Health
Multiple sclerosis vaccine trial under way
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 3, 2007
A new DNA vaccine is apparently safe and may produce beneficial changes in the brains and immune systems of individuals with multiple sclerosis, according to an article posted online Aug. 13 and scheduled to appear in the October print issue of Archives of Neurology.
The new vaccine, thought to be the first to treat autoimmune disease in humans, was tested for safety and tolerability in 30 patients with relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive MS. The study was randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled.
The researchers found that the vaccine was safe and induced antigen-specific immune tolerance with reduction of inflammatory lesions as measured in screening MRIs of participants' brains.
Phase II trials are now under way.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/03/hlbf0903.htm.