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Current immunotherapy in multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Bashir Khurram,
Whitaker John N
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1711.1998.00714.x
Subject(s) - multiple sclerosis , glatiramer acetate , medicine , immunotherapy , experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , immunology , disease , encephalomyelitis , clinical trial , immune system
The underlying pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis is presumed to be autoimmune in nature. Attempts to find an effective treatment for this common disease of the central nervous system have primarily focused on immune‐mediated therapies, both immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory. The wide variety of immunological abnormalities detected in multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, has prompted the testing of a diverse array of drugs to be used for treatment. Recent successes in the treatment of relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis with interferon β and glatiramer acetate have renewed interest in and raised expectations for the effective control of this neurological disorder. Improved methodology in clinical trials, the development of surrogate markers and the availability of novel therapies bode well for more rapid advances.