The goals of this division are to translate our research work to new clinical treatments. One of our primary aims is to concentrate on progressive disease. This is because for the primary progressive form of the disease (PPMS), there are no FDA-approved treatments available and for the secondaryprogressive form of MS (SPMS), only mitoxantrone is an approved treatment. Mitoxantrone, however, is rarely used because its use is associated with leukemia and it is cardiac toxic. Based on approximately 10 years of work at MSRCNY and at our clinical affiliate IMSMP, we were able to publish a landmark paper on the use of Intrathecal Methotrexate treatment for SPMS and PPMS based on very exciting results in 121 patients. This is the first paper on this treatment method and will form the basis of a new prospective study which will further define this novel form of the treatment.
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Dr. Brydon's research interests encompass the study of the relationship between viral infection...
Translational Research Division
At present in the laboratory, we have two ongoing projects related to intrathecal methotrexate treatment. In one project headed by Dr. Harris, a research assistant is examining about 30 spinal fluid “biomarkers” to determine which factors are associated with clinical response. This is important
because if these studies are successful, we will be able to predict which patients will best respond to this treatment within the progressive group. In the second project supervised by Dr. Muller, a research assistant is investigating how this medicine works in progressive disease. In early work it appears that methotrexate delivered directly into the spinal fluid (intrathecally) may reduce “sclerosis’ formation by inhibiting the cell proliferation of astrocytes (the cells responsible for scar formation in MS lesions).