Weapon against MS: Transplant drug limits nerve damage

A drug originally devised to prevent immune rejection of organ transplants can lessen relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis, a new study finds.

The drug, called fingolimod, inhibits immune cells from destroying the fatty coatings of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Damage of such myelin sheaths leads to multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, which include fatigue, balance problems, and loss of muscle control.