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Goals
Latest
Research Results
(pdf,
3 pages)
Secure sustained funding of $2.8 Million each year for five years to fund Dr. Genain's comprehensive scientific research to stop, repair, and eradicate MS.
Download the complete Executive Summary (pdf file, 6 pages)
Antibody Blocking Research ($750K per year/5 years)
Download the complete Summary of Antibody Blocking Research (pdf file, 2 pages)
Other Resources:
"Antibody responses against galactocerebroside are potential stage-specific biomarkers in multiple sclerosis", Til Menge, MD, Patrice H. Lalive, MD, Hans-Christian von Budingen, MD, Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, Stephen L. Hauser MD, and Claude P. Genain, MD; J Clin All Immunol, In Press;
"Serum Neuronal Toxicity in Multiple Sclerosis", presentation (pdf file, 4 pages);
"The Anti-Galactocerebroside Antibody Response as a Novel Biomarker for Staging Multiple Sclerosis", presentation (pdf file, 5 pages);
"Sorting the wheat from the chaff: identifying demyelinating components of the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 9MOG)-specific autoantibody repertoire", commentary 2004 (pdf file, 7 pages);
"Frontline: Epitope recognition on the myelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein differentially influences disease phenotype and antibody effector functions in autoimmune demyelination", article 2004 (pdf file, 12 pages)
Antibody Research ($1.2M initial year, $200K two subsequent years)
The results of the antibody-blocking clinical studies to date have been extremely promising. The team started the anti "B" Cell Studies with the drug, Rituxan, in 2004. Antibodies and the cells that make them, the B cells, are linked to disability in MS.Rituxan kills and eliminates all B cells. The first part of these results in patients with spino-optical MS was released last spring at the annual meeting of the Academy of Nuerology, and an intereim analysis was just published in the peer reviewed journal Neurology. Appropriate funding will aim at stopping disability progression, short-term and long-term.
Download the complete Summary of Antibody Research (pdf file, 5 pages)
Other Resources:
"An open label study of the effects of rituximab in neuromyelitis optica", article 2005 (pdf file, 3 pages);
"Phase III study shows Rituxan(R) significantly improves symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who inadequately responded to anti-TNF therapies", newsstory 2005 (pdf file, 3 pages)
Nerve Growth Factor Repair Research ($1M per year/3 years)
The team discovered drugs capable of protecting the brain and promoting the growth of new tissue (e.g., myelin and neurons). This will hopefully help patients recover lost functions. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) or Neurotrophins and related growth factors are central to this research, which includes stem cell and myelin progenitor cell. Dr. Genain has demonstrated that NGF suppresses inflammation in the brain efficiently. Repair approaches using NGF are already in clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. NGF can quickly move to MS trials, with proper funding. The major difficulty with use of NGF with MS is its proper delivery to the brain in order to avoid systemic adverse effects. Dr. Genain's laboratory has already designed several concepts for precise delivery. Appropriate funding will aim at functional recovery for disabled patients and, protection from future deterioration for MS patients.
Download the complete Summary of Repair Research (pdf file, 5 pages)
Other Resources:
"Role of nerve growth factor and other trophic factors in brain inflammation", article 2004 (pdf file, 12 pages)
Cause Research ($750K per year/5 years)
One of the must exciting developments has been the discovery of a model to study in the laboratory, how MS is caused by extremely common viruses. This is the first time that scientists have a chance to discover why only a few people get MS from these viruses while the majority of people recover well from these infections, usually in childhood. It has taken six years for this team to patiently elaborate the model, but patience has paid off: the road is now paved in gold for the scientists. They have already found one possible way the herpes virus 6 damages the myelin making in the brain and causes them to die. This is the first time that one can see in the laboratory how MS starts. With funding, the team now positions itself to discover the genes and events involved in that process. The benefits can be immediate, for example it will be relatively easy to find ways to block the damage and save the myelin making cells. Also, scientists can pre-screen people who are at risk to having MS later in life, and to work on developing a vaccine to prevent MS from happening!
Download the complete Summary of Cause Research (pdf file, 7 pages)
Other Resources:
ANA Annual Meeting Abstract, 2003 (pdf file, 2 pages);
"Monkeys help show if virus causes MS", newsstory 2003 (pdf file, 2 pages)
Profiling Studies ($1.4M initial year/$500K two subsequent years)
The team will provide individualized therapy by profiling patients using blood tests monitoring and non-invasive brain imaging (similar to an improved MRI). Appropriate funding will aim at: detection of causes of disease at play in established MS; prediction of disease course and severity after a first attack of MS; prediction of an impending attack or an impeding conversion to progressive mode and disability; prediction of response to existing MS treatments; and, screening for individual risk to develop for severe adverse effects in order to build safe treatments for MS.
Download the complete Summary of Profiling Research (pdf file, 9 pages)
Download the complete C.V. of Dr. Claude P. Genain
(pdf file, 27 pages)
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