The nucleoside analog kamuvudine-9 shows protective and therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Kamuvudine-9 (K-9) prevents neurological deficits and reverses paralysis and vision loss in a mouse model of MS, with myelin and axonal preservation.

• Why it matters: Inflammasome activation is linked to MS pathogenesis, and existing treatments lack targeted inflammasome inhibition; understanding this could improve therapies.
• What they did: Researchers treated experimental autoimmune encephalitis mice with K-9, an NRTI derivative, and observed reduced serum NfL, disrupted inflammasome interactions, and preserved neural tissue.
• The result: Findings suggest K-9's potential for MS treatment, supported by lower MS incidence and relapse rates in humans using NRTIs, indicating a promising therapeutic avenue.