The purpose of this study is to assess the safety of metformin for treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis
This will be a single site 1:1 randomized, placebo controlled trial of metformin treatment vs matching placebo in 44 men and women with primary progressive multiple sclerosis and secondary multiple sclerosis, without diabetes, not treated with metformin aged 30-65. The trial will last 12 months and have 3 study visits, baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The trial will be preceded by a screening period. Over the initial 30 day titration period subjects will be titrated from 500 mg a day to 2,000 mg of metformin in increments of 500 mg every 10 days. Patients will remain on their tolerated dose and included in analysis on an intent to treat basis. Brain MRI, cognitive testing and clinical measures will be collected at baseline, month 6 and month 12. OCT will be collected at baseline and month 12. The primary outcomes are the following safety outcomes: 1) number of patients with adverse events 2) number of patients with laboratory abnormalities 3) number of patients with new T2 lesions on MRI. The secondary outcomes include reduction in localized cortical thinning on brain MRI; reduction in thalamic atrophy on brain MRI. Further exploratory outcomes include 1) improvement in SDMT-oral score, 2) improvement in CVLT-II score, 3) improvement in PACC score 4) improvement in PASAT score. Exploratory outcomes include 1) Decrease in plasma neurofilament light chain levels, 2) Reginal nerve fiber layer preservation on OCT, 3) Ganglion cell inner plexiform layer preservation, and 4) Percentage of phase rim lesions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
23
Metformin 500 mg oral tablets to be titrated to 2000 mg/day divided over two doses or maximum tolerated dose
Placebo tablets identical to metformin tablets. To be titrated to four tablets divded over two doses or maximum tolerated dose
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
number of patients with adverse events between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)
number of patients with adverse events comparing the two treatment groups
Time frame: between month 0 and month 12
number of patients with laboratory abnormalities between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)
number of patients with laboratory abnormalities comparing the two treatment groups
Time frame: between month 0 and month 12
number of patients with new T2 lesions on MRI from baseline to conclusion (month 0 and month 12)
number of patients with new T2 lesions comparing the two treatment groups
Time frame: between month 0 and month 12
a reduction in localized cortical thinning on brain MRI between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)
a reduction in localized cortical thinning on brain MRI comparing the two treatment groups
Time frame: between month 0 and month 12
a reduction in thalamic atrophy on brain MRI between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)
a reduction in thalamic atrophy on brain MRI comparing the two treatment groups
Time frame: between month 0 and month 12
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