Patterns across trials

What the trials in the bank show when they are looked at together: which kinds of treatment have succeeded, whether early results predicted later ones, and how lab results compare with results in people.

How often trials met their main goal

Immune medicines

Phase 2
16 of 27 trials
Phase 3
43 of 51 trials

Nerve and brain biology

Phase 2
5 of 17 trials
Phase 3
4 of 8 trials

Symptom treatments

Phase 2
1 of 4 trials
Phase 3
11 of 22 trials

Supplements and diet

Phase 2
0 of 5 trials
Phase 3
1 of 1 trial

Other treatments

Phase 2
No trials
Phase 3
1 of 1 trial
See the approaches and their trials →

Did phase 2 predict phase 3?

Phase 2 result in rows · Phase 3 result in columns
Phase 2 / Phase 3MetDid not meetMixed
Met602
Did not meet310
Mixed100
See the hypotheses →

Lab results and results in people

Lab studies in animals or cells. Results in animals often do not hold in people, and these studies never change the status of an idea.

ApproachLab studiesReporting a benefitOutcomes in people
Remyelination / oligodendrocyte repair368
94% · 346 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 1Mixed 3Failed 4Being tested 4
Microglia / innate immunity in the CNS358
93% · 332 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 2Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 2
Cell therapies and tolerisation285
91% · 259 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 12
Mitochondrial / oxidative stress228
93% · 211 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 1Mixed 2Failed 2Being tested 9
T-cell co-stimulation / cytokine targeting215
95% · 204 studies
Confirmed 1Promising 0Mixed 1Failed 4Being tested 3
Vitamin D and nutritional supplements111
91% · 101 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 3Being tested 0
Axonal protection / ion channels / excitotoxicity90
92% · 83 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 1Mixed 0Failed 9Being tested 1
S1P receptor modulation (lymphocyte trafficking)65
89% · 58 studies
Confirmed 3Promising 1Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 5
Pain, mood, cognition and other symptoms61
95% · 58 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 1
Fumarates / NRF255
96% · 53 studies
Confirmed 1Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 2
Sex hormones / hormonal43
86% · 37 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 4
Corticosteroids (relapse treatment)24
88% · 21 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 3
Broad immunosuppression / cytotoxics23
91% · 21 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 14
Spasticity22
86% · 19 studies
Confirmed 1Promising 0Mixed 2Failed 2Being tested 2
Interferon beta18
94% · 17 studies
Confirmed 4Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 3
Other B-cell / plasma-cell targeting17
94% · 16 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 3
B-cell depletion (anti-CD20)16
63% · 10 studies
Confirmed 2Promising 0Mixed 1Failed 0Being tested 9
Glatiramer acetate16
94% · 15 studies
Confirmed 2Promising 0Mixed 1Failed 0Being tested 2
Lipid / vascular (statins etc.)13
92% · 12 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 1Mixed 0Failed 3Being tested 0
DHODH inhibition (pyrimidine synthesis)13
77% · 10 studies
Confirmed 3Promising 1Mixed 1Failed 0Being tested 1
Integrin blockade (lymphocyte trafficking)13
85% · 11 studies
Confirmed 2Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 3
Immune reconstitution (cladribine, alemtuzumab, aHSCT)10
80% · 8 studies
Confirmed 3Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 8
BTK inhibition (B cells and microglia)10
80% · 8 studies
Confirmed 1Promising 1Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 5
FcRn / IgG reduction, IVIG, plasma exchange8
100% · 8 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 1Being tested 1
Blood pressure medicines (vascular)5
100% · 5 studies
Confirmed 0Promising 0Mixed 0Failed 0Being tested 1
See the lab studies →

How trials have changed

Median participants

0122244200020052010201520202025
Phase 2Phase 3

Median months to the main result

01937200020052010201520202025
Phase 2Phase 3

Placebo-controlled (%)

03059200020052010201520202025
Phase 2Phase 3

Stopped early (%)

01326200020052010201520202025
Phase 2Phase 3
See the Trial Bank →

Why trials stop

Sponsor’s decisionToo few participantsNo effect expected or shownSafetyInvestigator or siteCOVID-19Regulation or supplyOtherNo reason given

Phase 1 · 20 trials

Sponsor’s decision: 5 trials.Too few participants: 3 trials.No effect expected or shown: 1 trial.Other: 3 trials.No reason given: 8 trials.

Phase 2 · 95 trials

Sponsor’s decision: 16 trials.Too few participants: 14 trials.No effect expected or shown: 12 trials.Safety: 2 trials.Investigator or site: 1 trial.Other: 13 trials.No reason given: 37 trials.

Phase 3 · 70 trials

Sponsor’s decision: 11 trials.Too few participants: 11 trials.No effect expected or shown: 9 trials.Safety: 4 trials.Investigator or site: 1 trial.Other: 8 trials.No reason given: 26 trials.

Phase 4 · 44 trials

Sponsor’s decision: 8 trials.Too few participants: 14 trials.No effect expected or shown: 2 trials.Safety: 4 trials.Other: 3 trials.No reason given: 13 trials.
See stopped trials →

Before the result

  • ENHANCE

    Ublituximab · B-cell depletion (anti-CD20)

    800 participants · Results due Jan 2027

    • Phase 2 in this group: 4 met, 0 did not
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 9 met, 1 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 16

  • FREXALT

    Frexalimab · T-cell co-stimulation / cytokine targeting

    1655 participants · Results due May 2027

    • No controlled phase 2 result in this group
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 3 met, 1 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 289

  • CLASP-MS

    Cladribine · Immune reconstitution (cladribine, alemtuzumab, aHSCT)

    188 participants · Results due Jun 2027

    • No controlled phase 2 result in this group
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 4 met, 0 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 11

  • ChariotMS

    Cladribine · Immune reconstitution (cladribine, alemtuzumab, aHSCT)

    204 participants · Results due Dec 2027

    • No controlled phase 2 result in this group
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 4 met, 0 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 11

  • Arbaclofen

    Arbaclofen · Spasticity

    442 participants · Results due Jan 2028

    • No controlled phase 2 result in this group
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 5 met, 7 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 25

  • FREVIVA

    Frexalimab · T-cell co-stimulation / cytokine targeting

    943 participants · Results due Mar 2028

    • No controlled phase 2 result in this group
    • This approach in phase 3, any group: 3 met, 1 did not
    • Lab studies of this approach: 289
Trials to watch →

These patterns use the same rules as the hypotheses. See How the data is built.

Assembled by software from public sources.