Towards immunotherapeutic drugs and vaccines against multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Numerous treatment options are available to MS patients; however, these options need to be improved. Herein, we review the current drugs and therapeutic approaches available to MS patients, preclinical trial interventions and recent animal model studies for the potential therapy of MS. Since the current treatment of MS remains elusive and is limited, animal studies and clinical research offers an optimistic outlook. Keywords multiple sclerosis; MS treatment; immuno-suppressive drugs; immunomodulatory drugs; MS clinical trials; peptides; altered peptide ligand The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 2.5 million people globally suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS) [1]. With the present global population growing to an unprecedented height of 6.5 billion in 2005 and anticipated to reach 7.6 billion by 2020, the prevalence and onset of MS in children and particularly adults is expected to rise exponentially [2]. It is estimated that approximately 400,000 people suffer from MS in the US, with 500,000 Europeans and 18,000 Australians also with the diseas