Either sex, 18–65 years old |
Pregnancy, breastfeeding or lactation |
Diagnosis of clinically definite MS as defined by the McDonald criteria |
History of autologous/allogeneic bone marrow transplantation or peripheral blood stem cell transplant |
|
Bone marrow insufficiency |
MS disease severity EDSS 4–6 |
History of lymphoproliferative disease or previous total lymphoid irradiation |
|
Immune deficiency |
Disease duration >5 years |
History of current or recent (<5 years) malignancy |
Disease progression (not attributable to relapse) in the year prior to entry |
Chronic or frequent drug-resistant bacterial infections or presence of active infection requiring antimicrobial treatment |
Signed, written informed consent |
Frequent and/or serious viral infection |
Willing and able to comply with study visits according to protocol for the full study period |
Systemic or invasive fungal disease within 2 years of entry to study |
|
Significant renal, hepatic, cardiac or respiratory dysfunction |
|
Contraindication to anaesthesia |
Bleeding or clotting diathesis |
|
Current or recent (within preceding 12 months) immunomodulatory therapy other than corticosteroid therapy |
|
Treatment with corticosteroids within the preceding 3 months |
|
Significant relapse within preceding 6 months |
|
Predominantly relapsing-remitting disease over preceding 12 months |
|
Radiation exposure in the past year other than chest/dental x-rays |
|
Previous claustrophobia |
The presence of any implanted metal or other contraindication to MRI |
|
Participation in another experimental study or treatment within previous 24 months |