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Metformin Treatment in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

A Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of Metformin Treatment in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Status
Completed
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05349474
Enrollment
23
Registered
2022-04-27
Start date
2022-04-26
Completion date
2025-05-30
Last updated
2025-07-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Keywords

Multiple sclerosis, Demyelinating disease

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety of metformin for treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis

Detailed description

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.

Interventions

DRUGMetformin 500 Mg Oral Tablet, up to 4 tablets a day

Metformin 500 mg oral tablets to be titrated to 2000 mg/day divided over two doses or maximum tolerated dose

DRUGPlacebo oral tablet identical to metformin, up to 4 tablets a day

Placebo tablets identical to metformin tablets. To be titrated to four tablets divded over two doses or maximum tolerated dose

Sponsors

University of California, Los Angeles
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
30 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Patient signed informed consent. 2. Age 30-65 3. Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis or Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis as defined by the 2017 McDonald Criteria 4. Intent to maintain current MS disease modifying treatment through the trial duration

Exclusion criteria

1. Clinical relapse in prior 12 months 2. New T2 lesion or gadolinium enhancing lesion in prior 12 months 3. Glucocorticoid use in prior six months outside the context of premedication for disease modifying treatment 4. Changes in disease modifying therapy in prior three months 5. Plans to change current disease modifying therapy 6. Contraindication to MRI, inability to tolerate MRI 7. Use of metformin for any other indication 8. Renal dysfunction (GFR \< 60) 9. Hepatic dysfunction (AST or ALT \> 1.5 x upper limit of normal) 10. B12 deficiency 11. Prior poor reaction to metformin 12. Congestive heart failure 13. Alcohol abuse 14. Metabolic acidosis 15. Females who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant during the 12 months of enrollment, or who wish to breastfeed during any part of the 12 months of enrollment 16. Concomitant use of drugs with drug-drug interactions with metformin 17. Previous adverse effect with metformin treatment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
number of patients with adverse events between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12number of patients with adverse events comparing the two treatment groups
number of patients with laboratory abnormalities between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12number of patients with laboratory abnormalities comparing the two treatment groups
number of patients with new T2 lesions on MRI from baseline to conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12number of patients with new T2 lesions comparing the two treatment groups

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
a reduction in localized cortical thinning on brain MRI between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12a reduction in localized cortical thinning on brain MRI comparing the two treatment groups
a reduction in thalamic atrophy on brain MRI between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12a reduction in thalamic atrophy on brain MRI comparing the two treatment groups

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
improvement in SDMT-oral score between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12improvement in SDMT-oral score between comparing the two treatment groups
decrease in number of phase rimmed lesions between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12decrease in number of phase rimmed lesions comparing the two treatment groups
improvement in CVLT-II score between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12improvement in CVLT-II score between comparing the two treatment groups
improvement in PACC score between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12improvement in PACC score between comparing the two treatment groups
improvement in PASAT score between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12improvement in PASAT score between comparing the two treatment groups
decrease in plasma neurofilament light chain levels between baseline and conclusion (month 0 and month 12)between month 0 and month 12decrease in plasma neurofilament light chain levels comparing the two treatment groups

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 9, 2026