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Experimental Drug Reverses Paralysis and Vision Loss in MS-Like Disease
An experimental drug reversed paralysis and vision loss in mice with a multiple sclerosis-like disease while also preserving nerve tissue. For the nearly one million Americans living with multiple sclerosis, current treatments offer ways to slow the disease and reduce flare-ups, but they cannot restore neurological function once it is lost. The condition typically strikes between ages 20 and 40 when immune cells mistakenly attack myelin, the protective sheaths that insulate nerves. This harmful inflammation disrupts communication between the brain and the body, leading to vision loss, extreme fatigue, and progressive weakness. The autoimmune disorder varies greatly from patient to patient, but it ultimately reduces average life expectancy by seven years. Now, an experimental drug called Kamuvudine K-9 has reversed paralysis and vision loss in mice with a model of the disease. Some people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience long periods of remission, while severe cases can bring life-threatening complications. Doctors categorize the disease according to patients’ symptoms and relapses, reflecting the different courses it can take. Despite the benefits of available treatments, MS has no cure and remains the most common disabling neurological disease among young adults. HIV drugs linked to lower MS risk K-9 grew out of a...
