New MS drugs are making it easier for MS patients to cope with the difficult illness.
“All of a sudden, sort of felt like the world, the rug was pulled from out under me. The weakness, the feeling, it’s a fatigue that’s very hard to explain,” says Joe Giles.
3 years ago, Joe Giles was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He tried several medications but they were all giving his terrible side affects.
“There’s high fever, and severe muscle aches,” says Joe.

As a nurse, Joe investigated a new drug trial at Holy Name Hospital where he works. It was at the ms clinic that he discovered the drug Tysabri. Dr. Mary Anne Picone is the director of the clinic.
“What it does it not so much that patients feel an improvement in their symptoms but the decrease in terms of relapse rate activity and decrease of appearance of inflammation on MRI is seen in as little as 6 weeks after they’ve have their infusion,” says Dr. Picone.
The recently FDA approved Tysabri is administered intravenously once a month. The drug is known as a monoclonal anti-body treatment.
Antibodies are proteins that the body’s immune system uses to fight infection. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the lab and act just like people’s own antibodies to attack foreign substances.
“It prevents activated immune cells from attaching to cells on the surface of the blood-brain barrier, helping to prevent those activated immune cells from getting into the brain and causing damage to myelin and neuro-fibers within the brain,” explains Dr. Picone.
With multiple sclerosis, the body’s immune system turns rebellious attacking, inflaming and damaging its own nerve tissue. The debilitating condition can leave patients tired and numb with poor coordination and blurred vision. Existing MS therapies aim to prevent immune-system cells from doing damage after they’ve reached the central nervous system. But, the new MS drug Tysabri intercepts and blocks destructive immune cells that want to leave the blood stream to attack the brain.
“It’s certainly an exciting new therapy to offer to patients at the time when they are first diagnosed or for patients who have relapsing, remitting MS, or who might not be doing well on their current therapy,” says Dr. Picone.
As a busy father of 3 children and a nurse, Joe swears by Tysabri. He says he has regained his strength and stamina. “I hope insurance companies will give patients the opportunities to really try this therapy.”
Common adverse side effects associated with the new MS drug Tysabri include headache, fatigue, urinary tract infection, depression, lower respiratory tract infection, joint pain and abdominal discomfort.

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