Now a company called Medistem is using this technology as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (according to a press release). A study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine presents three patients with multiple sclerosis who received this treatment. Essentially, the stem cells are harvested through liposuction and the risks seem to be much lower than other available stem cell treatments. As it turns out, fat cells have many of the same properties as cells harvested from bone marrow and actually have more mesenchymal stem cells (in other words, the little guys that turn into what is needed). In the case of MS, ideally the stem cells would work to regulate our immune systems, as well as repair some of the damage that has occurred.
The participants were all men diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS and were followed for up to 6 months. Each of the three showed pretty amazing physical improvement, which included:
- improvement in cognition
- almost complete reduction in spasticity
- improved energy level
- decrease in pain
It looked like MRIs were unchanged, with the same number of lesions as before. I'm taking it that, given the severity of the MS and the speed of progression in these men, an MRI that doesn't show dramatic worsening is an improvement. This is not addressed in detail, however.
Right now, the company is in the process of filing the paperwork to move forward in investigating this potential treatment. You can read the full-text of the study here: Non-expanded adipose stromal vascular fraction cell therapy for multiple sclerosis
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Just another case where we’ll have to go to China or Costa Rica for at least 10 more years before the therapy will be available in the USA/Canada/Europe.
It frustrates me hearing this stuff because of that. It seems the system here is trying to prevent useful therapies from getting to the patients.
Estriol, LDN, Vitamin D, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence out there or even evidence from trials of 20 or so people that show that they’re much more efficient than the current drugs, one of which (Copaxone) doesn’t have any proven effect on disability progression.
Chances are that in 10 years, when many of these medications will be legal, many of the forum users here will have substantially increased disability, just because there are no funding sources for inexpensive therapies, and because of the weird dogma that it needs a scientific trial to show that a drug works.
Boy Rita, you sure hit the nail on the head! And you said it so well! It is getting increasingly difficult for me to have a lucid conversation! Thanks for the reality check!
Well, I have nothing against scientific rigor, however it is clear that the current situation of all major trials being funded by major drug companies is not acceptable, and also the fact that researchers don’t have much to be proud of. The drugs out there either have no efficacy in the most important criterion (disability) or very little efficacy (in the case of interferons) at the cost of major side effects.
All currently investigated therapies have as goal blasting the immune system, but experience with LDN shows that this is not the right venue, otherwise LDN would make things worse for all the people using it, which is clearly not the case.
Anyway, to not veer too much of the content of this article, I have a question that maybe Julie can answer. Does this stem cell therapy involve chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide like the other ones currently investigated (e.g. the one at Nothwestern)? I’ve heard some of the Chinese/Costa Rican stem cell therapies don’t involve chemotherapy. Obviously the most important question is whether chemo can be avoided (i.e. killing the old immune system before re-constituting it with the stem cells), since it has known and unknown side effects.
Sign me up! Where do you want it from first? Stomach, upper back? Oh, I know! Take my extra chin please.
Seriously, I am so cynical about treatments for any disease, there’s simply too much money to be made from treatments (I have diabetes T2 AND MS).
Please…can anyone tell me how to get my hands on Estriol? Like the one used in the CA trials (Trimesta) that had such fantastic results? I am determined to get it but as of now can’t figure out how. I’m in the US.
Thanks for any suggestions!!
“Please…can anyone tell me how to get my hands on Estriol?”
Talk to your gyn…I believe the base hormone “estradiol” is available as a hormone replacement patch. But there are many complex complications to consider; your physician will explain.
Yes, Rita, you said it – and so well.
It was inhumane to make living, breathing, conscious, thinking, feeling beings live through a whole decade of senseless anti-stem cell arguments (like we don’t have an infinite supply of “potential” life [eggs/sperm], and can’t adequately feed, clothe, educate and love half the ones already alive) and now to see how fast the science is moving, but know it’s still not fast enough, is so frustrating.
I’d feel better if I had more faith in the FDA, but, nearest I can tell, the entire pharmacenticsl industry is corrupt.
The really sad part how MS robs us of our srength and vitality. I’d love to pour all my energy into railing against the injustice of it all, but I need all my strength just to get through the day, lol.