Affecting 1 in 1,000 people, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own brain and spinal cord.
Professor Lars Fugger’s research at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences has found that a drug used to treat hypertension also has some efficacy against neurodegeneration, which is part of MS.
I've seen over the years that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that if you just push, you will make a difference. - Professor Lars Fugger
MS seems to share some factors with two different groups of diseases: those involving the immune system, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and type 1 diabetes; and those involving neurodegenerative conditions of the brain, as in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Data sets relating to all these are being analysed for any patterns or commonalities which could help in identifying new therapeutic strategies against MS.