News
Hopes for first in-human treatment for CJD
A first in-human treatment designed specifically for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) has shown encouraging early results and may contribute to the development of new treatments for other neurodegenerative diseases. CJD is a rare and fatal disease that causes
brain damage and for which there is currently no licensed treatment. Most patients die within a few months of diagnosis. Researchers at the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) developed a monoclonal antibody, called PRN100, that was given to six patients with CJD between October 2018 and July 2019. The results, published in Lancet Neurology, show the treatment is safe and able to access the brain. In three patients, disease progression appeared to stabilise when dosing levels were in target range. None of the six patients experienced side effects while receiving the treatment but all sadly died as a result of their condition. Given the small number of patients treated, researchers say the findings should be regarded as preliminary and further studies are needed to draw more comprehensive conclusions. Professor John Collinge, director of the MRC
Prion Unit, at UCL, who led the development of the PRN100 treatment, said: “This is the first time in the world a drug specifically designed to treat CJD has been used in humans and the results are very encouraging. While the number of patients we treated was too small to determine whether the drug altered the course of the disease, this
is nevertheless an important step forward in targeting prion infections. It has been a huge challenge to reach this milestone and we still have a long way to go, but we have learned a great deal and these results now justify developing a formal clinical trial in a larger number of patients.” Looking further into the future, Professor Collinge added: “We hope the drug may also have the potential to prevent the onset of symptoms in people at risk of prion disease due to genetic mutations or accidental prion exposure and may contribute to the development of therapies for more common dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease.” Professor Bryan Williams, director of the NIHR UCLH BRC, said: “UCLH is a bold healthcare institution which, along with its academic partner UCL, is always seeking to push the frontiers of medicine and science to deliver innovative treatments to patients. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare and cruel disease which rapidly destroys the brain and for which there is currently no cure or licensed treatment. It was extremely important to us to find a way through the many challenges arising from the potential use of this novel treatment in order to offer it to a small group of patients. We are encouraged by these results which demonstrate the treatment is safe and there is some signal of benefit. The hope is that this could pave the way for new treatments for other neurodegenerative diseases.”
Independent hospitals achieve
high CQC ratings Analysis by the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has shown that nine out of 10 independent hospitals have ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ overall ratings from the health and care regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The data shows that 91% of acute independent, non-specialist hospitals, who deliver a wide range of services to both NHS and private patients, have now been assessed as being in the top two categories overall for quality of care. Responding to the new analysis, David Hare, CEO of IHPN, said: “This is a strong indication that the general standards of care and patient safety in the private sector are higher than they have ever been.” Dawn Hodgkins, director of regulation, said:
“Despite the huge challenges presented by the pandemic and ongoing health system recovery, this demonstrates the commitment of clinicians and leaders across the independent sector to deliver the very best quality of care and the safest services. I’ve been really encouraged by the improvements I’ve seen in the culture of many providers, where there’s been a better focus on creating an open, learning environment where improvement is actively sought, with greater openness and honesty.”
HyperDRYMist Delivering High-Level Automated Room Disinfection In Areas Where Others Can’t.
+ Clinically proven to kill c.diff, norovirus & MRSA + Treatments from 40 minutes + No room sealing required
More information:
contact@pdi-emea.com Available to order via the NHSSC
For more information:
contact@pdi-emea.com April 2023 I
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
