Octopus is a revolutionary trial that will transform the way we test treatments for progressive multiple sclerosis. A smarter way of testing potential treatments, it could deliver life-changing new treatments faster than conventional trials.
What is the aim of the Octopus trial?
The overarching aim of the Octopus trial is to find treatments that can slow down, and ultimately stop the progression of disability in people with progressive MS.
How will the Octopus trial work?
Octopus is a multi-arm, multi-stage (known as MAMS) trial design. This is the first time this has been done in a clinical trial for MS. By using this MAMS design, it makes it possible to test new treatments up to three times faster by:
- Testing multiple drugs at once, and comparing them with a single control group.This means that what would normally be two consecutive trials can be delivered in one.
- Using MRI scan images to get an idea of whether a drug looks like it has potential many months before we'd be able to see an effect of the drug on a person's disability progression.
- Promising-looking drugs stay on the trial, with more people being able to join the existing participants.
- Flexibility has been built into the design of the Octopus trial which means that the research team can drop drugs that don't look promising, and slot in new drugs which have the potential to be effective.
This video by the MS Society explains how the Octopus trial works:
About progressive multiple sclerosis
Progressive multiple sclerosis includes both primary and secondary MS and results from the progressive loss of structure, or function, of neurons (this is known as neuronal degeneration). This loss causes accumulating and irreversible disability, resulting in increased difficulty walking, with balance and manual function of limbs. Vision, cognition, bladder and bowel function and pain control can also be affected.
While disease modifying therapies are increasingly effective in reducing relapse frequency in people living with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), they have been unsuccessful in slowing disease progression in people with progressive MS. Options for treatment of progressive forms of multiple sclerosis are however very limited, and this is no treatment which specifically targets neuronal degeneration, which is the main cause of increasing disability.
How to register your interest
The Octopus trial is led by Prof Jeremy Chataway at University College London (UCL). Along with the trial site at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, the Anne Rowling Clinic is open for recruitment. The Octopus trial management team have plans to open 30 Octopus trial sites across the UK.
The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic is the main recruitment site for Scotland. If you live in Scotland and believe you have progressive MS and are interested in taking part in the study, you can register your interest in taking part by clicking 'register my interest' in the link below. Your details will be reviewed by the trial management team at UCL, you will then be contacted by the trial team.
Register your interest to participate in the Octopus clinical trial (external website). The Octopus clinical trial team will use the information you have provided in this form as permission to contact you.
Further information
UCL Octopus webpage (external website)
MS Society Octopus webpage (external website)
