ABOUT the Study:

The MURDOOCK Study  has recently expanded its recruitment efforts in search of individuals with Primary Progressive-Multiple Sclerosis (PP-MS), a subtype of MS accounting for approximately 10% of all MS patients. To date, the MURDOCK Study has recruited more than 400 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) to study the disease’s development and progression.  The study has recently been approved to expand its focus and target PP-MS patients.  Unlike other MS disease subtypes, known as Relapsing Remitting-MS (RR-MS) or Secondary Progressive-MS (SP-MS), individuals with PP-MS are affected by disability from the onset of their MS with no or minor remissions or improvement in symptoms; no treatment has proven successful yet for PP-MS patients.

Dr. Simon Gregory, the MURDOCK-MS Study Principal Investigator, is seeking 100 individuals with PP-MS to follow for five years.  Such an effort is believed to be the only one happening in the world. Participants who join the PP-MS Study will be consented to contribute blood and urine samples twice a year along with a short questionnaire about their disease.  With this immensely valuable collection of data, Dr. Gregory and his collaborators will identify signatures of PP-MS development and progression as well as compare and contrast PP-MS patient profiles to individuals with other forms of MS. “Individuals participating in this part of our study will provide a unique insight into an underserved portion of the MS community and help identify mechanisms, and potentially identify cures for this debilitating disease.”

Study participants will receive $20 for each follow-up visit completed.

If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the MURDOCK Study office by dialing (704-250-5861) to learn more about enrolling.

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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Simon G. Gregory, Associate Professor, Duke Center for Human Genetics and Director, Genomics Laboratory, David H. Murdock Research Institute


BACKGROUND & CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Unlike RR-MS or SP-MS in which patients experience a remission or lessening of their symptoms, PP-MS is characterized by progression of disability from onset, with no, or only occasional and minor, remissions and improvements. The age of onset for the primary progressive subtype is later than for the relapsing-remitting, but similar to mean age of progression between the relapsing-remitting and the secondary progressive – around 40 years of age. Because of its prevalence, RR-MS represents the largest basis for basic and clinical MS research. Therefore, drugs have primarily been developed to slow disease progression in RR-MS and SP-MS patients. No treatment has been proven successful in treating primary progressive MS.


PURPOSE: This study is designed to collect blood samples and health information on participants who have been diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PP-MS). The MURDOCK-MS collection represents a unique opportunity to carry out detailed biomarker research on PP-MS patients and, to the knowledge of this investigator and his colleagues in the field, would represent an exceptional sample that is not available elsewhere in the US or the rest of the world. Aside from first in disease sampling, the serial, biannual collection of samples from PP-MS patients would not only permit the identification of ‘omic profiles that can be compared and contrasted to those from RR-MS patients in a parallel study, but it would also allow the generation of ‘omic markers of disease progression. This progressive etiology would provide valuable insight into PP-MS development and may also shed light on SP-MS progression. 


ELIGIBILITY: Eligible participants will meet the following criteria
• Age 18 or older
• Ability to understand and provide written consent 
• Enrolled in MURDOCK Study and MS Study
• Diagnosed with primary progressive MS


Two sites are participating in the enrollment of MS participants.  These currently include: The MS Center (Charlotte, NC); NorthEast Neurology (Concord, NC).  There are no geographic boundaries for enrollment into this study.


*A total of 100 PPMS participants will be recruited for this effort.


BIOSPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS: This study will require a 28 mL blood sample collection and a 20 mL sample collection of urine biannually for a 5 year period.


DATA COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS: All participants who are enrolled in the MURDOCK Study and MS cohort study that are diagnosed with PPMS will have the option to enroll into the PPMS study which includes a biannual blood and urine sample collection as well as a follow up questionnaire.  This study will occur over a 5 year period.  


COMPENSATION: All participants will receive a $20 gift card to compensate them for their time and travel for each completed follow up study visit.

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