Multiple Sclerosis (MS) impacts over 90,000 people in Canada. About 15% of those living with MS have a primary progressive form of the disease, the least treatable variety.

Dr. Marcus Koch and his team recently completed a small phase II futility trial that examined the effectiveness of hydroxycholoroquine, a drug developed to prevent malaria, in people living with primary progressive MS. Of the 35 patients followed for 18 months, 14 were expected to experience significant worsening disability. Treatment with hydroxycholoquine reduced number that to only 8. This small trial demonstrates the promise of utilizing hydroxychloroquine to delay disability in primary progressive MS patients.

Koch MW, Kaur S, Sage K, Kim J, Levesque-Roy M, Cerchiaro G, Yong VW, Cutter GR, Metz LM. Hydroxychloroquine for Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 2021 Dec

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Stories from other news outlets:

https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/news/study-finds-hydroxychloroquine-delays-disability-least-treatable-form-multiple-sclerosis

https://globalnews.ca/news/8511575/university-of-calgary-drug-study-treatment-ms/

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/hydroxychloroquine-disability-multiple-sclerosis/

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