Sheffield Summit Sparks Global Conversation on the Future of MS Treatment

AIMS Charity Hosts Groundbreaking Event in Sheffield to Commemorate 5th Anniversary and Spotlight Revolutionary StarMS Treatment

Sheffield, UK, 1st December 2023 – AIMS (Autoimmune and Multiple Sclerosis) Charity, a leading force in the advancement of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, run by volunteers living with MS, celebrated a momentous occasion on Saturday 25 November, at Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield, as it marked its 5th anniversary with a first-of-its-kind event. The day served as a platform to inform and educate people about the option of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) for MS, which has proven results to stop the disease progressing. Several public figures and industry experts, were on hand to speak about their experiences with the treatment, and shine a spotlight on the groundbreaking StarMS treatment currently undergoing trials in the city and across the UK.

Notably present were Mathew Embry, an internationally recognised documentary filmmaker and advocate for people and families dealing with multiple sclerosis. Nicola Chapman-Haste, make up artist, YouTuber and author who lives with relapsing MS who had HSCT treatment in Mexico. Caroline Wyatt, a journalist with the BBC since the early 1990s. After decades of on-off symptoms, she was finally diagnosed with MS in 2015 and had HSCT in 2017 in Mexico. Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, writer, professor of English literature and fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, underwent HSCT for MS in London 4 years ago.

HSCT is a chemotherapy where the patient’s immune system is all but wiped out. The patient’s own stem cells are used (this is known as an autologous transplant) to start a new immune system with no memory of MS, thus halting the progression of the disease. The StarMS trial aims to compare the efficacy and safety profile of Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (aHSCT) vs ‘highly effective’ Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) – Ocrelizumab, Alemtuzumab, Cladribine and Ofatumumab. The study will also research the mechanism of action to help our understanding of how aHSCT works in RRMS. The trial aims to recruit 198 patients from 19 sites across the UK. All participants will be followed up over a 24 month period involving regular visits with the study team. Visits will include blood tests, neurology examinations and questionnaires.

The conference achieved a historic milestone, as a world first, by convening esteemed international experts in the field of HSCT treatment. These experts engaged in profound discussions regarding the outcomes of the revolutionary treatment, a medical breakthrough that has shown remarkable results in halting the progression of MS. 

Expert speakers included: 

Dr Richard K Burt (Key Note Speaker), pioneer of HSCT for MS, Fulbright Scholar, Professor of Medicine at Scripps Healthcare, Tenured Retired Professor of Medicine at Chicago Northwestern University.

Professor Basil Sharrack - Consultant Neurologist, Department of Neurosciences, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield.
Professor John Snowden, Consultant Haematologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Programme in Sheffield (Winner of National Institute for Health and Care Research/British Society for Haematology Researcher of the Year award).
Dr Majid Kazmi, Lead Cancer Clinician at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, holds an honorary contract at King's College Hospital and is chair of the UK group for transplantation in auto-immune disorders such as Multiple sclerosis or Crohn's Disease.
Professor Gavin Giovannoni, Chair of Neurology, Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London and the Department of Neurology, Barts and The London NHS Trust in November 2006. In September 2008 he took over as the neuroscience and trauma centre lead in the Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science.
Dr Elisa Roldan Galvan, Consultant Haematologist.
Dr Guillermo Ruiz Arguelles, General Director of Clínica Ruiz, Center of Hematology and Internal Medicine of Puebla; Director of Research Division of Laboratorios Ruiz, within Clínica Ruiz; Professor of Haematology at the Autonomous Popular University of the State of Puebla.
Dr Denis A Fedorenko, Leading Haematologist of Russia, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Hematology and Cellular Therapy.

"We are thrilled to commemorate our 5th anniversary and to be sharing the transformative potential of HSCT treatment," remarked Alison Coates, co-founder and trustee of AIMS Charity. "To have leading experts from across the globe, under one roof, highlighting how this innovative therapy is changing the trajectory of MS treatment by halting its progression, offers much needed hope to patients and doctors alike."

Speaking on the importance of Neurologists being informed about this transformative treatment, Professor Gavin Giovannon, stated, "The StarMS treatment represents a paradigm shift in MS care. It is imperative for neurologists to acquaint themselves with this groundbreaking therapy to ensure that MS patients receive the most effective and advanced treatment available."

The HSCT treatment, available through Haematologists within the NHS, offers a beacon of hope to individuals living with MS, as it holds promise in stopping disease progression and greatly improving quality of life.

AIMS Charity remains steadfast in its commitment to driving advancements in MS treatment and offering telephone support, envisioning a future where MS patients have access to groundbreaking therapies that positively impact their lives.

For information on AIMS Charity and the StarMS treatment, please visit https://www.aimscharity.org/