New cancer drugs offer hope for MS sufferers

Experimental cancer drugs now being studied by scientists may yield promising treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jan 2010, 09:06 BST
Updated 15th Jan 2010, 09:06 BST

The drugs target biochemical pathways involved in the development of both tumours and tissue-building stem cells.

A key area of MS research is currently focusing on similar processes in the brain.

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Combining work on cancer growth and stem cells could lead to new ways to stop or even reverse the nerve damage caused by MS, experts believe.

Professor Robin Franklin, a leading stem cell scientist from Cambridge University, said: "I'm pretty optimistic that in the not too distant future we'll have drugs that will promote regeneration by the brain's own stem cells."

Prof Franklin was speaking yesterday at the launch of a new initiative to speed up stem cell research aimed at tackling MS.

Two charities, the MS Society and the UK Stem Cell Foundation (UKSCF) have joined forces to provide a 1m pot of research funding for stem cell scientists.

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Lack of financial support for a plethora of promising research projects is said to be hindering progress in the field.

The auto-immune disease affects around 100,000 people in the UK, causing symptoms ranging from mild tingling sensations to severe paralysis and blindness.