Pills to Treat Multiple Sclerosis(多発性硬化症)on the Horizon(兆しが見えて、起こりかかって)
Approximately 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis, or MS, a debilitating(衰弱させる)disease in which the body's own immune system attacks and destroys the myelin insulation(ミエリン絶縁体)covering neurons in the central nervous system. This can result in muscular weakness, partial paralysis, loss of coordination, and speech and visual disturbances. Currently, treatments are only available via injection or infusion(点滴). However, promising results in studies of two oral drugs, cladribine and fingolimod, suggest that a tablet treatment may become available for patient use as early as 2011.