Staph vaccine to treat CFS??

[lansbergen]

If mercury is forbidden what adjuvant would you use?

 

[lansbergen]

Sure it has immunemodulatory effects,but a staph vaccine is designed to trigger staph antibody production and therefore cut down on infections, possibly incl. chronic subacute ones. Here is a recent article about a vaccine against s. aureus:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117950
.

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/nabi-s-staphvax-fails-late-stage-study-for-infections/2005-11-01

Nabi's StaphVax fails late-stage study for infections

October 31, 2005

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals' share price got hammered this morning after the biotech announced that StaphVax failed to reduce infections among kidney patients, flunking a late stage trial. The 3,600 patients in the study demonstrated no reduction in Staphylococcus aureus infections. The biotech swiftly dropped an application for European approval and ended development of a similar staph vaccine. Nabi's stock plunged 67 percent on the news.

 

[Ninan]

If mercury is forbidden what adjuvant would you use?

Don't know but the clinic obviously does.

 

[mellster]

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/nabi-s-staphvax-fails-late-stage-study-for-infections/2005-11-01
Nabi's StaphVax fails late-stage study for infections

October 31, 2005

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals' share price got hammered this morning after the biotech announced that StaphVax failed to reduce infections among kidney patients, flunking a late stage trial. The 3,600 patients in the study demonstrated no reduction in Staphylococcus aureus infections. The biotech swiftly dropped an application for European approval and ended development of a similar staph vaccine. Nabi's stock plunged 67 percent on the news.

Thanks - crap, was my article that old? It had no year listed so I assumed it was 2013. Doesn't change the fact that they are continuing to try new formulations and change target groups. Same as with oncology, 4 out of 5 fail but progress is inevitable. I found an article discussing the StaphVax failure, incl. further studies for possible subgroups:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/805089

 

[bertiedog]

I was tested at the Breakspear 2 years ago for evidence of Staph as well as a viral panel and Chlamydia Pneumonia. I was negative for Staph ad Chlamydia and EBV but positive for 5 or 6 Herpes type viruses including Cytomegalovirus. Since then I have taken Immunovir and Artesunate with no change to my health or to the ore or less permanent inflamed throat I have had for over 13 years.

Thanks to testing on my Autonomic System though they found one year later that I was more than 50% short of oxygen in my cells and Dr Munro recommended I use an oxygen concentrator for up to 3 times daily and since then I have done this to great effect.

Just wish I knew for sure why I have such low oxygen in my cells.

Pam

 

[Ninan]

@Tammy , @mellster and Ninan
No Ninan, as you say, it has nothing to do with any ongoing infection or staph´s . Its effect is on the immune system as you say. You wrote "that´s why we get better". Do you use the vaccine yourself? Good to see another Swede here .

Nah, I wish! I felt great for one month after the swine flu shot so I'm pretty sure this would help too.

 

[lansbergen]

Don't know but the clinic obviously does.

The clinic that can not find a replacement?

 

[Ninan]

The clinic that can not find a replacement?

As I wrote above: They searched "the whole western world". Nothing.

 

[lansbergen]

As I wrote above: They searched "the whole western world". Nothing.

How does that show they obviously know what adjuvant to use as a replacement for mercury?

 

[Ninan]

How does that show they obviously know what adjuvant to use as a replacement for mercury?

It doesn't, I misread your post. But that is obviously not an issue since they say they can make a vaccine without mercury. The company which produced the original vaccine could too, they just thought it was too expensive. The problem isn't how, it's money. And yes, the clinic is the Gottfries clinic outside Gothenburg.

 

[Hip]

The $900,000 you say is required to develop a new mercury free version of the Staphylococcus vaccine. However, what about just restarting production of the original mercury containing Staphylococcus vaccine (in a country where it is legal to do this)? Presumably that would not cost much.

I think the important thing would be to perform some proper studies on this Staphylococcus vaccine, and publish data on its efficacy for ME/CFS. I don't think there is any data, as far as I am aware, except anecdotal info.

Once there is a published a study on the efficacy of Staphylococcus (and assuming it does have good efficacy), then you can consider creating a mercury free vaccine. And if a restarted production of the mercury containing vaccine was really helping thousands of ME/CFS patients to get significantly better, I don't think you would have any difficulty in raising the $900,000.

Only recently nearly half a $million was raised in just 90 days by crowdsourcing from the ME/CFS community to perform a rituximab trial. I think the money would be raised if the data of efficacy was there.

 

[Hip]

If mercury is forbidden what adjuvant would you use?

Note that mercury in vaccines is not an adjuvant, but a preservative. Aluminum hydroxide is used as the adjuvant in many vaccines.

The function of an adjuvant is to boost the immune system when the vaccine is given; this boost is necessary in order for immune system to be properly trained by the antigen present in the vaccine.

 

[Hip]

StaphVax does not appear to be a Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine, which I think is what you may need for treating ME/CFS. The Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine contains a weakened form of a toxin made by Staphylococcus called alpha toxin. When you get this toxoid vaccination that contains weakened alpha toxin, it trains your immune system to make antibodies against alpha toxin (but not against the Staphylococcus bacterium itself).

The idea is that the alpha toxin secreted by the Staphylococcus bacteria creates many of the major problems of a Staphylococcus infection, so if the immune system is trained to make neutralizing antibodies against alpha toxin, this will greatly reduce the impact of a Staphylococcus infection.

Just how alpha toxin might act as an immunomodulator that benefits ME/CFS, I do not know.

 

[Ninan]

The $900,000 you say is required to develop a new mercury free version of the Staphylococcus vaccine. However, what about just restarting production of the original mercury containing Staphylococcus vaccine (in a country where it is legal to do this)? Presumably that would not cost much.

I think the important thing would be to perform some proper studies on this Staphylococcus vaccine, and publish data on its efficacy for ME/CFS. I don't think there is any data, as far as I am aware, except anecdotal info.

Once there is a published a study on the efficacy of Staphylococcus (and assuming it does have good efficacy), then you can consider creating a mercury free vaccine. And if a restarted production of the mercury containing vaccine was really helping thousands of ME/CFS patients to get significantly better, I don't think you would have any difficulty in raising the $900,000.

Only recently nearly half a $million was raised in just 90 days by crowdsourcing from the ME/CFS community to perform a rituximab trial. I think the money would be raised if the data of efficacy was there.

The studies were published years ago, it's all there:

http://www.gottfriesclinic.com/forskning_artiklar.html

 

[lansbergen]

Note that mercury in vaccines is not an adjuvant, but a preservative. Aluminum is generally used as the adjuvant in many vaccines.

In animals vaccines it was called an adjuvant.

 

[Ninan]

In animals vaccines it was called an adjuvant.

In this case it was a preservative. (My sources are in Swedish, that's why I don't share them here.)

 

[Hip]

The studies were published years ago, it's all there:

http://www.gottfriesclinic.com/forskning_artiklar.html

Thanks very much for that link. In fact, I think have actually seen one or two of those studies before.

Here are the study abstracts:

Treatment with staphylococcus toxoid in fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome--a randomised controlled trial

2002. Full paper here.

FULL CLINICAL TRIAL of 100 female patients who fulfilled the criteria for both fibromyalgia and CFS. Half were treated with the Staphypan vaccine, and the other half given a placebo.

65% of treated ME/CFS patients responding favorably to the Staphypan® Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine. 33% of treated ME/CFS patients obtained a 50% reduction in symptoms (on the CPRS scale).

"In conclusion, treatment with staphylococcus toxoid injections over 6 months led to significant improvement in patients with FM and CFS. Maintenance treatment is required to prevent relapse."

Effects of staphylococcus toxoid vaccine on pain and fatigue in patients with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome

1998. Full paper here.

SMALL-SCALE TRIAL of 28 female patients who fulfilled the criteria for both fibromyalgia and CFS. Half were treated with the Staphypan vaccine, and the other half given a placebo.

"Clinical global impressions showed significant improvement in the vaccine-treated group".

In a follow-up study of 23 patients from the trial, the vaccine treatment was continued for 2 to 6 years. 50% were rehabilitated successfully and resumed half-time or full-time work.

Long-term treatment with a staphylococcus toxoid vaccine in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

2006. Full paper here.

"One hundred and sixty patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, who were on a continuous treatment with a Staphylococcus vaccine, were followed during one year. After continuous treatment for three to five years, there were no severe adverse events and the adherence to the treatment was impressive. The clinical effect remained over time according to ratings."

Immune modulation with a staphylococcal preparation in fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome: relation between antibody levels and clinical improvement

2004. Full paper here.

"Treatment led to a significantly increased capacity of serum to neutralise alpha-toxin and a significant increase in serum IgG to alpha-toxin and lipase. Furthermore, the increase in these parameters combined paralleled the improvement in clinical outcome. Thus, the greater the serological response, the greater was the clinical effect."

NOTE: in this study, the ingredients of the Staphypan vaccine were analyzed, and the following Staphylococcus aureus antigens were identified:

Staphylococcus aureus antigens found in Staphypan:
alpha toxin
enterotoxin A
enterotoxin B
enterotoxin C
toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1)
lipase
cell-wall components
entire cell walls

Staphylococcus epidermidis antigens found in Staphypan:
entire cell walls
fibrinogen-binding protein

Immunotherapy of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by a Staphylococcus Toxoid Vaccine

2009.

"One hundred and sixty patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome who had previously participated in vaccine treatment studies were continuously observed during one year in a follow up study. Ratings showed improvement from start of treatment and further improvement was recorded during the follow-up period. Adverse events were few."

Fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome. Aspects on biology, treatment, and symptom evaluation (PhD thesis byOlof Zachrisson)

2002.

"Conclusion. FM and CFS are related conditions that respond to immune modulation with a staphylococcal preparation. Data indicate a relation between antibody response and clinical effect. Nickel allergy is prevalent and predicts poor response to staphylococcal vaccine."

Nickel Allergy Is Found in a Majority of Women with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Muscle Pain – And May Be Triggered by Cigarette Smoke and Dietary Nickel Intake

2001.

Two hundred and four women with chronic fatigue and muscle pain, with no signs of autoimmune disorder, received immune stimulation injections with a Staphylococcus vaccine at monthly intervals over 6 months. Good response was defined as a decrease by at least 50% of the total score on an observer’s rating scale.

Nickel allergy was evaluated as probable if the patient had a positive history of skin hypersensitivity from cutaneous exposure to metal objects. The patient’s smoking habits were recorded. Fifty-two percent of the patients had a positive history of nickel contact dermatitis. There were significantly more good responders among the non-allergic non-smokers (39%) than among the allergic smokers (6%).

We also present case reports on nickel-allergic patients who apparently improved after cessation of cigarette smoking and reducing their dietary nickel intake. Our observations indicate that exposure to nickel, by dietary intake or inhalation of cigarette smoke, may trigger systemic nickel allergy and contribute to syndromes of chronic fatigue and muscle pain.

Well, I think that there is enough clinical evidence there to start money raising campaign. It might be an idea to initially contact Maria Gjerpe in Normway, who is the doctor who has ME/CFS herself that was able to raise ½ $million by crowdfunding for a rituximab trial, and ask her for general advice, and what she did to be so successful in her campaign.

 

[Hip]

@Ninan

Do you know much about the history of using Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine to treat ME/CFS? Was this treatment mainly done in Sweden, and mainly done under the monitoring of Professor Gottfries? Or did it also occur in other countries, and by other researchers? I have certainly not heard of it being available in the UK.

And what happened to all the ME/CFS patients in Sweden who were taking Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine, and became healthy enough to go back to work, when the vaccine was withdrawn, as a result of the Swedish FDA ban, due to its mercury preservative?

 

[Ninan]

Thanks for the links! I haven't read them.

I'm a journalist myself and have worked with campaigns before. We are a few people thinking about this but we're all pretty, very, sick. I'm normally a 0-1, 2 with a strange side effect of Neurontin.

Maria had the novelity thing on her side -- it was news. This is not really. And I think a lot of people are afraid of vaccines after all the talk of people getting sick from them.

But yes. It can probably be done. Maybe we can pick up the commitment to rituximab -- nothing will happen there in years. Someone should talk to Olof Zachrisson at Gottfries Clinic. Who happens to be one of my doctors. I can ask him how far they've come and what they need and get back to you.

 

[Ninan]

@Ninan

Do you know much about the history of using Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine to treat ME/CFS? Was this treatment mainly done in Sweden, and mainly done under the monitoring of Professor Gottfries? Or did it also occur in other countries, and by other researchers? I have certainly not heard of it being available in the UK.

And what happened to all the ME/CFS patients in Sweden who were taking Staphylococcus toxoid vaccine, and became healthy enough to go back to work, when the vaccine was withdrawn, as a result of the Swedish FDA ban, due to its mercury preservative?

I'm pretty sure it was only used here. And the ban only included new patients. I think the ones already using it could go on. But now it doesn't exist anymore, so I guess they had to quit. I can try to get some answers and get back to you. (We should have this conversation under another headline.)