New Potential Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Being Tested In Canada

BOSTON (CBS) -  Multiple sclerosis affects almost a million Americans and there is still no cure, but researchers in Canada may have discovered a new way to treat the disorder.

With MS, it's believed that the body's own immune system attacks the nervous system, specifically B-cells which invade the brain and attack the protective covering of nerve cells. Currently there are drugs on the market that can slow the progression by eliminating these cells, but that can lead to serious infections and even cancer.

Researchers have now shown that by blocking a certain molecule, they can keep B-cells in the bloodstream where they belong and reduce their flow to the brain, which can slow the progression of MS in mice.

They need to make sure this treatment is safe and effective in humans, but they hope this discovery could lead to a new generation of therapies to treat MS.