MEsenchymal StEm Cells for Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which ultimately leads to myelin damage and axonal loss. The disease is complex and multifactorial, but the key pathogenic event appears to be an uncontrolled response of components of the immune system (T and B lymphocytes) to myelin proteins. No definitive treatment is available for MS, however immunomodulatory and immunosuppressant drugs act as disease-modifying agents (DMDs). Unfortunately, the current treatments demonstrate partial efficacy in targeting the deleterious immune reactions. According to the present knowledge of the pathophysiology of MS, an ideal therapeutic strategy would be to modulate or suppress the aggressive immune process, to protect axons and neurons from degeneration, and to enhance repair and facilitate remyelination. A specific form of stem cells, called adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), has shown remarkable ability to modulate the immune response. This study will evaluate the safety of injecting MSCs in people with MS.