Encouraging MS data for NeuroVax

USA-based Immune Response Corp says that its T-cell receptor peptide vaccine candidate, NeuroVax, induces normal levels of the FOXP3+ regulatory T-cells, which are believed to be important in controlling the development of multiple sclerosis, according to data presented at the 58th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego, California.

This one-year, open-label trial enrolled 25 MS patients who received monthly injections of NeuroVax. Following their immunization, 14 of 17 patients at 52 weeks demonstrated increased FOXP3+ mRNA expression over baseline (p=0.01) and FOXP3 protein expression as a group was also statistically increased over baseline (p=0.02).

The firm noted that, in a number of patients, FOXP3 message and protein expression became higher than those in healthy controls. The California-based drugmaker is hopeful that, by increasing FOXP3, a marker associated with the activity of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells, NeuroVax may be boosting an immune regulatory network clinically-beneficial for MS patients.