Metformin Add-on Clinical Study in Multiple Sclerosis to Evaluate Brain Remyelination And Neurodegeneration

NCT ID: NCT05893225

Last Updated: 2025-06-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-11-23
• Study Completion Date: 2027-02-28

Brief Summary

This clinical trial aims to demonstrate that metformin can prevent clinical disability in patients with progressive MS by stopping or slowing down neurodegeneration by enhancing endogenous remyelination. Patients will continue their DMT treatment: metformin or placebo will be used as add-on study treatment.

Detailed Description

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease leading to focal and diffuse damage of myelin sheath and axons in the central nervous system (CNS). Pathophysiologically, the adaptive and innate immune system are involved in the inflammatory process, while mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and failure of remyelination are important mechanisms leading to chronic neurodegeneration. Despite currently available disease modifying treatments (DMTs) that target the immune system, patients continue to accumulate disability. Unfortunately, no neuroprotective or remyelinating agents are available to treat progressive MS. Hence, drugs to tackle disease progression in MS represent a major unmet need. In this respect, metformin is a very interesting drug to investigate in MS patients as a neuroprotective and remyelinating therapy. Several preclinical studies in animal models of MS have shown that metformin has both anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and remyelinating properties. A clinical study with metformin in a limited sample of MS patients did not demonstrate significant adverse events. The aim of this clinical trial is to provide evidence for the neuroprotective and remyelinating effects of metformin (I) in MS patients (P) via measurement of clinical and MRI outcome measures (O), via a multicentre randomized placebo-controlled (C) clinical trial.

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis; Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis; Secondary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Treatment group

The treatment group will receive Metformin Hydrochloride oral tablets 850mg tid or bid, during a maximum of 96 weeks.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Metformin Hydrochloride 850 mg Oral Tablet

Intervention Type: DRUG

Metformin Hydrochloride oral tablets 850 mg t.i.d. or b.i.d.

Control group

The control group will receive a matching placebo, during a maximum of 96 weeks.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type: DRUG

Placebo matching Metformin Hydrochloride oral tablets t.i.d. or b.i.d.

Interventions

Metformin Hydrochloride 850 mg Oral Tablet

Metformin Hydrochloride oral tablets 850 mg t.i.d. or b.i.d.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Placebo

Placebo matching Metformin Hydrochloride oral tablets t.i.d. or b.i.d.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. A diagnosis of non-active progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS and SPMS), as evidenced by:

1. the absence of relapses and new T2 lesions on brain MRI in the past year or longer (No Evidence of Disease Activity-2)

2. progression of disability independent of relapses in the past 1-2 years or longer

If progression is defined as one of the following, over the past 1-2 years or less, the patient can be included without additional review:

• minimum increase in the EDSS of 1.0, or 0.5 from a baseline level of 2.0-5.0, and 5.5-6.0, respectively
• ≥20% in the T25FW
• ≥20% 9HPT
• reduction of ≥4 points or a 10% worsening in the Symbol Digit Modality Test without concomitant depression or fatigue.

If the investigator is in the opinion that the patient is clearly progressing, but not enough data are available to demonstrate this, a narrative needs to be provided, which will be judged by at least 2 members of the Trial Steering Committee, from a center that is not submitting the case for review.

2. Age 18-70 years inclusive

3. EDSS 2.0-6.5 inclusive

4. Able to give informed consent (signed, written) and to adhere to study procedures

5. Dutch/Flemish speaking (patient reported outcomes and questionnaires available in Dutch/Flemish)

6. Stable use of Disease Modifying Treatment (DMT) or no treatment in the past year or longer

7. Use of adequate contraceptive measures in women of childbearing potential (WOCBP)

Exclusion Criteria

1. A medical or neurological problem other than MS that is a cause of progressive or fluctuating gait dysfunction

2. Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or fasting glucose level of 126mg/dl or more; random glucose level of 200mg/dl or more; HbA1C of 6.5% or more at screening

3. Unable to complete T25FW

4. Unable to undergo MRI

5. Current major disease or disorder other than MS (e.g., active malignancy, significant renal insufficiency eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, end-stage cardiopulmonary disease, alcoholism, liver insufficiency with AST (aspartate aminotransferase) >3 times Upper Limit of Normal (ULN), chronic active infection etc.) that may interfere with study procedures and/or intake of study drug

6. Pregnant or breast-feeding or planning pregnancy

7. Use of an experimental therapy in the past 6 months

8. Ongoing immune reconstitution therapy schedule (cladribine second course ended at least 12 months before inclusion, alemtuzumab second/last course at least 12 months before inclusion, Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation at least 12 months before inclusion)

9. Expected change in ongoing DMT or start of DMT if untreated

10. Current use of metformin or known intolerance for metformin

11. Known sensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 of the Summary of Product Characteristics.

12. All forms of acute metabolic acidosis (such as lactic acidosis, diabetic ketoacidosis), diabetic precoma.

13. Acute conditions where there is a risk of alteration of renal function, such as: dehydration, severe infection, shock occurring between screening and randomization.

14. Chronic use of NSAID

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospital, Ghent

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Hasselt University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

AZ Sint-Jan AV

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Noorderhart Pelt

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

National MS Center Melsbroek

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University Hospital, Antwerp

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Barbara Willekens, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital, Antwerp

Locations

AZ Sint-Jan Brugge

Bruges, , Belgium

Antwerp University Hospital

Edegem, , Belgium

University Hospital Ghent

Ghent, , Belgium

National MS Center Melsbroek

Melsbroek, , Belgium

Noorderhart

Overpelt, , Belgium

Countries

Belgium

References

De Keersmaecker AV, Van Doninck E, Popescu V, Willem L, Cambron M, Laureys G, D' Haeseleer M, Bjerke M, Roelant E, Lemmerling M, D'hooghe MB, Derdelinckx J, Reynders T, Willekens B. A metformin add-on clinical study in multiple sclerosis to evaluate brain remyelination and neurodegeneration (MACSiMiSE-BRAIN): study protocol for a multi-center randomized placebo controlled clinical trial. Front Immunol. 2024 Feb 21;15:1362629. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1362629. eCollection 2024.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 38680485 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2023-503190-38-00

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

MACSiMiSE-BRAIN

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id