title: Tovaxin for multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A potential therapeutic possibility for multiple sclerosis (MS) is provided by Tovaxin, a personalized autologous T-cell immunotherapy utilizing myelin-reactive lymphocytes from peripheral blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review covers the production of the vaccine, which follows a series of steps after the acquisition of T-cells. This includes identification of the subsets that are myelin reactive, expansion ex vivo and, also extrinsically, inactivation of their replication capacity by cellular irradiation. Once attenuated, the modified cells are reintroduced into the donor. This process appears to induce a vigorous immune response towards specific populations of autoreactive T-cells determined to attack the myelin and its derivatives by trafficking from the vascular space into the CNS in MS. Historical aspects of the T-cell vaccination with Tovaxin, the process to obtain reactive T-cells and their attenuation techniques ex vivo are described. The clinical results obtained from clinical trials are also discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The process of T-cell vaccination is complicated and presents some limitations. Further studies are required to provide scientific support and clinical evidence of the efficacy of Tovaxin in MS.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. vrivera@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rivera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D014612:Vaccines; C540587:tovaxin