MS-STAT2 trial shows that simvastatin is not an effective treatment for secondary progressive MS
The results of the MS-STAT2 trial were announced by Professor Jeremy Chataway at the ECTRIMS research conference in Copenhagen on 20th September.
What was the MS-STAT2 trial?
Part-funded by the MS Society, the phase 3 MS-STAT2 trial tested simvastatin – commonly used to treat high cholesterol – in 964 people with secondary progressive MS.
MS-STAT2 built on encouraging results from an earlier phase 2 trial. Researchers wanted to find out whether simvastatin is effective at slowing disability progression.
The trial was uniquely funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), MS Society UK and the National MS Society (US), and was a collaboration between the NHS and UK universities.
What were the results of the trial?
Unfortunately, the results of the MS-STAT2 trial showed that simvastatin is not able to slow disability progression in people with secondary progressive MS.
We know this will be disappointing news for participants, the trial team and people living with MS.
However, this trial has built upon the phase 2 study to give us a definitive result. And will increase our understanding of the biology of progressive MS. It also highlighted the ability of the UK MS community to deliver high-quality, large-scale clinical trials.
We're incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in the trial, without who research like this wouldn’t be possible.
Professor Jeremy Chataway has recorded a video message to share the results of the MS-STAT2 trial. In the video, we also hear from Caroline Wyatt, who took part in the trial, and Dr Emma Gray, our Assistant Director of Research.
What does this mean for people with MS?
Simvastatin is a highly effective drug for heart and vascular health and many people take statins and other medications for these purposes. But these results mean it won't be taken forward as a neuroprotective treatment for secondary progressive MS.
People with MS who are taking simvastatin specifically for their MS should speak to a healthcare professional if they're concerned.
Dr Emma Gray, Assistant Director of Research at the MS Society, says:
We’re so proud to have funded MS-STAT2. And while it isn’t the result we desperately wanted, it’s shown us that we can deliver world-class and well-designed trials that match the scale and quality of big pharma companies. Professor Jeremy Chataway and the trial team made the impossible possible, and we’re so grateful to the hundreds of people with MS who took part – without them this simply wouldn’t have happened.
We’re on the cusp of a revolution in how MS is treated. Thirty years ago, there were no treatments for MS. Now there are more than a dozen that can help reduce MS attacks. But these don’t work for everyone and they’re not enough to stop MS. We'll continue to invest in high-quality clinical trials, like Octopus, which is testing promising drugs for progressive MS.
What’s next for progressive MS trials?
Although these results are disappointing, we remain dedicated to funding research that can improve our understanding of progressive MS and deliver much-needed treatments.
The MS-STAT2 trial has set the groundwork for future clinical trials in progressive MS. Including Octopus – our first-of-its-kind trial for progressive MS. Octopus will transform the way we test treatments for progressive MS – delivering life-changing new treatments up to three times faster.
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