Molecular response to interferon beta treatment in multiple sclerosis. Inteferon beta (IFNb) is the frontline drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis. However, in many patients this expensive drug provides no benefit, resulting in unnecessary, uncontrolled disease progression, and in a waste of many millions of dollars each year. A common explanation for this treatment failure is the development of neutralising antibodies (NABs). We will establish the prevalence and effects of NABs in Austra ....Molecular response to interferon beta treatment in multiple sclerosis. Inteferon beta (IFNb) is the frontline drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis. However, in many patients this expensive drug provides no benefit, resulting in unnecessary, uncontrolled disease progression, and in a waste of many millions of dollars each year. A common explanation for this treatment failure is the development of neutralising antibodies (NABs). We will establish the prevalence and effects of NABs in Australian patients, use novel techniques to identify biomarkers for IFNb response, evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of the biomarkers, and develop a new test for NABs. Tailored use of this drug, and possible new therapeutic targets, will result, benefiting the patient and community.Read moreRead less
The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this a ....The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this assay could provide a useful diagnostic tool in a clinical environment that would allow for the rapid assessment of these diseases, their progression and indeed response to therapy.Read moreRead less