First UK patient receives ‘gamechanger’ MS therapy

A biology teacher has become the first patient in the UK to receive “gamechanger” therapy to treat multiple sclerosis.

- MARYAM ZAKIR-HUSSAIN

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It cannot currently be cured, but treatment can often help manage it. Emily Henders, 37, was diagnosed with MS on Christmas Eve in 2021 after suffering tingling in her hands.

The teacher from Bushey, Hertfordshire, has suffered four debilitating relapses since her diagnosis, despite taking one of the most highly effective medications for the disease. But Ms Henders said she feels “really good” after taking the new CAR T-cell treatment at University College London Hospital (UCLH) last week.

The CAR T-cell treatment, which experts believe could “transform” lives by halting or slowing down progression of the disease, is custom-built for each patient in the lab. It is part of a global clinical trial into whether it can treat MS.

The person’s own T cells, which are crucial for hunting out infected or damaged cells, are genetically engineered by scientists and fed back into the patient via an infusion to “reset” the immune system.