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Age-dependent effects on the treatment response of natalizumab in MS patients.

Matell H, Lycke J, Svenningsson A, Holmén C, Khademi M, Hillert J, Olsson T, Piehl F.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Natalizumab is approved for treatment of active forms of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) based on a pivotal phase III study comprising patients aged 18-50 years. The effect of natalizumab has not been specifically studied in older patients...... Read More - http://www.ms-uk.org/tysabri

I guess it isn't surprising that Tysabri has little effect, if any, on older MS patients.

While the immune system appears to react to inflammation in MS patients and thus Tysabri has some effect on dampering this reaction, the fact that older patients get no benefit from the drug would appear to show that MS is not an "autoimmune disease" as some people say. There seems to be another mechanism in MS patients that causes the inflammation and ongoing problems when aging. I believe finding the answer to this will solve the MS mystery...some day!