Research is targeting drugs for the progressive forms of MS, for which there are very few treatments at the moment. There are several treatments for PPMS and SPMS in the pipeline:

• MBP8298 (BioMS Medical Corp.) is currently being studied for progressive forms of MS. It is a synthetic fragment of a protein found in myelin.

• Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), an immunosuppressive drug usually used to treat cancer, is currently being studied for its effectiveness in treating SPMS.

• Lamictal (lamotrigine) (Glaxo-SmithKline) is an oral drug currently used to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy. It is currently being studied for SPMS.

Although the tide is turning, historically the emphasis of research has been placed on relapsing-remitting MS because the greatest percentages of people are diagnosed with this form, and because it is easier to measure and observe changes in RRMS. Also, the inflammation found in RRMS provides a specific target for treatment.

Primary progressive patients appear to have less or a different type of inflammation, and so far, inflammation has been easier to treat. All six of the FDA-approved disease-modifying therapies target inflammation caused by the immune system's attack on the CNS. They are most effective for individuals with RRMS, with limited effectiveness for some individuals with SPMS. Drugs that target inflammation do not seem to have much effect on those with non-relapsing forms of MS.

Research, however, is accelerating, and people with progressive forms of MS have reason to look ahead and be optimistic.