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Øystein Fluge
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==Rituximab work in ME/CFS== Øystein Fluge's and Olav Mella's discovery was found by accident, in that three ME/CFS patients who had B-cell lymphoma improved remarkably following treatment with [[Rituximab]]. Not only had their lymphomas improved, but all symptoms of their ME/CFS diminished with the treatment. The positive responses were delayed for up to 6-12 weeks, despite their B cells being eliminated by the drug in 2 weeks. Since that accidental discovery, a larger study has been undertaken. Initial reports were promising in that there is a positive response in 67% of the patients receiving Rituximab vs a 13% improvement in the placebo group. After the effects wore off, there was a decline in the numbers who responded to the second and subsequent infusions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://investinme.org/cindex.shtml | title = Invest in ME Research - International ME Conferences and Colloquiums Home Page|website=investinme.org|access-date=Sep 12, 2019}}</ref> The clinical trial, named [[RituxME]], was a multicenter, phase III study. It was randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled, with 152 participants, of which half will receive treatments with [[rituximab]] and the other half will be treated with placebo (saline).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://helse-bergen.no/en/avdelinger/kreftbehandling-og-medisinsk-fysikk/research-and-development/rituxme | title = RituxME | website = Helse Bergen|language=en|access-date=Sep 10, 2019}}</ref> On Nov 21, 2017, Drs. Øystein Fluge and Olav Mella announced that their [[Rituximab]] trial had failed. They stated that they would focus their efforts on attempting to identify a subgroup of [[ME/CFS]] patients with an immune profile that would be responsive to [[Rituximab]]. The Drs. will publish a paper next year with the specifics of the failed trial.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://simmaronresearch.com/2017/11/norwegian-rituximab-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-mecfs-trial-fails/ | title = Norwegian Rituximab Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Trial Fails| date = 2017-11-26 | website = Simmaron Research|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref> The discovery of ME/CFS patients responding positively to an autoimmunity drug has radically changed how many have viewed ME/CFS, to the point that Bjørn Guldvog, the Deputy Director General of Norwegian Directorate of Health, has apologized for the way in which ME patients in Norway have been treated: "I think that we have not cared for people with ME to a great enough extent. I think it is correct to say that we have not established proper health care services for these people, and I regret that." The European ME Alliance believes that such a public apology from a governmental health agency has never occurred before.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.euro-me.org/news-Q42011-003.htm | title = European ME Alliance - Norway's Directorate of Health Apologises to ME Patients for Poor Treatment|website=euro-me.org|access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref> In 2015, a second clinical trial for ME/CFS by the same group headed by Fluge and Mella, was started using the chemotherapy drug, cyclophosphamide. Called [[CycloME]] part A, this study will involve 40 patients with moderate and severe ME/CFS and will be ongoing until January 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://helse-bergen.no/en/avdelinger/kreftbehandling-og-medisinsk-fysikk/research-and-development/cyclome-part-a | title = CycloME part A | website = Helse Bergen|language=no|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref> If the results indicate a clinically relevant response, i.e., an improvement in symptoms, in a minimum of 40% of the patients, the trial will move into CycloME part B and may be extended to include patients with very severe ME.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://helse-bergen.no/en/avdelinger/kreftbehandling-og-medisinsk-fysikk/research-and-development/cyclome-part-b | title = CycloME part B | website = Helse Bergen|language=no|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref>
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