Stem Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

The Situation at Hand. Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cells

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that releases various cytokines such as tumour necrosis factors and interferon-gamma that can lead to the damage of myelin and axons in the central nervous system. The treatment of multiple sclerosis just as the other central nervous disorders is symptomatic; for this reason, medical researchers are constantly seeking a way of replacing them using stem cell therapy.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the ability to maintain the proliferation and production of precursor cells in response to specified stimuli. They are thus able to differentiate into similar types of cells present in the body. Stem cell therapy is one of the most promising treatment measures for highly progressive forms of MS and has given medical practitioners the potential for resetting a patient’s immune system. Several medications used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis exhibit varied safety levels and efficacy in preventing new disease activity and preventing the recurrence of the infection. This paves way for more ardent research to help determine the concentration or level of doses to administer after stem cell transplantation that can effectively stabilize an MS patient.

How Stem Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis Works

Stem cells are primary cells that readily transform into a variety of cells and tissues; it is for this capability that they have gained upper hand attention in the medical research as they can be converted into other specialized cells. StemFinityCord uses mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

It is for this course that we have established that these stem cells have immune-regulatory properties that may hinder the immune system from attacking the myelin sheath of the central nervous system.

The other potential mode of action in the treatment of MS using stem cell therapy is the potential regenerative effects of the myelin sheath of affected neurons. Neural inflammations are some of the side effects of multiple sclerosis, extracellular vesicles treatment after an injury is associated with greater densities of ramified, homeostatic microglia along with reduced inflammatory microglial markers. Extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal cells thus work by reducing neuroinflammation and realign the restorative functions of microglia.

Efficacy of MS Stem Cell Treatment

1. Preventing damage. Mesenchymal stem cells are effective in preventing the immune system from attacking the nerve cells or reducing the amount of damage caused.
2. Repairing damage. Stem cells upon administration differentiate to become different cells. This makes them able to repair the damaged myelin sheath or nerve remyelination which allows them to correctly function again. This also prevents the degeneration of the nerves and to a more potent effect, stem cells may be used to regrow lost nerves.
3. Developing new medicines. StemFinityCord, in cooperation with other medical researchers, seeks a prospective use of stem cells in growing nerve cells in the lab. These cells are useful in understanding the mode of action of different stem cells and the potential of generating newer medications for neural disorders.

Based on data from our clinical trials, an MS patient is more likely to respond positively to treatment upon meeting these criteria:

• Patients with relapsing or progressive MS with evidence of continuing inflammatory disease
• Patients continuing to experience relapses when using a disease-modifying drug treatment
• Patients fit enough to undergo a treatment regimen
• Patients in their early courses of MS before the onset of a major irreversible disability.

MS Treatments Backed by Research

A study published by Stem Cell Institute on the clinical feasibility of the umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of multiple sclerosis involved 20 patients. From the study, there were no serious adverse events reported; improvement symptoms were notable one month after the treatment which included in walk times, sexual dysfunction, and the general perspective of life. Among the patients, brain and cervical spinal cord MRI scans also showed inactive lesions in 15 of the patients after a year of monitoring. An explorative study conducted with both intrathecal and intravenous injection of mesenchymal stem cells in patients with MS in preventing the neurodegeneration of neural tissues through neuroprotective mechanisms and restoration of normal function. According to Cochrane Library, the results of the study showed feasibility with the procedure proving to be relatively safe and leading to the induction of immediate immunomodulatory effects in MS patients. Medical practitioners have introduced human embryonic stem cell transplantation as a novel approach to treating animal models of multiple sclerosis. The human embryonic stem cells significantly reduce clinical symptoms and prevent neural demyelination in a human model of multiple sclerosis.

A multicenter, phase III clinical trial is also being carried out in Duke and detailed by the Neurology Department through the Immune tolerance Network on assessing the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The therapy is considered one of the upcoming treatment measures for patients with active treatment-resistant relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis; a condition characterized by the brain and spinal cord flares averagely once a year. The study is a highly selective, randomized, single-blinded trial seeking to compare stem cell transplantation of bone marrow against the conventional immune reconstitution therapies including rituximab, ocrelizumab, alemtuzumab, and natalizumab. The six-year study includes 156 participants with relapse remitting multiple sclerosis and have experienced at least two incidences of inflammatory flares with failed disease-modifying therapies. This study is important to StemFinityCord and our patients as it adds more value and efficacy to the practice; in as much as the therapeutic model is dynamic and still needs more ardent research, we believe and take into account every research study that can help us understand and help you better.

Where to Find Help

 At StemFinity Cord, we are geared towards helping patients with multiple sclerosis get the best treatment using our specialized stem cell therapy procedures. Our services are backed with potential research and trials that have shown efficacy among our esteemed customers. At StemFinityCord we value our patients and we are willing to take you through every step necessary to enable you to understand the procedure and assure you of its safety. Contact us for more – we’ll be happy to assess your case.