Hertfordshire mum is first UK patient to trial new MS treatment

A biology teacher and mother of two has become the first patient in the UK to receive “game-changing” therapy to treat multiple sclerosis (MS).

Emily Henders, 37, from Bushey, Hertfordshire, was treated at University College London Hospital (UCLH) as part of a global clinical trial.

Since her diagnosis in December 2021, Mrs Henders has had “really scary” episodes of relapse, during which she said: “My legs don't work, I can't walk.”

Experts believe targeted immunotherapy treatments could be “life-transforming” by slowing or even stopping disease progression.

“I hope that taking part in the study means that I never have to experience another relapse and that my MS symptoms do not progress,” Ms Henders said.

“I know this is still an experimental project, but it offers a scientific rationale that, as a biology teacher, makes sense to me.”

Multiple sclerosis is an “autoimmune” disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the nerves into the brain and spinal cord by mistake.

An experimental treatment known as CAR T-cell therapy aims to reboot the immune system.

It works by depleting B cells, which are thought to trigger the autoimmune attack in multiple sclerosis.

The patient's own T cells, which hunt for infected or damaged cells, are genetically engineered and infused back into the patient to “reboot” the immune system.

Ms Henders, who has sons aged six and four, told the PA news agency she felt fine after the three-minute procedure.

“I actually feel very good. “I feel fine and my strength has returned.”

“I don’t have nausea, I didn’t have a fever. I feel pretty relaxed,” she said.

Mrs Henders, whose father also has multiple sclerosis, was diagnosed on Christmas Eve after she felt a tingling sensation in her arms.

“Physically, my symptoms gradually got worse,” she said.

“Sometimes I notice my foot hitting the pavement in a weird way. Or when I’m teaching and my hands are shaking.”

Mrs Henders will “never forget” her first serious relapse, when her children saw her being taken away in an ambulance.

“I got out of bed and couldn’t get up – it was very scary,” she said.

“I will never forget the faces of my children when the doctors rushed in and tied me to a chair.

“Emotionally I feel for them and how they are dealing with it.

“I'm worried it might spread to them. It’s very scary for the future – not knowing what the next relapse will bring.”

Ms Henders hopes the treatment will avoid the decline in morbidity typical of multiple sclerosis patients, who often require a wheelchair.

“It will mean I can chase my kids and still be able to work,” she said.

“I couldn’t be a science teacher in a wheelchair or even on crutches.

“This is too much of a health and safety risk so it will have a real impact on my work.”

A spokesperson for the Multiple Sclerosis Society said: “It's still early days, but if the trial results are successful, CAR T-cell therapy could be a game changer in how we treat the disease.”

UCLH consultant haematologist Claire Roddy said the team were “excited” about the trial.

“We're taking a treatment developed to treat cancer and repurposing it to treat a whole new spectrum of diseases,” she said.

“We do CAR T-cell therapy – bam, you're in the center, you get treatment, and that's it.

“I hope you won’t need any more medication after this point.

“If we could achieve this in multiple sclerosis, it would change the lives of many people.”