Common drugs could be given to MS patients

Drugs prescribed to people with motor neurone disease, asthma and heart disease could be used to help improve the lives of patients with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS).

Researchers at University College London believe the medications could slow down the condition’s progression by protecting the brain.

The drugs are amiloride – which is used to treat heart conditions; ibudilast – an asthma drug from Japan; and riuzole – the only current treatment available for motor neurone disease patients.

They will be tested on around 500 people with late-stage MS at clinical trials to be held across England and Scotland.

Dr Jeremy Chataway, a consultant neurologist at University College London, told the BBC: “There is no treatment for secondary progressive MS. This is a really appropriate and scientific way of getting a pipeline of drugs so that we can one day get a treatment that works.”

It is estimated that around 100,000 are currently living with MS in the UK.

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