Simvastatin in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition which is a common cause of disability in
young people. It is thought to be an autoimmune condition, where the body's immune system
begins to attack itself. The cause of MS is unknown but is thought to be a mix of genetic and
environmental factors. There are treatments available for early stages of MS, but the later
stage known as Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) has no current treatment.
Statins are a safe treatment traditionally used to reduce cholesterol levels. However,
statins also have other effects which could reduce the progression of SPMS, such as effects
on the immune system and circulation. A recent study (Chataway et al., 2014) showed that
treatment with high-dose simvastatin, a type of statin, reduced the progression of SPMS but
no effect on the immune system was seen. It is possible that simvastatin does not treat the
immune system but improves how the blood and blood vessels in the brain work in this disease.
The purpose of the clinical trial is to test how Simvastatin (80mg/day) may slow down disease
progression in people living with SPMS compared to placebo (dummy pill). Participants will
receive either Simvastatin or placebo and will be asked to take 2 tablets daily, for up to 17
weeks.