Society Helps Fund “ChariotMS” Clinical Trial in U.K. for People With Advanced MS

One of the first multiple sclerosis clinical trials to focus on people who walk with difficulty, or not at all, is about to begin in the United Kingdom. The ChariotMS trial will test whether cladribine tablets (Mavenclad^®) can slow the progression of upper limb disability in people with advanced MS, who are rarely included in clinical trials. Mavenclad is an approved therapy for highly active relapsing MS. There is an unmet need for more treatments for people with progressive MS. Clinical trials for MS have generally not included people who are reliant on wheelchairs, and there hasn’t been an emphasis on preserving arm and hand function. Having the use of the upper limbs can make the difference between remaining independent and requiring substantial daily help from others. Starting January 2021, ChariotMS will recruit 200 people with MS who can walk only a short distance with two crutches, or are unable to walk at all but retain some upper limb function. ChariotMS is the first large trial with no upper age limit. The two-year trial will take place at 20 centers across the UK under the direction of lead investigator Professor Klaus Schmierer (Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust). The ChariotMS trial is funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, which is a partnership between the UK’s Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research, and will receive additional funding from the MS Society (UK), the National MS Society (USA), Barts Charity, and Merck Serono.

“We are very pleased to be able to help support this important clinical trial for people with MS for whom there are so few treatment options,” said Dr. Bruce Bebo, Executive Vice President of Research for the National MS Society (USA). This international collaboration is just one example of the comprehensive ways the Society aggressively pursues the most promising pathways to cures that stop MS, restore function, and end MS forever. Read more about ChariotMSRead more about the Society’s research activities to cure MS

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