Researchers in the United Kingdom recently published the results of a long-term trial that tested a stem cell treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  They found that a transplant of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (AHSCT) can halt the disease’s progression in many patients.

The research project has been running since 1995 and involved hundreds of MS sufferers.  The treatment halted the progression of MS in almost half of the patients involved in the trial.

The study was led by Dr. Paolo Muraro, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom.  The results of the study were recently published in the journal JAMA Neurology.

Stem cell researchers are very excited about the positive results of this study, but suggest more clinical trials are required to determine the treatment’s efficacy and safety.

This stem cell treatment begins by harvesting some of the patient’s stem cells from their blood.  The patient then receives a high dose chemotherapy treatment to kill any diseased cells.

The patient then receives a transplant consisting of their own stem cells.  The cells re-establish the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells, which also “reboots” the immune system.  Once the immune system is rebooted, it stops attacking the protective coating surrounding nerves — the cause of MS.

Dr. Muraro explains how the researchers were excited to see the positive results of the research, saying: “We previously knew this treatment reboots or resets the immune system – and that it carried risks – but we didn’t know how long the benefits lasted.”

The trial involved almost 300 patients from 13 countries.  In total, 46 percent of the patients saw the progression of their MS symptoms stop.   This positive results of this stem cell treatment are very encouraging for MS sufferers. 

Source: Multiple sclerosis: Stem cell transplantation may halt disease progression

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