MSFrontier

Hypotheses

Every idea for treating MS that trials have tested or are testing, with what the trials have shown. Each idea is an approach, an aim and a group of people, linked to the trials behind it.
ConfirmedSupported by one trialPromisingMixedResults pendingBeing testedFailed earlyDisprovenNo clear answerNot yet tested

Where every hypothesis stands

Click a status to filter. Click again to clear.

Showing 137 items

ApproachPrevent or delay MSStop inflammationSlow progressionProtect nervesRepair myelinRestore functionReset the immune system
Immune system
Cell therapies and tolerisation
B-cell depletion (anti-CD20)
Broad immunosuppression / cytotoxics
S1P receptor modulation (lymphocyte trafficking)
Immune reconstitution (cladribine, alemtuzumab, aHSCT)
BTK inhibition (B cells and microglia)
Integrin blockade (lymphocyte trafficking)
Fumarates / NRF2
Corticosteroids (relapse treatment)
DHODH inhibition (pyrimidine synthesis)
Interferon beta
Antiviral / EBV-targeting
Glatiramer acetate
Other B-cell / plasma-cell targeting
T-cell co-stimulation / cytokine targeting
Nerve and brain biology
Mitochondrial / oxidative stress
Axonal protection / ion channels / excitotoxicity
Microglia / innate immunity in the CNS
Lipid / vascular (statins etc.)
Blood pressure medicines (vascular)
Remyelination / oligodendrocyte repair
Supplements
Vitamin D and nutritional supplements
Symptom treatments
Walking (potassium-channel blockade)
Pain, mood, cognition and other symptoms
Spasticity
Non-drug approaches
Exercise and rehabilitation
Cognitive and psychological therapy
Cell therapy or transplant
Brain or nerve stimulation
Digital health
Assistive and other devices

Colour: the best result in the cell, across the patient groups selected. Number: trials. ● trials running now. Blank: no registered trial has tried this. That is not proof nobody is working on it.

How a status is decided

A hypothesis is Confirmed when two or more controlled phase 3 trials met their main goal, or when one did and a medicine of the same approach is approved in the EU or the US for that use. With one positive phase 3 trial and no approval it is Supported by one trial. Analyses that only compare an active comparator with placebo, such as interferon beta against placebo inside a laquinimod trial, do not count as the tested medicine’s result.

Unread results can leave a status pending. Two or more phase 3 trials that met their goal, with none against, give a verdict even when an extension study at the same phase has no readable result.

“Disproven” applies to the patient group shown. An idea can fail in primary progressive MS and work in relapsing MS.

Not yet tested items come from two places: proposed hypotheses, and genes linked to MS by human genetics that existing medicines act on but that have never been tried in MS.

Nothing here is linked or edited by hand. To report an error, use the contact form; we fix the rule, so the fix applies everywhere.

Assembled by software from public sources and not checked by people. Each record links to its source. Report an error