Octopus trial marks significant advancement in MS research.

A groundbreaking new trial called the Octopus trial is looking into whether existing drugs can be repurposed to help slow multiple sclerosis (MS) progression. The trial structure is like a machine for testing drugs for progressive MS, and several drugs can be tried at the same time, with more added or dropped as results emerge. The first two trial medications are high-dose metformin and a version of high-dose alpha-lipoic acid. The first 375 patients are already being recruited for stage one of the trial, with stage two due to bring the total up to about 1,000.