The results of a clinical trial conducted in the United States suggest the possibility of a new treatment for treat multiple sclerosis. This therapy would reprogram the immune system of patients so that the body stops destroying the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves of the brain and spinal cord. Without this protection, the electrical conduction of the nervous system slows down. The daily life of the patient is therefore difficult, knowing that the symptoms can lead to paralysis or blindness.
The study in question, published by the American journal Science Translational Medicine, focuses on a phase 1 trial conducted in Germany on nine patients. Researchers were able to introduce myelin antigens into the bodies of study participants to “trick” their bodies into recognizing these molecules as harmless. The end goal is to make the immune system develop a tolerance, because current therapies, which deactivate it, make patients more fragile and helpless in the face of infections.
Despite the positive results of the study, the number of patients in this trial is very low, which does not allow for definitive answers, but a phase 2 clinical trial could be set up.
