IVIg Versus Alzheimers - NY Presbyterian Hospital Study

[Guest guest]

http://tinyurl.com/6lnev

April 12, 2005

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibodies that attack the protein believed

responsible for Alzheimer's disease may offer a new way to treat the

brain-destroying illness, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

The infusion of antibodies seemed to be safe and may have delayed or

even halted progression of the fatal disease in Alzheimer patients,

the researchers said.

But the trial of immunoglobulin, or IVIg, therapy was done in just

eight patients and it is too early to know much about its promise,

the team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical

Center cautioned.

" If these results are confirmed in larger, controlled trials, we

might have a safe Alzheimer's treatment capable of clearing the

amyloid protein away, " Dr. Marc Weksler, who helped lead the study,

said in a statement.

In the Phase I safety trial, eight Alzheimer's patients were treated

with IVIg for six months and then tested for decline in their mental

function.

Cognitive function stopped worsening in seven patients tested so far

and has improved in six, the researchers told a meeting of the

American Academy of Neurology in Miami.

The antibodies target beta-amyloid, a protein that is a key feature

of the brain-clogging plaques and tangles that characterize

Alzheimer's. It seems to kill nearby brain cells, robbing patients

of memories and eventually of all ability to function and care for

themselves.

Previous studies had shown that antibodies, which are immune system

proteins that recognize and latch onto germs and abnormal cells, can

also pull beta-amyloid out of the nervous system.

Using infusions of antibodies from blood is called passive

immunization and has been used to fight diseases such as hepatitis.

" Immune therapy for Alzheimer's disease has shown tremendous promise

in the laboratory but has been difficult to translate into clinical

practice, " said Dr. Norman Relkin of Weill Cornell Medical College.

Other efforts to make a vaccine against Alzheimer's have been

troubled by complications -- one vaccine caused fatal encephalitis,

a swelling of the brain, for instance.

But IVIg has been approved for decades for use in treating immune

disorders. It turns out it contains elements specific for beta-

amyloid.

[Guest guest]

These are designer IgGs- specifically targeted, and somehow the

population's controlled - much more so than the last Alzheimer

clinical trial where the IgG attacked the amyloid so fiercely that 2

died from brain swelling - I hate those general terms - brain swelling

- what the heck does that mean-? (herx?)

I must be missing something...

So do they know for sure there isn't bacteria inside those plaques?

Did they even LOOK?

Barb

>

> http://tinyurl.com/6lnev

>

> April 12, 2005

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibodies that attack the protein believed

> responsible for Alzheimer's disease may offer a new way to treat the

> brain-destroying illness, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

>

> The infusion of antibodies seemed to be safe and may have delayed or

> even halted progression of the fatal disease in Alzheimer patients,

> the researchers said.

>

> But the trial of immunoglobulin, or IVIg, therapy was done in just

> eight patients and it is too early to know much about its promise,

> the team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical

> Center cautioned.

>

> " If these results are confirmed in larger, controlled trials, we

> might have a safe Alzheimer's treatment capable of clearing the

> amyloid protein away, " Dr. Marc Weksler, who helped lead the study,

> said in a statement.

>

> In the Phase I safety trial, eight Alzheimer's patients were treated

> with IVIg for six months and then tested for decline in their mental

> function.

>

> Cognitive function stopped worsening in seven patients tested so far

> and has improved in six, the researchers told a meeting of the

> American Academy of Neurology in Miami.

>

> The antibodies target beta-amyloid, a protein that is a key feature

> of the brain-clogging plaques and tangles that characterize

> Alzheimer's. It seems to kill nearby brain cells, robbing patients

> of memories and eventually of all ability to function and care for

> themselves.

>

> Previous studies had shown that antibodies, which are immune system

> proteins that recognize and latch onto germs and abnormal cells, can

> also pull beta-amyloid out of the nervous system.

>

> Using infusions of antibodies from blood is called passive

> immunization and has been used to fight diseases such as hepatitis.

>

> " Immune therapy for Alzheimer's disease has shown tremendous promise

> in the laboratory but has been difficult to translate into clinical

> practice, " said Dr. Norman Relkin of Weill Cornell Medical College.

>

> Other efforts to make a vaccine against Alzheimer's have been

> troubled by complications -- one vaccine caused fatal encephalitis,

> a swelling of the brain, for instance.

>

> But IVIg has been approved for decades for use in treating immune

> disorders. It turns out it contains elements specific for beta-

> amyloid.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for this information. I have severely deficient

IgG and am waiting for a script of gamma globulin this week. I had

to change doctors as the duc I was seeing and the one monitoring my

IgG promised to prescribe it once he saw how low my blood levels

went during the period that he wihtheld my IVIG. I'm so tired of

these doctors who always won't beleive recent but other ordered

blood tests and want to see it for themselves just HOW LOW CAN HER

IgG GO DOWN !!!!

It is just the pits to have three rare diseases becuase if I get a

handle on one, then another will flare. I say , But hey, duc, they

are all connected. like the thigh bone connected to the knee bone.

But they shake their head and say " Oh, no " they are completely

separarte and you have to see another specialist for that problem.

I am no longer a person but modern medicine has divided me into

eight or so equal body parts.

Its funny though, just before I sat down at the computer I was

reading the physicians desk reference on intramuscular gamma and

having a slight panic moment on just this issue.

Can't worry, but wondering if any of these other diseases I'm now

saddled with came from some latent but infected gamma?

Thanks again

Peg

> >

> > http://tinyurl.com/6lnev

> >

> > April 12, 2005

> >

> > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibodies that attack the protein

believed

> > responsible for Alzheimer's disease may offer a new way to treat

the

> > brain-destroying illness, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

> >

> > The infusion of antibodies seemed to be safe and may have

delayed or

> > even halted progression of the fatal disease in Alzheimer

patients,

> > the researchers said.

> >

> > But the trial of immunoglobulin, or IVIg, therapy was done in

just

> > eight patients and it is too early to know much about its

promise,

> > the team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical

> > Center cautioned.

> >

> > " If these results are confirmed in larger, controlled trials, we

> > might have a safe Alzheimer's treatment capable of clearing the

> > amyloid protein away, " Dr. Marc Weksler, who helped lead the

study,

> > said in a statement.

> >

> > In the Phase I safety trial, eight Alzheimer's patients were

treated

> > with IVIg for six months and then tested for decline in their

mental

> > function.

> >

> > Cognitive function stopped worsening in seven patients tested so

far

> > and has improved in six, the researchers told a meeting of the

> > American Academy of Neurology in Miami.

> >

> > The antibodies target beta-amyloid, a protein that is a key

feature

> > of the brain-clogging plaques and tangles that characterize

> > Alzheimer's. It seems to kill nearby brain cells, robbing

patients

> > of memories and eventually of all ability to function and care

for

> > themselves.

> >

> > Previous studies had shown that antibodies, which are immune

system

> > proteins that recognize and latch onto germs and abnormal cells,

can

> > also pull beta-amyloid out of the nervous system.

> >

> > Using infusions of antibodies from blood is called passive

> > immunization and has been used to fight diseases such as

hepatitis.

> >

> > " Immune therapy for Alzheimer's disease has shown tremendous

promise

> > in the laboratory but has been difficult to translate into

clinical

> > practice, " said Dr. Norman Relkin of Weill Cornell Medical

College.

> >

> > Other efforts to make a vaccine against Alzheimer's have been

> > troubled by complications -- one vaccine caused fatal

encephalitis,

> > a swelling of the brain, for instance.

> >

> > But IVIg has been approved for decades for use in treating

immune

> > disorders. It turns out it contains elements specific for beta-

> > amyloid.

[Guest guest]

Peg,

I've used IVIG for over two yrs now, and I can safely say it has

given me my life back--gainfully employed again, working out at the

gym, ect.

Orginal dx was borrelia infection, other TBD's, mycoplasmas, viruses,

ect.

Savy doctor checked immune status, and my total IgG was 18!!!!!

I also pursued testing with an Immuniologist--which turned up that

this was much more than just immune supression from chronic

infections.

Barb Peck, the " Brain Herx " that you mentioned is called " Aseptic

Meningitis " , and it is very surprising that they(in the mentioned

study) did not use precautionary measures to protect the participates

from having these problems

Also, no one must have checked IgA status, since many who are absent,

or near absent with regards to production of IgA---can go into

anaphylatic shock when recieving IVIG with high levels of IgA

There are brands available with low levels of IgA

Best,CELIENE

- In infections , " Peg " <lanelle@h...>

wrote:

>

> Thank you so much for this information. I have severely deficient

> IgG and am waiting for a script of gamma globulin this week. I had

> to change doctors as the duc I was seeing and the one monitoring my

> IgG promised to prescribe it once he saw how low my blood levels

> went during the period that he wihtheld my IVIG. I'm so tired of

> these doctors who always won't beleive recent but other ordered

> blood tests and want to see it for themselves just HOW LOW CAN HER

> IgG GO DOWN !!!!

>

> It is just the pits to have three rare diseases becuase if I get a

> handle on one, then another will flare. I say , But hey, duc, they

> are all connected. like the thigh bone connected to the knee bone.

> But they shake their head and say " Oh, no " they are completely

> separarte and you have to see another specialist for that problem.

>

> I am no longer a person but modern medicine has divided me into

> eight or so equal body parts.

>

> Its funny though, just before I sat down at the computer I was

> reading the physicians desk reference on intramuscular gamma and

> having a slight panic moment on just this issue.

> Can't worry, but wondering if any of these other diseases I'm now

> saddled with came from some latent but infected gamma?

>

> Thanks again

> Peg

>

>

>

> > >

> > > http://tinyurl.com/6lnev

> > >

> > > April 12, 2005

> > >

> > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibodies that attack the protein

> believed

> > > responsible for Alzheimer's disease may offer a new way to

treat

> the

> > > brain-destroying illness, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

> > >

> > > The infusion of antibodies seemed to be safe and may have

> delayed or

> > > even halted progression of the fatal disease in Alzheimer

> patients,

> > > the researchers said.

> > >

> > > But the trial of immunoglobulin, or IVIg, therapy was done in

> just

> > > eight patients and it is too early to know much about its

> promise,

> > > the team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell

Medical

> > > Center cautioned.

> > >

> > > " If these results are confirmed in larger, controlled trials,

we

> > > might have a safe Alzheimer's treatment capable of clearing the

> > > amyloid protein away, " Dr. Marc Weksler, who helped lead the

> study,

> > > said in a statement.

> > >

> > > In the Phase I safety trial, eight Alzheimer's patients were

> treated

> > > with IVIg for six months and then tested for decline in their

> mental

> > > function.

> > >

> > > Cognitive function stopped worsening in seven patients tested

so

> far

> > > and has improved in six, the researchers told a meeting of the

> > > American Academy of Neurology in Miami.

> > >

> > > The antibodies target beta-amyloid, a protein that is a key

> feature

> > > of the brain-clogging plaques and tangles that characterize

> > > Alzheimer's. It seems to kill nearby brain cells, robbing

> patients

> > > of memories and eventually of all ability to function and care

> for

> > > themselves.

> > >

> > > Previous studies had shown that antibodies, which are immune

> system

> > > proteins that recognize and latch onto germs and abnormal

cells,

> can

> > > also pull beta-amyloid out of the nervous system.

> > >

> > > Using infusions of antibodies from blood is called passive

> > > immunization and has been used to fight diseases such as

> hepatitis.

> > >

> > > " Immune therapy for Alzheimer's disease has shown tremendous

> promise

> > > in the laboratory but has been difficult to translate into

> clinical

> > > practice, " said Dr. Norman Relkin of Weill Cornell Medical

> College.

> > >

> > > Other efforts to make a vaccine against Alzheimer's have been

> > > troubled by complications -- one vaccine caused fatal

> encephalitis,

> > > a swelling of the brain, for instance.

> > >

> > > But IVIg has been approved for decades for use in treating

> immune

> > > disorders. It turns out it contains elements specific for beta-

> > > amyloid.