New Trial Shows Potential Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Breakthrough

Just under one million people in the United States live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease that impacts the central nervous system. The progression and symptoms of MS are unique and unpredictable, varying drastically between patients and changing in severity and intensity over a lifetime.

Unfortunately, many see an MS diagnosis as a life sentence – MS has long been considered an untreatable condition that requires the ongoing management of symptoms. However, new innovations in the medical sphere offer promising breakthrough treatments with therapies that utilize the advancement of stem cell research.

As I ready myself and my team to open our brand-new Stem Cell Clinic, news of recent trial results has provided a boost in momentum.

BREAKING: Stem cell therapy shown effective against MS in a study by Hadassah Medical Center

The Hadassah Medical Center – located in Jerusalem, Israel – and NeuroGenesis  – a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company working to innovate cell therapies to fight myelin-related neurodegenerative conditions – announced ground-breaking results from a phase two trial investigating treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis. Directed by Professor Dimitrios Karussis, the study investigated the impact of an autologous cell therapy called NG-01.

Commenting on the trial’s results, Prof. Karussis said, “The patients’ improvement was in many cases quite remarkable and included regain of motor function and noticeable effects on their cognitive abilities.”

Let’s take a closer look at the phase two trial and its results.

Phase two trial of NG-01

The phase two trial was randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind and aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of NG-01 in patients with progressive MS. Forty-eight participants were enlisted and separated into three groups:

• Those to receive NG-01 intrathecally (via an injection into the spinal canal)
• Those to receive NG-01 intravenously (via an injection into a vein)
• Those to receive a placebo injection

The goal of the 14-month trial was to determine the following:

• The safety level of both the intrathecal and intravenous NG-01 treatments
• How the treatment effected the participants’ Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), a scoring system that quantifies the impairment caused by MS
• The occurrence of treatment failure, meaning whether or not the disease progressed, throughout the study in each of the three groups

Results

Crucially, participants in both the intrathecal and intravenous groups experienced no serious treatment-related safety issues. Stem cell therapies represent the future of medicine, and their potential and associated risks are still not fully understood, so this finding is key.

The results, as published in Brain, a peer-reviewed journal of neurology out of Oxford University, can be summarized as follows:

• Far fewer patients experienced treatment failure in the two groups receiving NG-01 than those in the placebo group. Just 6.7 percent of the 48 participants had disease progression in the intrathecal group, 9.7 percent in the intravenous group, and a huge 41.9 percent in the placebo group.
• Intrathecal treatment proved most effective. A staggering 58 percent of the treated patients showed no evidence of disease activity during the study period, compared to just 9.7 percent in the placebo group. Intrathecal treatment also led to an 89 percent decrease in relapse rate, functional MRI improvements (meaning patients were able to walk with greater ease), and improvements in the peg-hole test, which assesses upper extremity dexterity.
• While intrathecally treated participants experienced greater benefits, both groups administered with NG-01 demonstrated a notable improvement in walking ability.

In short, this study shows the sheer potential of stem cells harvested from bone marrow. Within the context of treating progressive multiple sclerosis, NG-01 has proven to be both safe and efficacious, warranting further research and a push for FDA approval. The company is now filing for a phase three trial to take place here in the United States.

 

The future of MS treatment is closer than we think

Recent advancements in the medical space are truly remarkable, and I have no doubt that these breakthrough findings will soon become commonplace treatments accessible to everyday Americans. But there is work to be done.

When treatments like NG-01 gain FDA-approval for use in the general population, we cannot have just four or five clinics in the country offering them. We need to make accessibility a priority – I, for one, will be reaching out to the team behind NG-01 to express my interest in becoming a site that offers their treatment.

My new Stem Cell Clinic will be a leading example of a community-minded, privately-owned neurology clinic committed to integrity and cutting-edge technology. It’s not about keeping treatment information to ourselves. It’s about sharing the information we have with other neurology clinics across the country that want to implement our technology in their own space. I believe that community clinics can take on higher-end treatments like stem cell therapies, and I’m ready to lead by example.

 

Explore my advanced protocol for Multiple Sclerosis

Even while stem cell therapy is not broadly available to the general public, this and other options are available at Sharlin Health and Neurology. In the spirit of our motto, “your health, your choices, our solutions,” I am passionate about providing cutting edge options for those living with MS. My Brain Tune Up! program equips you with the tools you need to reclaim your vitality, improve the quality of your life, and set yourself on a trajectory toward long-term health and wellness.

Results vary from patient to patient, but I am extremely pleased to report that the majority of my previous Brain Tune Up! participants with MS have experienced the following benefits:

• Enhanced vision
• Minimized tingles and numbness
• Reduced pain
• Fewer muscle spasms
• Improved balance
• Better memory
• More energy
• And more

If you’d like to find out more about functional medicine, stem cells, and my Brain Tune Up! program, please get in contact with our friendly team. Your journey begins with a complimentary consultation with our program coordinator, Callie Maggard. From there, you can explore our comprehensive and holistic approach to treatment.

We see you as an individual, and we provide support and treatment accordingly. If that sounds like something you or a family member would benefit from, schedule your 30-minute consultation today.