A Canadian clinical trial led by researchers at the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), shows that minocycline, a common acne medication, can slow the progress of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in people who have recently experienced their first symptoms. In addition to being an unexpected discovery – an acne drug benefitting a neurological disorder – the discovery is significant as it offers a safe and affordable treatment option for those with early onset MS. This discovery could impact thousands of newly diagnosed MS patients around the world.
The results of the Phase 3 clinical trial were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial included 142 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 across 12 Canadian sites including the UBC Hospital MS Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Anthony Traboulsee.
Researchers and doctors are excited about the discovery, as there are no oral therapies approved in Canada for use at this very early stage of the disease.
