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ObjectiveTo establish a rigorous, expert-led, evidence-based approach to the evaluation of licensed drugs for repurposing and testing in clinical trials of people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).MethodsWe long-listed licensed drugs with evidence of human safety, blood–brain barrier penetrance and demonstrable efficacy in at least one animal model, or mechanistic target, agreed by a panel of experts and people with MS to be relevant to the pathogenesis of progression. We systematically reviewed the preclinical and clinical literature for each compound, condensed this into a database of summary documents and short-listed drugs by scoring each one of them. Drugs were evaluated for immediate use in a clinical trial, and our selection was scrutinised by a final independent expert review.ResultsFrom a short list of 55 treatments, we recommended four treatments for immediate testing in progressive MS: R-α-lipoic acid, metformin, the combination treatment of R-α-lipoic acid and metformin, and niacin. We also prioritised clemastine, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, nimodipine and flunarizine.ConclusionsWe report a standardised approach for the identification of candidate drugs for repurposing in the treatment of progressive MS.

The effects of oral treatment with coenzyme Q10 (120 mg/d) were compared for 28 days in 73 (intervention group A) and 71 (placebo group B) patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). After treatment, angina pectoris (9.5 vs. 28.1), total arrhythmias (9.5% vs. 25.3%), and poor left ventricular function (8.2% vs. 22.5%) were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the coenzyme Q group than placebo group. Total cardiac events, including cardiac deaths and nonfatal infarction, were also significantly reduced in the coenzyme Q10 group compared with the placebo group (15.0% vs. 30.9%, P < 0.02). The extent of cardiac disease, elevation in cardiac enzymes, and oxidative stress at entry to the study were comparable between the two groups. Lipid peroxides, diene conjugates, and malondialdehyde, which are indicators of oxidative stress, showed a greater reduction in the treatment group than in the placebo group. The antioxidants vitamin A, E, and C and beta-carotene, which were lower initially after AMI, increased more in the coenzyme Q10 group than in the placebo group. These findings suggest that coenzyme Q10 can provide rapid protective effects in patients with AMI if administered within 3 days of the onset of symptoms. More studies in a larger number of patients and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm our results.

IntroductionOpicinumab is a human monoclonal antibody against LINGO-1, a negative regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation and axonal regeneration. The phase 2 SYNERGY study identified a patient subpopulation with a potentially enhanced response to opicinumab treatment.MethodsAFFINITY (NCT03222973) is an ongoing, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy/safety of opicinumab vs placebo as an add-on to disease-modifying therapies in a targeted population. Inclusion criteria include: age 18–58; relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) with ≤20-year duration; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score 2.0–6.0; evidence of disease activity within 24 months prior to enrolment; brain MRI criteria suggestive of low myelin content but preserved tissue integrity in pre-existing T2 lesions; stably treated ≥24 weeks with interferon-beta, dimethyl fumarate, or natalizumab. Primary endpoint is the multicomponent Overall Response Score (based on EDSS, Timed 25-Foot Walk, and 9-Hole Peg Test). Secondary endpoints will evaluate confirmed improvement in disability measures.ResultsEnrolment began in September 2017 and was completed in September 2018. Participant baseline demographic, disease, and MRI characteristics will be presented.ConclusionsAFFINITY will further investigate the efficacy and safety of opicinumab in a subpopulation of MS patients.Support: Biogen. Disclosures to be included on poster.