Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs Could Treat Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Statins, or cholesterol-reducing drugs, are taken by many people in the United Kingdom. A new study conducted by U.K. researchers found that these drugs might help slow multiple sclerosis progression.

This could be good news for current MS patients, especially since the FDA announced yesterday that they would be extending the review process for the latest MS drug, Plegridy, which would be prescribed to reduce the dosing of other interferon drugs that are tough for some patients to handle. This will most likely prolong the drug's expected mid-2014 release.

Researchers at the University College London (UCL) have found that statins may help MS patients. Statins are prescribed to lower cholesterol and are safe for most people to take, but they can also interfere with other drugs. Ongoing studies are being conducted to determine whether the drug is useful for other conditions.

The researchers conducted a trial among 140 patients in the progressive phase of multiple sclerosis, where there are no definitive treatments. Half of the patients were given 80mg of a statin called simvastatin because previous research showed that they have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects on the nervous system. The other half was given a placebo.

At the end of the two-year trial, the patients who were given the statin witnessed good progress in slowing the effects of MS. On average, patients in the progressive phase of MS experience brain shrinkage at the rate of 0.6% per year. The statins dropped this percentage to 0.3%, and an overall reduction of 43% when adjustments were made for age and gender.

The British study could be useful for medical experts in the United States. Over 400,000 people in the U.S. suffer from multiple sclerosis and there is no therapy available for patients with secondary progressive MS. The pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer has reported generous sales numbers for statins in the U.S., and those numbers could increase if further studies are conducted on this topic.

To read more about statins and their affect on MS, visit this Guardian news article and this ABC News article.