May 31, 2024
Prof. Dimitrios Karussis, head of the Hadassah Medical Organization’s Multiple Sclerosis Center, is embarking on the next phase of clinical trials to harness the power of stem cells to stop multiple sclerosis (MS) in its tracks, reports Rare Disease Advisor, an online news resource.
In 2020, Prof. Karussis announced the results of a double-blind phase 2 study of 48 patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), observing “pronounced beneficial effect” among patients receiving stem cells. The novel concept of injecting the stem cells directly into the spinal fluid is aimed at getting the cells to circulate to the various damaged areas of the central nervous system.
Phase 2b will now involve a total of 80 patients with SPMS.
“Regeneration of the central nervous system is the holy grail; it has never been achieved,” Prof. Karussis told Rare Disease Advisor. “If we manage to get similar effects as with the previous trial, it will not only be a game-changer for MS, but will open the window to a new era of regenerative medicine for other diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson.”