While glatiramer acetate (Copaxone®), has long been known to slow or stop the progression of attacks in patients with MS, researchers have not known exactly how the drug worked. In the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a University of Texas group reports that glatiramer acetate appears to stimulate a certain type of T-cell in persons with MS.

The researchers used flow cytometry to analyze cells taken from patients with MS and were able to see the T cells rallying under the effect of glatiramer acetate. In the study, researchers also used a new type of test that allowed them to study the immune cells much more effectively. CD8 cells, which typically do not grow well in a tissue culture, were taken directly from the patient instead of being grown by researchers, making their response to glatiramer acetate easier to monitor. The researchers found that CD8 responses to glatiramer acetate were weaker in untreated patients with MS and were stimulated by treatment with the drug. www.newswire.com

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