The Immune Response Corp. has begun treatment of patients in aPhase I clinical trial for a potential multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeuticvaccine, the Carlsbad, Calif., company said Friday.The trial will test a therapeutic vaccine based on a VB6.2/6.5 T cellreceptor peptide discovered by researchers at San Diego RegionalCancer Center (SDRCC). Ten MS patients, some of whom alreadyhave been injected, will be tested to evaluate the vaccine's safety and tomeasure the immune response generated at two dosage levels."Based on preclinical trials, we believe the researchers at SDRCC mayhave isolated a T cell receptor peptide associated with the multiplesclerosis disease process," said Dennis Carlo, chief scientific officerand executive vice president of Immune Response.The company hopes the vaccine stops the systematic tissue destructionthat results in deterioration of neurological function in MS patients. -Jim Shrine

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