Neuromyelitis optica
Our experts in the Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology are committed to discovering the cause of neuromyelitis optica and developing new and better treatment strategies.
Recent research progress on neuromyelitis optica includes:
- Establishing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders as a way to classify and unify a variety of related disorders to help focus research and treatment approaches. Experts can now identify the best treatments for individuals more effectively and efficiently.
- Detecting the first antibody biomarker for neuromyelitis optica and developing a diagnostic test to distinguish the disease from multiple sclerosis. This discovery, using samples from our center's biorepository, enables scientists to positively diagnose neuromyelitis optica and initiate appropriate treatments.
- Conducting clinical trials testing eculizumab (Soliris), a medicine typically used to treat blood disorders that was shown in previous studies to successfully halt and prolong the time between neuromyelitis optica attacks.
- Discovering novel mechanisms of injury and cellular stress induced by the neuromyelitis optica antibody and identifying molecular pathways that are targetable by current medicines.
- Developing new tools for screening the molecular and cellular effects of the pathogenic antibodies present in people with neuromyelitis optica and establishing methods for predicting disease progression based on laboratory models.