New anti-arthritis vaccine planned

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The treatment involves cells being taken from the patient before being altered and injected back into the affected joint.

The process works like a vaccine and changes human cells to suppress - rather than activate - the immune system.

This would stop the body attacking its own joints, say scientists at Newcastle University.

The scientists are ready to test the vaccine on an already selected team of volunteers from the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, who already have the disease.

Professor John Isaacs said that although the work was in a very early, experimental stage it was "hugely exciting" and, if successful, could signal a major breakthrough in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Although a similar technique has been used in cancer research, this is the first time it has been adapted to rheumatoid arthritis.

The research is being funded by medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign, which is providing £216,000 over 18 months.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects more than 350,000 people in the UK and although there is no cure for the disease, new drugs have been developed.

However, these suppress the immune system - leaving patients at risk of developing infections. If the Newcastle research is successful, it may be possible to develop new drugs that specifically switch off unwanted immune responses without suppressing protective immunity.