University of Milano-Biocca – credit University press
Today’s Good News comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.
Exciting Clinical Trials of New Stem Cell Injection Treatment Shows Promise for Halting Multiple Sclerosis
A collaborative study involving experts in Europe and the US found the treatment of stem cells appears to protect the brains of MS patients from further damage.
In the first-ever clinical trials in humans, the researchers found patients injected with the stem cells exhibited no increase in disability or worsening of symptoms.
The promising study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, is hoped to lead to further clinical trials that could provide treatment for progressive MS.
More than two million people live with MS across the globe, and while some treatments currently available can reduce the severity and frequency of relapses, two-thirds of patients still transition into a debilitating secondary progressive phase of the disease within 25 to 30 years of diagnosis.
An autoimmune disorder like Lupus, ALS, and Crohn’s, MS is characterized by the body’s immune system attacking and damaging myelin—the protective sheath of tissue around nerve fibers, disrupting messages sent around the brain and spinal cord.
An immune cell called a microglial can attack the central nervous system in progressive forms of MS, causing chronic inflammation and damage to nerve cells.
Recent scientific advances involving the transplantation of stem cells have raised expectations that therapies could be developed to help ameliorate this damage.
Previous experiments in mice from the Cambridge University unit of the new study team have shown that skin cells reprogrammed to be brain stem cells and transplanted into the nervous system can help to reduce inflammation and may even be able to help repair damage caused by MS.
The research team behind the latest study, incorporating experts from the UK, US, Switzerland, and Italy, completed a world-first early-stage clinical trial in which neural stem cells were injected into the brains of 15 patients with secondary MS recruited from two Italian hospitals.
Along with the Cambridge unit, teams performed the trials at the University of Milano-Bicocca, the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza and Santa Maria Terni hospitals in Italy, the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale hospital in Lugano, Switzerland, and the University of Colorado in the United States.
The transplant patients were followed for 12 months. No deaths or serious adverse events related to the treatment were observed throughout the year. Side effects were mild, transient, and reversible.
All patients had a high degree of disability at the start of the clinical trial—for example, they were wheelchair-bound—but during the 12-month observation period, they showed no increase in disability or worsening of symptoms. None of the patients showed symptoms that would indicate a relapse or signs of clinical progression, suggesting substantial stability of the pathology.
A subgroup of patients was also assessed for changes in the volume of brain tissue associated with disease progression, which found that the larger the dose of injected stem cells, the smaller the reduction in this brain volume over time.
The researchers speculate that this may be down to the stem cell transplant dampening inflammation.
Professor Stefano Pluchino, a co-leader of the study from the University of Cambridge, admitted that though the research had limitations, the findings were extremely promising.
“We desperately need to develop new treatments for secondary progressive MS, and I am cautiously very excited about our findings, which are a step towards developing a cell therapy for treating MS,” he said.
“We recognize that our study has limitations: it was only a small study, and there may have been confounding effects from the immunosuppressant drugs, for example, but the fact that our treatment was safe and that its effects lasted over the 12 months of the trial means that we can proceed to the next stage of clinical trials.”
Professor Angelo Vescovi, another co-leader of the study from the University of Milano-Bicocca, added that it has taken nearly three decades to translate the discovery of brain stem cells into this experiment, which he said will “pave the way” to broader studies “soon to come.”
The Good News is that the scientific community is still working on improving life. Today’s JohnKu talks about perspective in a bad news world. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Good News by John W. Howell © 2023
The media thinks,
All we want is the horrific . . .
How wrong can they be?
Fiction Favorites 
This is incredible news thank you for digging this out and sharing
LikeLiked by 2 people
Always a pleasure. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic news John. The World needs more of this. Hugs
LikeLiked by 2 people
So right, David. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right in that our news doesn’t have time for the good stuff, and when they do fit it in, it’s at the end of a telecast we gave up watching already.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So accurate you are, Pilgrim.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story Boss.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect JohnKu, John. It’s uplifting to read good news. Progress is being made in many areas of medicine. Thank goodness for research.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree, Steve. I’m just glad someone is doing it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is terrific news. Thanks for sharing, John!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree, Jill. Thank you
LikeLike
We seem to be making progress on many fronts. The news tends to ignore this in favor of grooming us to not vote at all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha ha ha. I love that, Craig.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good news, indeed!! And a trenchant JohnKu.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Liz. 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I went to school with a girl that had MS, an outstanding artist! Such an awful disease, I’m glad they are finally making headway with it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am too, GP. You are right it is an awful disease.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great news!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree.
LikeLike
So much work is being done that never gets mentioned. This is especially heartening; thanks for including it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I will be interested on how the broader trial goes. Thanks, Linda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for searching out this exciting news, John!
LikeLiked by 2 people
My pleasure Grant. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful. Cheers to the scientific community’s continual pursuit to make life better. This is the second story like this I’ve encountered this morning – the first was about the improvement of a kid’s sickle cell anemia through genetic engineering.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That sounds like good news as well. Thanks, Frank
LikeLike
Here it is. Gotta love this kid! https://www.cbsnews.com/video/gene-editing-could-be-a-game-changer-for-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Frank.
LikeLike
Slowly but surely progress is achieved. What a wonderful post, John. Thank you for sharing it and your great Johnku. 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Gwen. I thought this was a super story. Sadly, the media feeds on hate and mayhem. I hoe you have a terrific weekend.
LikeLike
This is good news, John! The self-destruction of autoimmune disorders has always baffled me, and it’s good that some progress is being made.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do agree, Tim. I don’t have MS but do have an autoimmune disease and it baffles me too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch! I hope you’re doing okay. 🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yeah. I get infusions every six weeks. Keeps the monsters at bay.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is for sure. Thanks, Tim
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is spectacular news, John! Have they tried it on patients in the early stage of MS? It might be possible for them to live a relatively normal life span.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Not sure Noelle but do know there are meds for MS that control the advancement in early stages.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, John, for passing along such good news — let’s hope further testing continues to show positive outcomes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree with you, Debbie. This looks promising and let’s hope the progress continues.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank goodness you are providing good news on a weekly basis, John. I have a few friends who have MS so every time I hear of progress, I think of them. A few are in wheelchairs (and have been for a good 20+ years) and some are still able to walk with relative ease. I think of them often and hope they find a cure.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I hope so too. Thanks, Dale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great, promising news here, John. More than ever, this kind of story needs to be among the lead stories the media provides.
LikeLiked by 2 people
One would hope. But usually its some kind of murder/gender/border/war lead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fingers crossed this leads to longer and healthier lives!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I share your wish, Denise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is awesome news and wonderful breakthrough in medicine. I hope it continues to show promise and work!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do too. Thanks, Deborah.
LikeLike
Wonderful news and a great JohnKu. How wrong, indeed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes indeed. Thanks, Lois.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such wonderful news for so many, John – thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is Teri. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can attest to the miraculous properties of stem cell treatments as I have been on the receiving end for nearly a year! How thrilling it is to learn how other people are experiencing good results with stem cell treatments!
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is good news. I’m glad you are getting them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is excellent news! I am secondary progressive and very few drugs are aimed for my group. So this is good news.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes. Excellent news, Pam. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good news indeed. Good to see cooperation between countries.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes it is. Have a wonderful Weekend, Jo.
LikeLike
This is good news indeed, and the only news I want to hear.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Me too, Darlene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just saw this pop up on my news feed today. A great Fri-Yay, John!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Mae.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The media is very wrong about a lot of things, John. I’m thrilled to see this progress. My sister has MS and I would love to see her get well!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Or at least stop the progression. Thanks, Jan.
LikeLike
Your John Ku says it all! Oh, how nice it would be to see more and more GOOD news items popping up. This article gives us some hope, and that’s always a good thing to have! Thanks for sharing it, John, and here’s to a very happy holiday season!
☺️🎄☺️
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Marcia. I hope the same for you. 🎄
LikeLiked by 1 person
I heard this on the news today. Wonderful!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You must get good news. I never do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rarely. Of course the few pieces of good news are featured at the very end of the broadcast, as if they’re some afterthought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They don’t even bother here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is very good news, John!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Dan
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know several people who suffer from MS. This is exciting news for sure!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Let’s hope the larger trial go as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your Johnku is spot-on.
A former boyfriend (RIP) had MS, and two of my cousins have MS. It’s a cruel disease and affects people so differently (my cousins’ symptoms are grossly different from each other). I hope the research will continue. One of my cousins did get stem-cell therapy but it was probably 20 years ago now, and he had to go to Costa Rica because the treatment was not available in the U.S. Overall, they (he and his wife) had a good experience. They were impressed with the doctors and the facility, and they were able to meet and socialize with other patients. But we don’t know if the treatment did anything for him. Maybe slowed it down a tad. Still. He’s my age and in a facility now because he needs 24/7 care. My other cousin is still at home, but who knows for how long. Thanks for sharing the news. It might be too late for my cousins, but maybe not for someone else’s.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah it is too bad when discoveries come too late for some. Thanks for sharing Marie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your JohnKu says it all about the media!
This is the most exciting news I hav e heard about. the use of stem cells.
Today I say – Hooray – for science!
🐂 🦠⧗ 😷 ⧗ 🐂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yes indeed. 📿X 🩺X 💉X 💊X
LikeLiked by 1 person
💋 📿X 🩺X 💉X 💊X 💋
LikeLike
💋 📿X 🩺X 💉X 💊X 💋💋
LikeLiked by 1 person
A wonderful discovery John. Thanks for sharing the hopeful news with us. 🙂
LikeLike