Clinical Trials, U.S.: Multiple Sclerosis

With the cause of the immune mediated inflammatory disease attacking myelinated axons in the central nervous system (CNS) still not known, multiple sclerosis (MS) has been under constant research for advances in treatment options and new understanding about the disease. The major areas of research over the years have been the following:

• New understandings about the genetics of the disease
• Understanding of how nerve cells are injured and how this injury might be prevented or reversed
• More drug treatment options
• New techniques to repair the damage caused by MS
• New information about the potential causes of the disease

Clinical trials are conducted to collect data regarding the safety and efficacy of new drugs and therapies. Studies pass several steps and stages requiring extensive laboratory research that can involve years of experiments ...