INDEX:

Mission

Why This AHSCT Site?

Who We Are

Contributors’ Feedback

Conflict of Interest

Disclaimers

Funding

Donations

Contacts

CureMS.net Mission

Our mission is to:

📌 Help patients and healthcare providers make informed decisions about AHSCT.

📌 Make scientific evidence understandable to the general population.

📌 Present scientific facts (i.e., evidence-based research) without promoting unrealistic hopes.

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Why This AHSCT Site?

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains systematically underrepresented in the scientific literature and at major international congresses — despite a growing body of evidence demonstrating its superior efficacy, radiologically, clinically, and immunologically, over any other available treatment for highly active relapsing MS in appropriately selected patients.

At ECTRIMS 2025, as in previous years, AHSCT occupied a marginal space compared to pharmacological disease-modifying therapies. Similarly, in scientific journalism covering immune modulation and immune “resetting” in MS, AHSCT is frequently omitted or mentioned only in passing.

Illustration: Antigen presenting cells (illustrated, right) can sometimes train T cells (left) not to attack. Credit: Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library.
Photo of the article published in Nature 625, 646-648 (2024), in the “News Feature” section. Source: Nature

Photo of the article published in the New Scientist health section. Source: New Scientist, February 24, 2025.

This gap is particularly striking given that EBMT and ECTRIMS now recognize AHSCT as a standard-of-care option for selected patients with aggressive, treatment-refractory relapsing MS, when performed in experienced centers (Muraro et al., 2025).

It should be noted that AHSCT is an intensive procedure with specific risks (click here for more information), not appropriate for all patients with MS. It requires careful patient selection, consolidated expertise, and a thorough informed consent process.

The purpose of this website is to bridge the gap between the available clinical evidence and the limited scientific and public visibility of AHSCT — providing clear, evidence-based information for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

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Who We Are

I am Antonio Bertolotto, a neurologist with experience in clinical management and research on MS. I’ve created this website with the aim of expanding information regarding therapies and procedures that could lead to the curing of MS. Specifically, the site is dedicated to AHSCT.

Supporting me in the management and updating of this website is Sabdi Valverde, a tech-enthusiast, and biologist who attended the University of Turin, graduating from the Department of Molecular Biotechnology in 2020 with a thesis on NURR1 in MS.

Since graduation, Sabdi worked in a dedicated MS lab, in an NHS (National Health System) lab and in private industry.

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Contributors' Feedback

Any suggestions or corrections are welcome to help improve this website. Please write us at info@curems.net

Thanks to:

  • Bruno Amaral (from GregoryAI) for improving the sections on “Long-term Benefits” (“Ideal condition for regenerative therapies”) and “AHSCT Centers & Costs” (with data on Portugal)
  • Bram Platel for improving the clarity of the home page, the data about the Netherlands in the section “AHSCT Centers and Costs” and images of conditioning protocols.
  • Alice Mariottini for improving table on comparison between AHSCT vs. DMT and for risk of transplantation.
  • Susan Goelz, for reading and correcting the first drafts of CureMS.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Bertolotto:

– is not a direct prescriber of DMTs (Disease Modifying Therapies), as he does not work in an authorized MS Center for DMT prescriptions.

– does not work in a Clinical Center that performs AHSCT.

– has no financial interest in the use of AHSCT.

In the years 2023-2025, Dr. Bertolotto has received:

– support to attend scientific conferences from Merck, Sanofi, Roche, FORB, Biogen, AISM (Italian MS Association) and Sandoz

– honoraria for lectures from Novartis, Sandoz

Dr. Valverde has received support from FORB to attend scientific conferences in 2024 and 2025.

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Disclaimer

Medical Liability Disclaimer

The information presented on this website “curems.net” is intended for general knowledge and informational purposes only. Therefore, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice provided by a qualified healthcare practitioner (i.e., an individual legally authorized to practice medicine), or, as appropriate, other healthcare professionals such as dentists, nurses, psychologists, pharmacists, veterinarians, physiotherapists, etc.

Fondazione Ricerca Biomedica, ONLUS

The content on the website “curems.net” represents the opinion of the Site’s responsible party (Dr. Bertolotto) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the FORB (Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica), ONLUS.

AI Disclosure

Some content on curems.net is proofread with the assistance of AI tools (e.g., Claude) to improve the clarity of the English language and support consistency in scientific communication. All medical content is reviewed, verified, and approved by our Medical Director prior to publication. AI is used solely as an editorial assistance tool and is never used to generate clinical recommendations or replace human editorial judgment.

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Funding

The “Cure MS” project and this website are funded by donations and bequests to the “Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica”, a non-profit organization (ONLUS), with the purpose of “Research coordinated by Dr. Bertolotto”.

The “Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica”, ONLUS (FORB), is a non-profit organization, and, thanks to donations from businesses and private individuals, it funds research projects.

“Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica” is located at Via Nizza, n. 52, at the Center for Molecular Biotechnology Research, Turin.

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Donations

You can support this website with a donation in two different ways:

🟢 Bank transfer to “Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica-ONLUS”

IBAN – IT 64 S030 6909 6061 0000 0010 185 – BIC/SWIFT – BCITITMM

Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica – ONLUS, Via Nizza, 52 – 10126 TORINO

Please specify in the reference/reason “Donation for CureMS.net” so that the Foundation can use your donation for the fight against MS.

🟢 Satispay

1. Scan the QR code with your Satispay App.

2. Enter the amount you would like to donate. There is no minimum amount required.

3. Once the donation is completed, download the donation receipt.

4. Send an email to forb@unito.it with the subject “Donation for CureMS.net”

5. Attach the donation receipt to the email.

6. Sent the email.

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Contacts

Readers can contact us, send an email to info@curems.net

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