Multiple sclerosis symptoms halted with stem cell therapy

In a new clinical trial, stem cell therapy has been shown to ‘reset’ the immune system and prevent disease progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) prevented symptoms of severe MS from worsening for 5 years in 46% of patients tested, indicating that this could be a promising new treatment avenue, particularly for patients who otherwise do not respond to other therapies. However, researchers warn that the treatment involves aggressive chemotherapy that carries significant risk. In the study, published in JAMA Neurology, AHSCT was used in a cohort of 281 patients with advanced MS...