Early results from a Cambridge University trial suggest that combining a common diabetes drug with an antihistamine could help repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS).
The CCMR Two trial tested metformin, a diabetes medication, alongside clemastine, an antihistamine previously shown to stimulate myelin repair. Myelin sheaths protect nerve fibres, and their loss in MS disrupts electrical signals, leading to progressive disability.
Seventy patients with relapsing MS were enrolled, with half receiving the drug combination and half a placebo for six months. While no improvements in vision or disability were observed, tests showed electrical signals in the optic nerve travelled slightly faster in the treatment group, suggesting partial remyelination.
“It’s smaller than we were hoping for,” said trial lead Dr Nick Cunniffe, “but the drugs have a biological effect to promote remyelination.” He described the findings, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, as a promising “proof of concept.”
Emma Gray of the MS Society called the results “really positive,” noting that clinical improvements would not be expected after only six months. Researchers cautioned against using the drugs outside trials, citing side effects such as fatigue and diarrhoea.
Experts, including Professor Jonah Chan of UCSF, emphasised that developing therapies to remyelinate nerves is essential to preventing permanent disability in MS and could be the only near-term hope of restoring lost function.
The study adds momentum to global efforts to pioneer a new class of treatments targeting the repair of damaged myelin, a potential gamechanger for nearly 3 million people worldwide living with MS.
