Subject: Re: BOUNCE autoimmune_research: Approval required

From: Richard529 <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 23:49:45 EST

The following items are from the November issue of Support & Sharing, a
bimonthly newsletter of the San Mateo County (CA) Multiple Sclerosis support
group.
 
>From Joyce Harnett
         San Mateo CA
         e-mail:  [email-masked]

Beta interferon - A new, cheaper source of this drug, used in betaseron and
avonex, may be on the horizon. Genzyme Transgenics Corporation, a
biotechnology company in Framingham MA, has produced high levels of this
protein in mouse milk, suggesting that the same can be done using dairy
animals. The company believes this means of production will lower the cost of
the drug considerably. 

IGF-I - This is a hormone that has stimulated growth of the myelin sheath on
damaged nerve cells of diabetic rats grown in a petri dish. The experiments
were conducted at the Univerity of Michigan. Tests with 40 persons with
neuropathy (any disease of nervous system) of unknown origin are underway at
Mayo Clinic.

Myloral - This medicine showed little difference in effectiveness when
compared with a placebo in a Phase III trial. Autoimmune Inc. of Lexington MA,
which makes it, has reported that patients who received it along with a beta
interferon had fewer exacerbations than those not receiving it. The results
are from MRIs.

Rebif - A clinical trial with 560 MS patients, using this beta-interferon
drug, reduced relapses between 29 and 32%. Ares-Serono, the Swiss firm
developing the drug, said that, in addition, it delayed disability progression
and decreased disease activity as seen in MRI scans. Because rebif patients
were in more advanced stages of MS than patients in betaseron and avonex
trials, comparison cannot be easily made. A report was issued by the Amercan
Neurological Association September 30. The company has obtained orphan drug
status from the FDA.

MS Genetic Research in Iceland
Iceland's genetic pool is a rich one for researchers, going back hundreds of
years with few changes because of the country's isolation. Decode Genetics,
Inc., is there hoping to isolate the genes that bear an MS signature. Dr.Karl
Stefansson, firm founder, believes his team is close to locating one of the
major MS genes through the analysis of the DNA of 350 patients. MS is more
prevalent in northern countries like Iceland.