MS Research Projects update

How has the Covid pandemic affected MS research at the Anne Rowling Clinic?

The pandemic has been very challenging. When we suddenly couldn't see people face to face due to lockdown we had to quickly develop new ways of continuing our clinical trials. This involved switching to telephone appointments and arranging to courier trial drug supplies to participants. As restrictions lifted, we are now able to see participants face to face again which is lovely as I have missed seeing people! This for me is what makes the job rewarding.

What MS research is currently ongoing and how can people with MS get involved?

We currently have a number of research studies and trials ongoing in the Clinic. There is Rowling-CARE, which includes a database where anyone in Scotland who is interested in getting involved and participating in our research can register. This is hugely important for us because it means when people sign up we can then approach them if we have any trials they may be eligible to participate in.

We have the International MS Microbiome study which aims to identify communities of gut bacteria within the digestive system of people with MS compared to healthy controls.

FutureMS-2 is a continuation study following up people who were newly diagnosed with MS. Those people recruited in the initial study are being invited to stay on in the FutureMS2 cohort to gather information on the ongoing impact of MS. To really understand its impact, we need to not only map what happened to someone at the point of diagnosis but also follow these same individuals over time.

The PIT MS study aims to develop a tool to predict which medication works best for people with newly diagnosed MS. The hope is that the information gathered from this study will help the development of a more personalised approach to care.

DELIVER-MS is a study that looks at whether there is a difference in the effectiveness of escalation and early highly effective treatment (EHT) approaches for people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).

Our MS clinical trials are:

MS-STAT2 is testing whether a drug called Simvastatin (which is used to lower cholesterol) is effective in slowing the progression of MS in people with secondary progressive MS. There are currently no drug treatments licensed for this group of people so this is a pivotal trial.

Chariot-MS is investigating whether a drug called Cladribine can protect upper limb function in people with advanced MS. Protecting upper limb (and other neurological) function will help people with advanced MS to maintain their independence for longer. This would not only have a major impact on their lives but also those of their family, carers, and on medical and social services.

What's the difference between a clinical trial like MS-STAT2 and an observational study like FutureMS2?

A clinical trial is an intervention study - a specific type of clinical research study that aims to answer a defined question about a treatment. They are the primary way that researchers find out if a new treatment, like a new drug, diet, or medical device is safe and effective. The MS-STAT2 trial is a clinical trial as it is looking to see whether prescribing Simvastatin has an effect on the progression of MS within the trial.

Observational studies are those where researchers observe the effect of a risk factor, diagnostic test, treatment or other intervention without trying to change who or isn't exposed to it. The FutureMS-2 study is a good example of an observational study. There is no treatment administered in this study although it's just as important for understanding MS.

What are you most looking forward to now that Covid restrictions are more relaxed?

I'm actually most looking forward to catching up with participants we have not seen in a while due to the restrictions. Over the many years I've been involved in research, here at the Clinic I have got to know many of our participants well and have missed not seeing people face to face. The pandemic has made me realise how important seeing people in person is for ourselves and hopefully the same is true for the participants too.

Can you tell us about any upcoming MS trials or MS studies?

We are very excited to be a major recruiting centre for OCTOPUS-MS, which is a new UK-wide trial led from London. This trial aims to evaluate treatments for slowing the progression of disability in participants with primary or secondary progressive MS. We will of course update the website and social media platforms when recruitment has opened, so watch this space!

We are also excited to be the lead site for the Precision MS project which is a Scottish Government-sponsored research project run in partnership with NHS Lothian. The Scotland-wide project will aim to tailor care for people living with MS. It is hoped that recruitment will open later this year and we will update our website and social media platforms when we have the green light to recruit.