Subject: Re: CLADRIBINE !!! I am looking for this

From: LaVonne Murphy <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 22:52:16 -0800

Andrzej Kowalczyk wrote:
> 
> Does anybody know how can I get this cure. I'll be very thankful if somebody
> send me any information how and where I can get this cure.
> 
> Andrew

Andrzej

Cladribine is not a cure.  It is a chemotherapy for hairy cell leukemia 
in children.  It was noticed that it attacked the same T cells suspected 
to be active in MS and was specific in it's targets.  So a small test was 
done to see what it would do for MS.  It worked pretty good for those 
with Chronic Progressive MS and so a larger test was authorized.  This 
larger test is being done now but is probably about 3 years from 
completion.

There are some side effects including a lowered platelet (cells used in 
clotting of blood) count on some people.  This seemed to be the most 
severe one in the small test done on 40 or 50 people.  Understand that 
these folks were divided into 3 groups.  Two received two different 
strengths of the drug and one got a placebo.  There is no loss of hair or 
nausea associated with this chemotherapy but I don't know the reason for 
that.

It is approved in the US for use with the kids who have leukemia and so 
is on the market here.  I do not know where else it may be available.  A 
very few neurologists are using this drug outside of the test areas which 
are scattered all over the US.  It is not covered by insurance for MS as 
far as I know.

I have talked personally to some of the people in the first test and a 
couple who have taken the drug outside of the test.  They feel that this 
drug stopped the progression and some even recovered some function but 
not a great deal.  And one who I saw a few nights ago who was in the 
first test, though she felt the drug stopped the progression, was 
obviously having a very little more trouble walking.  But she has been 
off the drug for about two years, maybe a little more.

You can write to:
Dr. J. Sipe
Dept. of Neurology
Scripps Clinic
Torrey Pines Road
San Diego, CA. 92037 USA

                      L