New work from researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, has re-purposed a drug used to treat Allan-Herdon-Dudley syndrome for treatment of multiple sclerosis in the mouse model with promising results
In the mouse model of MS, called experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, mice experience the same demyelination that humans experience in true multiple sclerosis. In the new research from the Monash scientists led by Dr Steve Petratos, mice with demyelination that resulted in paralysis were able to walk again as the drug acted on the mouse cells to remyelinate and therefore repair the damage done by the mouse model MS.
This sounds incredibly promising and it is, however we must take a breath.
Often drugs that are effective in mice fail when they are trialled in humans. Those trials are also lengthy and expensive; the Monash researchers need close to $2 million just to get the drug ready for human clinical trials which will take time. From conception to market through all the rigorous testing it can take anywhere from 5 to 15 years and success of drugs that enter the testing process is minimal, only around 1 in 5,000 make it to market. Now, don’t let this get you downhearted. These are promising results from dedicated scientists who are working on other treatments for MS as well. It’s a fantastic result and I’m excited to see where they go to from here!