Dr. Peterson presentation from Calgary April 29th - May 1st

[August59]

This didn't seem to generate much discussion in an earlier thread, but may have been due to timing of the Singh paper. Some of this was already pretty well known, but parts of it I hope would generate some more discussion.

The section about the CMX001 was good news. The section about the spinal fluid seemed to cover a little more than I had heard of before. The "FUTURE" section mentioned the word "Translational", which seems to be a catchy term used these days!

http://www.mefmaction.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=311:mefm-action-network-newsletter-quest&catid=71:conferences-news&Itemid=295

http://www.chimerix-inc.com/

 

[Cort]

That's a fascinating presentation.a

Will people with some psychiatric disorders end up having herpesvirus infections? Why not? Could some of the depression/anxiety in CFS be due to infections? Why not?

He is VERY HIGH on CFIDOVIR and is starting a trial at his office. They came to him actually. If the problem is getting at the herpesviruses (and that does seem to be the problem in CFS eg the long treatment times) and CFIDOVIR is better at that - it could be a huge breakthrough.....

Could we start seeing dramatically increased rates of improvement/wellness in people taking this drug. If Montoya had had this drug would his antiviral trial had a much different outcome? If this drug works it could have a major impact on how this disorder is viewed.

Lots of interesting stuff going on.

ELEVATED LEVELS OF HHV-6 ANTIBODIES IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

HHV-6 antibodies in individuals with psychiatric disorders were discussed, Yolken and Dickerson, March 2011. This research showed that individuals with established schizophrenia had elevated levels of antibodies to HHV-6, which suggests schizophrenia can be treated with antivirals.

CMX001-CIDOFOVIR PIM CONJUGATE is an antiviral drug in phase 3 trials. By linking a lipid to the phosphonate group of cidofovir, a drug has been formed which is able to cross the intestinal wall and penetrate target cells before being cleaved to free the antiviral, cidofovir. Improved potency has been demonstrated in preclinical studies. In cell culture assays, CMX001 is significantly more active than cidofovir against double-stranded DNA viruses including:

-orthopox viruses (variola, monkepox, vaccinia, cowpox and ectromelia)

-herpes viruses (CMV, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1,and 2, HHV6,-8, varicella zoster virus(VZV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV)

-multiple adenoviruses.

Dr. Peterson suggested that CMX001 is an almost perfect drug as it only needs to be administered orally 2 times a week. This makes it much more accessible than the current intravenous options for the human herpes viruses.

 

[Cort]

6-8%of SARS patients come down with ME/CFS - suggesting what? Probably that the type of infection may not be important but that an infection in susceptible people changes something....it may trigger a cytokine cascade that damages something in brain or sensitizes the brain to cytokines - keeping the immune cells in the brain activated all the time.

I just met Dr. Peterson in Incline with Corrine Blandino and he thinks its all in the brain. Something happens that triggers problems in the brain.....

He said his 'filter' for CFS was natural killer cell functioning. He uses that test to determine if he will see a patient or not...That is the type of patient he focuses on. They don't always have a pathogen (that he can find) but they always have NK cell dysfunction...

As well, there is a study of 240 post SARS patients from Toronto, Canada. These patients are being tracked and approximately 6 to 8% developed identical symptoms to ME.

Dr. Peterson is involved with the second large study which is being conducted at Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia. This research study is looking at Natural Killer (NK) cell phenotype and functional study. Currently, the team is applying for permission to do spinal fluid tap for a viral assay on ME to determine the cause of NK cell dysfunction.

At this time, Dr. Peterson recommends measuring of NK function for diagnosis of ME as it is the most reliable marker for ME.

THE FUTURE

 

[heapsreal]

6-8%of SARS patients come down with ME/CFS - suggesting what? Probably that the type of infection may not be important but that an infection in susceptible people changes something....it may trigger a cytokine cascade that damages something in brain or sensitizes the brain to cytokines - keeping the immune cells in the brain activated all the time.

I just met Dr. Peterson in Incline with Corrine Blandino and he thinks its all in the brain. Something happens that triggers problems in the brain.....

He said his 'filter' for CFS was natural killer cell functioning. He uses that test to determine if he will see a patient or not...That is the type of patient he focuses on. They don't always have a pathogen (that he can find) but they always have NK cell dysfunction...




THE FUTURE

Interesting, i heard that peterson is in talks with the aussie university (Bond University) that is currently undertaking a cfs study on nk dysfunction, the study's main aim was to design a test for cfs/me.

 

[Overstressed]

6-8%of SARS patients come down with ME/CFS - suggesting what? Probably that the type of infection may not be important but that an infection in susceptible people changes something....it may trigger a cytokine cascade that damages something in brain or sensitizes the brain to cytokines - keeping the immune cells in the brain activated all the time.

I just met Dr. Peterson in Incline with Corrine Blandino and he thinks its all in the brain. Something happens that triggers problems in the brain.....

He said his 'filter' for CFS was natural killer cell functioning. He uses that test to determine if he will see a patient or not...That is the type of patient he focuses on. They don't always have a pathogen (that he can find) but they always have NK cell dysfunction...




THE FUTURE

Hi Cort,

if the filter is NK-cell functioning, is that then not evidence for an underlying retrovirus infection ? I've never heard that herpes viri can cause that... I think it all comes down to this: you have an underlying XMRV infection, and all you need is a trigger. The problem is not the trigger, but the underlying cause. It's like HIV and AIDS. If there's no HIV, you simply don't get AIDS.

Best regards,
OS.

 

[Cort]

Hi Cort,

if the filter is NK-cell functioning, is that then not evidence for an underlying retrovirus infection ? I've never heard that herpes viri can cause that... I think it all comes down to this: you have an underlying XMRV infection, and all you need is a trigger. The problem is not the trigger, but the underlying cause. It's like HIV and AIDS. If there's no HIV, you simply don't get AIDS.

Best regards,
OS.

Certainly the retrovirus model - of a retrovirus depleting the immune system enough so that other pathogens can come in. If XMRV works out I think it could apply to B-cells since XMRV does appear to be able to replicate in them.

Other viruses can and do effect immune functioning. Some of them even live in immune cells. I don't know if they can match up natural killer cell dysfunction with a specific type of virus. We do know that Peterson finds and treats herpes viruses in his patients.

I did ask him if someday researchers will at some point be able to associate a specific kind of immune hole with a specific type of pathogen and he said yes. He believes the fact someone has a pathogen means they have an hole in their immune system and my sense was that he believes if he can patch that hole (and get rid of the virus) then the problems will disappear.

He is looking at using specific immune modulating/suppressing drugs to bring the immune system back into balance.

A

 

[Cort]

Interesting, i heard that peterson is in talks with the aussie university (Bond University) that is currently undertaking a cfs study on nk dysfunction, the study's main aim was to design a test for cfs/me.

I asked him about someone who had suffered huge swings in health - from getting much better to falling apart - and he said the prime candidate was natural killer cell functioning.....or rather the failure of the NK cells to keep the pathogens in check.

 

[firefly]

Cort, this is interesting.
You say the CMX001 is currently being trialled by Peterson?
I looked on the company's web-site and the FDA clinical trials site, www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01143181?term=CMX001&rank=3

I see the trial, but it looks like stringet guidelines.

 

[Navid]

That's a fascinating presentation.a

Will people with some psychiatric disorders end up having herpesvirus infections? Why not? Could some of the depression/anxiety in CFS be due to infections? Why not?

He is VERY HIGH on CFIDOVIR and is starting a trial at his office. They came to him actually. If the problem is getting at the herpesviruses (and that does seem to be the problem in CFS eg the long treatment times) and CFIDOVIR is better at that - it could be a huge breakthrough.....

Could we start seeing dramatically increased rates of improvement/wellness in people taking this drug. If Montoya had had this drug would his antiviral trial had a much different outcome? If this drug works it could have a major impact on how this disorder is viewed.

Lots of interesting stuff going on.

cort:

is dr. P going to do a trial of cidofovir/visitude (which is given thru IV and FDA approved) or the cmx0001 (which is orally administered and in stage 3 trials)...can you pls clarify. it would be great if a SF bay area doc could do a trial of the cmx0001.....kogelnik?

thanks

 

[August59]

Dr. Peterson has used i.v. Vistide in his clinic. There are a few people on PR who have received Vistide treatments from him. Here is an article by Cort from awhile back that might give you some more info.

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/content.php?66-Hammering-CFS-A-Vistide-Success

 

[Sasha]

This is very interesting - I just read the whole SARS quote, which is:

Currently there are two large studies for ME. The first is at Columbia University, headed by Dr. Ian Lipkin. Dr. Lipkin is internationally recognized for his work with SARS. He is responsible for discovering SARS and is credited with saving millions of lives, especially in China.

The ME world is truly fortunate that Dr. Lipkin has agreed to do two studies on ME. Through viral assays for known and unknown pathogens, Dr. Lipkin will be looking for all human viral pathogens. As well, there is a study of 240 post SARS patients from Toronto, Canada. These patients are being tracked and approximately 6 to 8% developed identical symptoms to ME.

I hadn't realised Dr Lipkin would be already familiar to some extent with ME in a SARS context and I think it's great that he is. It must be similar in some ways to seeing an ME outbreak like Incline Village or Lyndonville - blindingly clear viral onset and no doubt that there's a serious biological disorder.

We're really lucky to have him working on this.

 

[*GG*]

I just met Dr. Peterson in Incline with Corrine Blandino and he thinks its all in the brain. Something happens that triggers problems in the brain.....

THE FUTURE

Is this Dan Peterson of the wPi fame? If yes Cort, have you not met him before?

GG