[![][1]][2]
MS vaccine?
Below is a video release by the company to YouTube
_**First of all why is this new medicine called a vaccine?**_
_The narrow definition_ of vaccine here is the injection of dead or attenuated viruses in order to prepare the body to a massive attack of full strength viruses of the same species or strain. The preparation is done by giving the immune system the ID (antibodies markers) of the future attacker, so that the immune system will waste no time figuring out what is happening and who is the attacker.
_The broader definition of a vaccine_ applies to certain experimental treatments of Cancer, and even Multiple Sclerosis. It could be defined as any treatment that takes advantage of the fact that certain illnesses could be fought by one's own immune system, if providing it with some guidance. The guidance consists in flagging the disease as an antigen, since antigens is what the immune system will go after. The flagging is what the vaccination provides.
_Cancer vaccines_: Any protein produced in a tumor cell that has an abnormal structure due to mutation can act as a tumor antigen (Wikipedia). A cancer vaccine will help the immune system target the specific cancer antigen produced by that type of cancer.
_Multiple Sclerosis vaccine: _Looking at [2], "…Monthly vaccinations over one year with NeuroVax™ markedly expanded the capacity of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to recognize TCRs (T Cell Receptor (TCR) peptide) expressed by potentially _pathogenic_ T cells…"_ In other words the vaccine helps the immune systems T cells police themselves. Think of it as the "Internal Affairs" service of a police department._
We should understand that not all vaccines can eradicate the target disease, as their success depends on the immune system capabilities. This explains why Neurovax is given monthly. Another image would be that the process is similar to sending advisers on the ground to help an army in distress: It can be a case of too little too late or if the symbiosis between the army and the advisers goes well, the battle is won.__
_**Notes:**
_
* The same mechanism appears to be important in the pathogenesis of _other autoimmune diseases such as RA and psoriasis_.[2]
* NeuroVax is going on phase II clinical trials, so there is still way to go before a working treatment is on the market
* The press release covered what seems to be a licensing agreement between this biotech company, Immune Response BioPharma, and the Oregon State University OHSU "Patent Coverage through 2027 with U.S. Patent 8,053,197 Licensed from OHSU for Auto-Immune Diseases Proprietary FOXP3 Expression Technology" Some digging on our part unearthed an article describing research results from the OHSU on a very similar topic , if not the same [3]._** What is surprising is that this article was published in the journal nature in 1996! i.e. 16 years ago, ages in terms of current research speed.**_
Should we rejoice or cry? Let us see this as the proverbial half full glass…
_**Sources:**_
[1] [BriefingWire][3] ; "Immune Response BioPharma Licenses U.S. Patent 8,053,197 from OHSU Protects NeuroVax Technology" ; Dec 9, 2011
[2] [Immune Response BioPharma ][4]; "Presss Release on Neurovax ;
[3] [Nature/Medicine ][5]; "Treatment of multiple sclerosis with T−cell receptor peptides: Results of a double−blind pilot trial"; Nature Medicine 2, 1109 - 1115 (_**1996!)**_
[![Email][6]][7][![Twitter][8]][9][![LinkedIn][10]][11][![Facebook][12]][13][Share/Bookmark][14]
[1]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Vials_shots_canstockphoto2981847-e1326055180193.jpg (Vials_shots_canstockphoto2981847)
[2]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Vials_shots_canstockphoto2981847.jpg
[3]: http://www.briefingwire.com/pr/immune-response-biopharma-licenses-u.s.-patent-8053197-from-ohsu-protects-neurovax-technology
[4]: http://immuneresponsebiopharma.com/NeuroVaxVaccine.aspx
[5]: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v2/n10/abs/nm1096-1109.html
[6]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/icons/email.png
[7]: http://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinewsdigest.com%2F%3Fp%3D3489&linkname=Progress%20on%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%20vaccine%20Neurovax%20by%20Immune%20Response%20BioPharma (Email)
[8]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/icons/twitter.png
[9]: http://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinewsdigest.com%2F%3Fp%3D3489&linkname=Progress%20on%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%20vaccine%20Neurovax%20by%20Immune%20Response%20BioPharma (Twitter)
[10]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/icons/linkedin.png
[11]: http://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinewsdigest.com%2F%3Fp%3D3489&linkname=Progress%20on%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%20vaccine%20Neurovax%20by%20Immune%20Response%20BioPharma (LinkedIn)
[12]: http://www.medinewsdigest.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/icons/facebook.png
[13]: http://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinewsdigest.com%2F%3Fp%3D3489&linkname=Progress%20on%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%20vaccine%20Neurovax%20by%20Immune%20Response%20BioPharma (Facebook)
[14]: http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinewsdigest.com%2F%3Fp%3D3489&title=Progress%20on%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%20vaccine%20Neurovax%20by%20Immune%20Response%20BioPharma
No comments:
Post a Comment