Health Australia (Commonwealth Union) – Under the guidance of Associate Professor Mary-Louise Rogers, a distinguished researcher at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), a groundbreaking project is set to explore the potential link between an ancient virus and Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Furthermore, the study aims to investigate whether targeted therapies against this virus could contribute to the development of more efficacious treatments for MND.
Associate Professor Rogers, affiliated with the College of Medicine and Public Health, has secured substantial funding of nearly $1 million from FightMND, a prominent Australian funding organization, to advance her pioneering research into MND.
MND, a devastating neurological ailment, affects one in 300 Australians during their lifetime. Unfortunately, accurate diagnosis often occurs at an advanced stage of the disease, resulting in irreversible nerve damage. Tragically, the average life expectancy following an MND diagnosis in Australia stands at a mere 27 months.
Motor neurone disease, also referred to as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in other regions of the world, is a fatal condition characterized by the degeneration and demise of nerve cells responsible for controlling the muscles essential for our ability to move, speak, breathe, and swallow. This ambitious research endeavor seeks to shed light on potential breakthroughs in understanding and combating this debilitating disease.
Associate Professor Rogers indicated that the pressing need to bridge significant gaps in our comprehension of Motor Neurone Disease’s origins and the development of effective treatment modalities. She further pointed out that as no cure currently exists, there is an urgent imperative to deepen our understanding of this affliction, thereby facilitating the creation of more efficacious therapies and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
The research initiative seeks to ascertain whether an endogenous retrovirus (ERV) may be a potential causative factor for Motor Neurone Disease. Furthermore, it endeavors to explore the viability of antisense therapy as a means of combatting this ailment.
Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs) are ancient viral entities that began their integration into the human genome approximately 30-40 million years ago, ultimately becoming an intrinsic part of our DNA.
Antisense therapy is a revolutionary approach to treating diseases by manipulating the expression of specific genes within the body. Unlike traditional drug therapies that primarily target symptoms, antisense therapy tackles the underlying genetic causes of various conditions. At its core, this therapy relies on the use of short, synthetic molecules known as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). These ASOs are designed to bind with specific RNA molecules, thereby modulating gene expression and protein production.
Antisense therapy represents an innovative approach to combatting diseases, utilizing short DNA-like molecules known as antisense oligonucleotides. Recently, this therapy has emerged as a promising and exciting strategy for addressing a spectrum of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders. This research project holds the potential to shed light on new avenues for understanding and treating Motor Neurone Disease.
“Our cutting-edge project will use genomic and cellular tools to map out how endogenous retroviral remnants may alter cells and cause motor neurone disease. We will then test whether antisense therapy targeted to an endogenous retroviral protein can be used to successfully treat MND.
“Our results may be able to help the current Lighthouse Trial that is testing anti-retroviral therapy and could be significant in the future development of treatments”, said Associate Professor Rogers.
The Lighthouse project marks a groundbreaking milestone as the world’s inaugural clinical trial employing contemporary combination antiretroviral therapy to enhance the management of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). In its Phase 2, this trial has yielded promising results, suggesting that a medication known as Triumeq, originally designed for HIV treatment, could potentially decelerate disease progression in individuals grappling with MND.
The collaborative research endeavor also encompasses the contributions of other researchers hailing from both Flinders University and the University of South Australia.
