Research: The generic drug hydroxychloroquine may slow the exacerbation of multiple sclerosis that is not easily treated

A study from the University of Calgary found that the generic drug hydroxychloroquine has yielded promising results when used to treat the disability evolution of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a form of autoimmune disease that is least likely to be treated. Multiple sclerosis affects about 90,000 Canadians, of whom about 15 per cent are diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, one of the most common diseases in the world.

The Cumming School of Medicine research team, led by Dr. Marcus Koch and Dr. Wee Yong, found that in an 18-month study involving participants in multiple sclerosis clinics in Calgary, hydroxychloroquine helped slow the progression of disability. The study was published in the Annals of Neurology.

"For primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, there is no good treatment to stop or reverse the progression of the disease. Disability can gradually worsen over time," said Koch, a clinical researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and a member of the Hodgkis-Bryan Institute (HBI). "Dr. Yong's research team has worked closely with us and has been screening a large number of generic drugs for several years, and the results of hydroxychloroquine show some promise. Our trial is a preliminary success and requires further study. We hope that sharing these results will help inspire this work, especially in future larger-scale clinical trials." ”

The experimental study, known as the one-arm Phase II uselessness trial, followed 35 people between November 2016 and June 2021. The researchers expected at least 40 percent, or 14 participants, to experience a significant deterioration in their walking function, but at the end of the trial, only 8 participants experienced a deterioration. Hydroxychloroquine is generally well tolerated.

Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that is more commonly used to control symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus. It was chosen because it is widely used in rheumatism and is generally well tolerated.

"Based on our lab's study of multiple sclerosis models, we predict that hydroxychloroquine will reduce disability in patients with multiple sclerosis. Dr. Koch's experimental work on a dynamic multiple sclerosis project in Calgary from the lab to the bedside provides further evidence, and we're excited to see this," said Yong, professor and member of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and member of the HBI.

The cause of multiple sclerosis remains unknown. It is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues, usually for a long time, often affecting the optic nerves in the brain, spinal cord, and eyes. It can lead to problems with vision, balance, and muscle control, although the effects vary from patient to patient.

The work of the multiple sclerosis clinical trial team is supported in part by charitable donations from donors including the Westman Charitable Foundation and the Swartout family. The specific study was also funded by the Hotchkiss Brain Institute's Multiple Sclerosis Translational Clinical Trial Program.

Dr. Koch and the research team have been studying the effects of hydroxychloroquine on primary-progressive multiple sclerosis for several years, and this work continues, including that its use as a treatment in combination with other common drugs of choice may achieve greater results.