Silver lining in TGN1412 cloud

I can’t imagine the anguish endured and the lasting effects caused by testing of TGN1412 on those men in England.

From NewScientist.com:

Reports from friends and relatives describe the nightmarish symptoms suffered by the men. One man’s head was said to have swollen massively and his limbs turned purple. Another was said to resemble the deformed “Elephant Man”.

TGN1412 was being tested as a treatment for a range of illnesses, including autoimmune diseases, but it had been awarded special status as a possible treatment for a type of leukemia called B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).

The drug is a type of monoclonal antibody. Antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to a foreign invader like a bacterium. It recognizes the particular invader, or antigen, and neutralizes it as well as kick-starting a wider immune response. A monoclonal antibody is one manufactured to be specific for one antigen only. These have been used safely in treatments for a variety of diseases, including lymphoma, experts stress.

The treatment instead set off a “biostorm” of immune response when, in effect, it turned off the governor in our immune system. Unfortunately, the body began attacking itself.

Am I the only one who sees the potential platinum lining to this horrible cloud?

Think of the applications if this revved up immune response can be marshaled and directed per our demand! It could mean an end to most infectious diseases (including AIDS), an end to systemic and other cancers (assuming we can positively identify cancer cells to the marauding T-cells) and possibly even anti-aging benefits as we use the rampaging T-cells to cleanse the body of malfunctioning cells or even plaque in the arteries. Antibiotics? Who needs them. Anti-virals? We’ll take care of those little viral problems in house from now on.

Yes, the nightmare endured by those men is horrible, but the knowledge gained could prove to be invaluable. We’ve known for a long time that the body has the ability to repair itself and defend against disease…how much better to be able to turn our workmanlike immune system into Superman when needed?

Engineered immune response holds huge potential for the human race. I’m just sorry those men in England inadvertently paid the price for progress.