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Olav Mella
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==Rituximab work in ME/CFS== [[Øystein Fluge]]'s and Olav Mella's discovery was found by accident, in that 3 [[ME/CFS]] patients who had [[B cell|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 are 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://www.investinme.org/IIMEC7.shtml | title = Invest in ME Research - IIMEC7 International ME Conference 2012 | last = Invest in ME Research | first = | authorlink = Invest in ME | date = |website=[[Invest in ME Research]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> The clinical trial, named [[RituxME]], is now a multicenter, phase III study. It is 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). Results will be published in 2018.<ref>http://www.helse-bergen.no/en/OmOss/Avdelinger/kreft/forsking-fagutvikling/Sider/RituxME.aspx</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 | last = Simmaron Research | first = | authorlink = Simmaron Research | date = 2017-11-26 | website = Simmaron Research|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-05-06}}</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 = Norway's Directorate of Health Apologises to ME Patients for Poor Treatment | last = European ME Alliance | first = | authorlink = European ME Alliance | date = | website = euro-me.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-05-06}}</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. 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>http://www.helse-bergen.no/en/OmOss/Avdelinger/kreft/forsking-fagutvikling/Sider/CycloME.aspx</ref>
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