Roskamp Institute joins MS study

While the Roskamp Institute’s primary focus is on Alzheimer’s disease, Roskamp researchers have a significant interest in multiple sclerosis (MS). This is due to findings that suggest there are some similarities when studying the immune system response in the brain of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and MS.

“The white blood cells, also known as T-cells, contain a surface marker called CD40 that may play an important role in both Alzheimer’s disease and MS,” said Dr Andrew Keegan, an investigator in Neurosciences at the Roskamp Institute’s clinical trials division.

“Our commitment to finding cures to neurodegenerative disorders, such as MS, has led us to participate in this study sponsored by Novartis that will examine the use of a new investigational drug called fingolimod.”

Fingolimod may act on certain types of white blood cells that are responsible for immune reactions. Researchers want to determine if the investigational drug makes these cells move away from areas of inflammation and redirects them toward lymph nodes and other places in the body where they rest. Scientific researchers believe these white blood cells play an important role in the inflammation process associated with MS.