted in SCID mice, suggesting they are not dependent on lymphocyte function. Increased vascular permeability can lead to destruction of the blood-brain barrier in spinal cord, and astrocyte accumulation is the main cellular component of glial scar after CNS injury. FTY720 might counteract these secondary injuries and thereby prevent their pathological consequences."

"Our data suggest that targeting S1P receptors with FTY720 is an attractive therapeutic approach for SCI," Dr. Sakata concludes. "However, further evaluation utilizing larger animals such as non-human primates will be necessary to confirm its efficacy in treating SCI. Further, strategies targeted at modulating the SIP concentration in injured CNS may lead to new therapeutic approaches towards repairing various CNS disorders."

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Research suggests new therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury

NEW YORK & PETACH TIKVAH, ISRAEL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (OTCBB: BCLI.OB - News), a developer of adult stem cell technologies and CNS therapeutics, announces plans to initiate a preclinical study assessing the efficacy of its NurOwn stem cell technology in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Positive proof-of-concept results for MS have been confirmed in a set of in-vitro and in-vivo experiments, and the Company is working to advance MS into preclinical development in Q2 2012.

Based on initial promising pre-clinical data published by the Company's Chief Scientist, Prof. Daniel Offen of Tel Aviv University, BrainStorm has decided to explore MS as an additional indication for its NurOwn technology. The Company will draw plans to initiate pre-clinical safety trials, after which it will seek a leading medical center specializing in MS for clinical trials.

We have been focused on growing our pipeline of indications using our NurOwn stem-cell technology, commented Dr. Adrian Harel, Acting CEO of BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics. As we continue our ongoing trials to evaluate the safety, tolerability and therapeutic effects of NurOwn in ALS patients, we have determined through positive preliminary animal data that MS will be the next indication to pursue using our technology.

About NurOwn BrainStorms core technology, NurOwn, is based on the scientific achievements of Professor Eldad Melamed, former Head of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, and Tel-Aviv University, and Professor Daniel Offen, Head of the Neuroscience Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center at the Tel-Aviv University.

The NurOwn technology processes adult human mesenchymal stem cells that are present in bone marrow and are capable of self-renewal as well as differentiation into many cell types. The research team is among the first to have successfully achieved the in-vitro differentiation of adult bone marrow cells (animal and human) into cells capable of releasing neurotrophic factors, such as glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), by means of a specific differentiation-inducing culture medium.

About Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS). Autoimmune means that the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissue, in this case, the tissues of the CNS. With MS, autoimmune damage to neurons disrupts the bodys ability to send and receive signals, thus causing MS-related symptoms. Symptoms may vary due to the location and extent of the damage. Worldwide, MS may affect more than 2 million individuals, including approximately 400,000 people in the United States.

About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the development of adult stem cell therapeutic products derived from autologous bone marrow cells and intended for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The Company holds the rights to develop and commercialize its NurOwn technology through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Ramot, the technology transfer company of Tel-Aviv University. For more information, visit the companys website at http://www.brainstorm-cell.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute "forward-looking statements" and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.'s actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include risks associated with BrainStorm's limited operating history, history of losses; minimal working capital, dependence on its license to Ramot's technology; ability to adequately protect the technology; dependence on key executives and on its scientific consultants; ability to obtain required regulatory approvals; and other factors detailed in BrainStorm's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements made by us.

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BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Expands Pipeline with the Initiation of a Study for Multiple Sclerosis

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/75ef8d/thought_leader_ins) has announced the addition of the "Thought Leader Insight & Analysis Report - Multiple Sclerosis Q3 2011" report to their offering.

Multiple Sclerosis Thought Leader Panel #14 highlights a series of interviews conducted with experts in September, 2011. For this Panel Medpredict asked their Thought Leaders to engage in a thought exercise with them. The purpose was to designate their fantasy formulary, comprised of the top seven therapeutics, currently in the development pipeline, that they want to see available for use in the prevention/treatment of multiple sclerosis. They allowed Panelists to choose the class of drug, a specific drug (if they had a preference), the unmet needs to be addressed and the benefits that they expected their choices to deliver. The panel's responses are just as enlightening regarding what they would NOT put on their fantasy formularies.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary Fantasy Formulary - Ground Rules And Scoring Multiple Sclerosis Fantasy Formulary Results (2011) Multiple Sclerosis Fantasy Formulary Results (2010) Data Tables Discussion - Preferred Product Classes Oral Immunomodulators B-Cell Inhibitors Neuroregeneration S1P Receptor Agonists Anti-Cd-25 (Anti-Il-2) Vla-4 Long-Term Immunosuppressants Discussion - Other Product Mentions Neuropathic Pain Ga Next Generation Ctla4 Microglial Activation Inhibition Stem Cells Bone Marrow Transplant Complement Activation Interferon Vaccines / Immune Tolerance Discussion - What Didn'T Make The List Thought Leader Discussions

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/75ef8d/thought_leader_ins

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Research and Markets: Thought Leader Insight & Analysis Report - Multiple Sclerosis Q3 2011

03-02-2012 15:53 When Barry Goudy found out he had multiple sclerosis he feared the worst. Doctors told him he might lose his eye sight and the ability to walk. As a very active husband, father and hockey coach, Barry couldn't think of anything worse than losing his ability to get around. But then he learned of a new way to treat MS with a stem cell transplant. The transplant worked and today he's living proof of the miracles that can come from Adult Stem Cell Research.

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Adult Stem Cell Sucess Stories - Barry Goudy - Video

27-01-2012 11:54 Dave Bexfield went through an experimental NIH-sponsored clinical trial (HALT-MS) for his aggressive multiple sclerosis: a bone marrow stem cell transplant designed to stop disease progression. This video (Part 2) was done 17 months post transplant. Bexfield also runs http://www.ActiveMSers.org, a nonprofit website designed to help, motivate, and inspire those with multiple sclerosis to stay as active as possible—physically, intellectually, and socially—regardless of physical limitations. This film has been entered into the 2012 Neuro Film Festival from the American Academy of Neurology Foundation at http://www.neurofilmfestival.com. Let's put our brains together to support brain research. Visit http://www.neurofilmfestival.com.

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Hope Renewed for MS Research - Video

21-10-2011 09:48 Dr Antonio Uccelli of the University of Genoa, Italy, speaks to MSIF about Stem Cell research in 2011

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Dr Antonio Uccelli: stem cell research - Video

15-01-2012 17:08 Dr Elizabeth McDonald presents the latest research worldwide that may benefit people with MS (eg new treatments, stem cell therapies, genetics, etc.) and how Australian research is contributing to this.

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Latest research worldwide that may benefit people with MS presented by Dr Elizabeth McDonald - Video

Stem Cell Research in MS

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Stem Cell Research in MS - Video

MS, Stem Cells, Genetics and New Research Developments presented by Dr. Helmut Butzkueven.

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MS, Stem Cells, Genetics and New Research Developments

Ground-breaking research at Case Western Reserve University has led to a new clinical trial of an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis. A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center have come together to test the feasibility and safety of using the body's own stem cells to treat MS.

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New Study Tests Possible Treatment for MS