New genetic marker: revolution in MS treatment discovered!

New genetic marker: revolution in MS treatment discovered!

The treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) has made promising progress in recent years thanks to new genetic findings. In a comprehensive study, the University of Münster has found that a specific genetic biomarker, the tissue type HLA-A*03:01, predicts whether patients respond better to therapy with glatiramer acetate (GA). This study, which included over 3,000 MS patients, found significant connections between precise genetic profile and treatment outcomes, advancing personalized medicine. medizin.uni-muenster.de reports that the HLA-A*03:01 allele is present in approximately 30 to 35 percent of European MS patients. This discovery could significantly improve the future choice of therapy for many patients.

The study concluded that carriers of the HLA-A*03:01 allele had significantly fewer disease symptoms when using GA than when treated with interferon-beta (IFN). While about a third of patients benefit from GA, it has been shown that two thirds are likely to respond better to IFN. Professor Nicholas Schwab, one of the study's lead scientists, called the results groundbreaking as they show the first proven link between a genetic marker and the success of a specific treatment.

The role of glatiramer acetate

Glatiramer acetate is considered a well-tolerated basic therapy for MS patients and has proven to be comparably effective with high-dose interferon beta. Analysis of different cohorts confirmed that personalization of treatment – ​​based on genetic information – could offer a decisive advantage. inims.de highlights that by identifying HLA-A*03:01 status before choosing treatment, personalized decisions could be made, which can lead to a significant improvement in treatment outcomes.

The study analyzed both discovery and validation cohorts. It turned out that no positive association was found between the effect of GA and other genetic markers such as DRB1*15:01. The results underline that treatment with GA is specifically beneficial for carriers of the HLA-A*03:01 allele and offers significant advantages over IFN therapy.

Personalized medicine in focus

Personalized medicine is viewed by the federal government as the next step in medical care. The aim is to use modern diagnostics to ensure maximum effective therapy and reduce healthcare costs. This form of medicine enables early detection of disease risks and is intended to promote individual treatment approaches. multiple-sklerose-e-v.de points out that the consideration of genetic, molecular and cellular parameters is crucial when choosing therapy.

However, there are also challenges and risks in the field of personalized medicine. Critics warn of high expectations that are difficult to meet and the risk that patients could be reduced to their genetic characteristics. In addition, knowledge of personal genetic risks can have negative effects on health.

The current research results on genetic preselection in MS therapy are therefore a step in the right direction and could lead to new, tailored treatment strategies in the future. But the health and ethical questions associated with such a development must be addressed in a broad social debate.