Goat Serum Extract Stops Progressive MS

ORLANDO — A controversial product derived from goat blood appeared to benefit patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in an open-label study, researchers said here.

Among 140 British patients receiving up to 3 years of treatment with the proprietary extract, called AIMSPRO, in clinical practice, 100 showed improvement in at least two separate areas of MS-related symptomatology, according to Christopher E.G. Moore, MSc, MBBS, of Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, England.

Although Moore and colleagues did not calculate Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) values for patients in the study, the clinician-estimated improvements in two or more symptom areas ought to translate to decreases of at least 0.5 points in EDSS scores, they argued.

The study results were presented at the joint meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

AIMSPRO includes a cocktail of immunoglobulins targeting human proteins, including proinflammatory human leukocyte antigens, according to the product’s developer, Daval International Ltd. of Eastbourne, England. It also upregulates anti-inflammatory cytokine, the firm said. The drug is administered by subcutaneous injection in doses of 4.5 mg at individually determined intervals, most often twice weekly.

It was originally developed as a potential anti-HIV therapy, but Daval later shifted emphasis to other conditions including MS as well as systemic sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Although AIMSPRO has never been approved anywhere for marketing, the firm is allowed to sell the drug in Great Britain under the country’s compassionate-use regulations.

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