Multiple sclerosis

Treatment.

An autovaccination-based technology is aimed to stimulate patient’s immune reactions directed selectively against the pathogenic, self-reactive Т lymphocytes responsible for developing multiple sclerosis (patent RF 2277422). Since autovaccinotherapy triggers the mechanism of the immune memory, its influence on the patient’s immune system is time-continuous and of long duration.

The preparation of a T-cell vaccine takes 10-to-14 days. The inductive course of the treatment consists of 4 weekly subcutaneous immunizations. For consolidating a vaccine effect, immunizations are further fulfilled monthly. The treatment is conducted on an outpatient basis.

Infectious safety.

A T-cell vaccine is prepared from patient’s lymphocytes under conditions excluding its contamination with pathogenic infectious agents. Side effects. No complications are described.

Side effects

No complications are described.

Clinical effect.

The immune-mediated inactivation of self-reactive T lymphocytes is capable of inhibiting disease development. Noticeable neurological improvements may be due to intensifying remyelinization of nerve fibres.

AUTOVACCINATION FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

AUTOVACCINATION FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis is a disease due to an autoimmune process destructing brain tissues. A causal role for this process belongs to the proinflammatory T lymphocytes that are reactive to brain-associated antigens. The standard treatment of multiple sclerosis patients is based on applying medicines (hormones, interferons and others) with nonspecific (nonselective) immunosuppressive action. Such treatment fails to interrupt entirely the immunopatological events underlying the disease and is frequently associated with serious complications.

The autovaccination-based technology developed in our Centre exploits natural immunoregulatory mechanisms and is aimed to stimulate patient’s immune reactions directed selectively against the pathogenic, self-reactive Т lymphocytes responsible for disease development.

The technology consists of two successive stages:

  1. The preparation of self-reactive Т cells by culturing patient’s blood lymphocytes in the presence of brain-associated antigens.

  2. Vaccinotherapy of the patient with the prepared T lymphocytes.

The immune-mediated, selective inactivation of self-reactive T lymphocytes may results in inhibiting disease development. Since autovaccinotherapy triggers the nature-based mechanism of the immune memory, its influence on the patient’s immune system may be time-continuous and of long duration.

A total of 28 autovaccine-treated patients was followed-up as long as 2 years or longer. The results are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Outcomes of autovaccination-based therapy .

Multiple sclerosis A number of vaccine-treated patients No disease progression Disease progression
Remittent 3 3 (100%) 0 (0%)
Progressive-remitting 4 3 (75%) 1 (25%)
Primary progressive chronic 4 3 (75%) 1 (25%)
Secondary progressive chronic 17 10 (59%) 7 (41%)

Throughout the follow-up time none of 3 vaccined patients with remittent multiple sclerosis exhibited no disease exacerbations. A noticeable neurological improvement was noted in 1 patient. Both the lack of disease exacerbations and clinical stabilization were observed in 2 of 4 patients with progressive-remitting multiple sclerosis. Appreciable neurological improvements were noted in 1 case. One patient from this subgroup demonstrated change for the worse in the form of growing general asthenia. Clinical stabilization was noted 3 out of 4 vaccinated patients with primary progressive chronic disease. Worsening of the disease and increase in EDSS were registered in 1 patient from this subgroup. In the subgroup of the patients with secondary progressive chronic disease 10 out of 17 persons exhibited stabilization or improvement (1 case) in their neurological parameters. Disease progression was noted in 7 patients from this subgroup. Autovaccinotherapy is safe and well tolerated; no complications have been noted so far. Thus results suggest that T-cell vaccination may be safe and effective treatment for multiple sclerosis.

For more information see the publications.

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