London - A revolutionary new jab could bring relief to people who suffer the agony of arthritis.
The vaccine uses a patient’s own cells to prevent the painful swelling of the joints in one of the most common forms of the condition.
Scientists say it combats rheumatoid arthritis by “re-educating” the immune system so it no longer attacks healthy tissue.
As well as an effective treatment, it is hoped the breakthrough drug could also stop the crippling disease in its tracks – or even be given to someone with a family history of the disease.
The jab is also said to be kinder on the body than existing drugs, which can cause side-effects ranging from an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes to dangerous infections.
Tests are now being carried out on patients.
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the joints by mistake. The wrists, fingers, toes, ankles and knees are particularly susceptible and the disease is three times as common in women as men.
However, current drugs merely tackle the symptoms, and do not work for every patient. In contrast, the new drug, called Rheumavax, targets the underlying cause of the disease.
It is aimed at the 70 percent of patients whose arthritis is caused by the immune system being given the attack signal by a piece of protein – known as a peptide – called CCP.
Dr Natalie Carter, of Arthritis Research UK, said: “This treatment acts to re-educate the immune system so that it recognises healthy tissue, stopping the vicious cycle of joint inflammation and damage. This is particularly exciting as it is not simply a way to treat symptoms but to actually stop rheumatoid arthritis in its tracks. But more research is needed before this treatment is proven to be effective and safe.”
The treatment involves taking key immune cells from a sufferer’s blood and reprogramming them so that they will then instruct the body to turn a blind eye to CCP. Once re-educated, the cells are injected back into the patient.
In the trial in Australia, 18 arthritis patients were given up to five million of their own, treated, cells.
Researchers found the jab “markedly” dampened the rogue immune response and reduced joint inflammation.
Larger and longer trials are needed to prove the jab’s worth, but experts at the University of Queensland are excited about their progress so far. Professor Ranjeny Thomas, who is leading the trials, said: “Our immune system is made up of specialised cells that move through the blood and tissue, preventing disease and fighting infection by distinguishing between what is the body’s own healthy tissue and what is foreign. This treatment teaches the patient’s immune system to ignore a naturally-occurring peptide that is incorrectly identified as ‘foreign’.”
Although the drug is designed as a treatment, it could also be given to those with a family history of the disease to stop it from ever developing.
Professor Thomas said: “If all goes well over the next year of testing, then it may be feasible to treat individuals at high risk of rheumatoid arthritis to prevent the disease from starting.”
She warned that the work and expense involved in tailoring the treatment to each patient means it is not suitable for widespread use in its current form.
She added: “However, the promising results of this trial lay the foundations for the development of a more cost-effective, clinically-practical vaccine technology that would deliver similar outcomes for patients.”
If successful, it could also be used to tackle other conditions caused by an overactive immune system, including childhood diabetes, the journal Science Translational Medicine reports.
The technique is a form of immunotherapy – using the body’s immune system to treat disease. Drugs that boost the immune system, rather than suppress it as in this case, are providing stunning results in the war on cancer.
Daily Mail