One of the New Multiple Sclerosis Drugs being looked at is Daclizumab. It seems to work by targeting a single and specific molecule on immune cells, and in the process quiets the abnormal immune reactions experienced by MS patients. MS causes the immune system to attack the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, leaving the patient unusually tired, weak, and in pain. Other “weird” sensations follow like tingling and high sensitivity to touch. Vision impairment is also common.
Daclizumab is one of the multiple sclerosis drugs in development stages currently. It is already approved by the FDA for use in preventing rejection of organ transplants, but has recently been studied to see if it can be added to the list of Multiple Sclerosis drugs approved by the FDA.
In two small trial studies, it has been confirmed that adding Daclizumab to interferon-beta therapy relieved symptoms in patients suffering relapse. But a more important result may have come from this attempt to find new multiple sclerosis drugs.
An opportunity for a broader study of the immune system
Daclizumab is one of the promising new multiple sclerosis drugs being studied. It stimulates cells that are naturally killer cells already, which then suppress the T-cells. T-cells have long been a focus of MS treatment studies, since they attack the body’s own nerves and tissue. Suppression of these cells has a desirable effect for MSA patients.
Daclizumab interferes with interleukin-2 (IL-2), which is a signal that tells immune cells to attack. But they have discovered that IL-2 signaling involves a really complex interaction between immune cells. These findings have importance beyond just the search for new multiple sclerosis drugs.
“It is difficult to study the human immune system under natural conditions. People are exposed to bacteria, viruses and other pathogens all the time, and they activate different immune cells in response. This makes it nearly impossible to sort out potentially subtle differences in the immune system of healthy individuals from those with a disease,” said one of the doctors involved in the Daclizumab study. “A drug like daclizumab gives us a rare opportunity to study the immune system because it targets a single molecule, and we can measure what the immune system is doing before and after treatment.”
It is hoped that once this study is completed and understood, researchers may be able to develop a more potent form of the drug to further refine the crosstalk between two cell types. This is a new approach to the treatment of MS, and could open possible treatments for other autoimmune diseases.
