September saw two important developments for the MS community.
First, we received encouraging news from the world-first OCTOPUS/PLATYPUS clinical trial program for progressive MS.
The Stage 1 analysis of OCTOPUS assessed two potential treatments, alpha lipoic acid and metformin, using a combination of MRI and clinical measures. Alpha lipoic acid showed sufficient early promise to progress to the next stage of the trial, while metformin will not continue.
It is important to emphasise that this does not yet demonstrate that alpha lipoic acid is an effective treatment for progressive MS. But it is an encouraging result and, importantly, demonstrates the adaptive trial model working exactly as intended: promising treatments move forward, unsuccessful approaches can be stopped, and new candidates can be introduced.
MSA is participating through PLATYPUS, the Australian extension of OCTOPUS. Recruitment will continue into the alpha lipoic acid and placebo arms, with further Australian trial sites preparing to open.
This is particularly significant because progressive MS remains an area of enormous unmet need. I extend my deep gratitude to the research team at MS Australia, Prof Simon Broadley and his team at Griffith University, to MSWA and our Australian and international research partners, for bringing this innovative research platform to our shores.
The second major development came with last week’s UN General Assembly in New York. It was here that the Global MS Prevention Initiative – led by MSA and MS Canada – was showcased as part of the ‘Brain Days’ side event. This event, which included a two-day symposium, was held to promote the need for the UN to embrace the need to enhance ‘brain capital’ by investing in neurological health and research.
The European Brain Council is leading work to get all countries to support the prevention, treatment and care of neurological conditions, and has support from the European Union.
All of which begs the question, why is Australia lagging behind? MSA and the Neurological Alliance Australia has renewed its call on the Federal Government to develop and fund a neurological action plan for Australia and has launched the ‘Fair Go for Neuro: Action Plan Now‘ campaign.
The need for a plan was underscored last week as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released new prevalence figures for neurological conditions in Australia, with the previous estimate of 2.2m more than doubled to 4.5m.
If that’s not the biggest wake-up call to the Australian Government, I don’t know what is.
