Advancing Stem Cell Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis

UKSCF partners with MS Society-UK to financially support clinical development.

Susan Aldridge, Ph.D.

The UK Stem Cell Foundation (UKSCF) and theMultiple Sclerosis Society joined forces to accelerate the transfer of stem cell science into the clinic to help patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Up to £1 million of seed funding is to be made available to applicants starting in September. The hope is to get Phase I/II trials of stem cells in MS under way over the next year or so, with initial results expected in 2012.

This is the first disease-specific collaboration for UKSCF, whose mission is to fund the gap between promising stem cell research and clinical trials. It was announced at a special meeting of the London Regenerative Medicine Network (LRMN) on January 14. “MS and advanced stem cell-based therapies—an ABC guide” was the first of a series of new disease-themed meetings to be hosted by LRMN.