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Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Atorvastatin 40 mg in Patients With Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Interferon-beta-1b

I

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern

Status and phase

Completed
Phase 2

Conditions

Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Treatments

Drug: Interferon beta-1b/Atorvastatin group
Drug: Interferon beta-1b group

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
Industry

Identifiers

Details and patient eligibility

About

The "SWiss Atorvastatin and Interferon-Beta 1b Trial In Multiple Sclerosis - Follow up Study" is the follow up study of the "SWiss Atorvastatin and Interferon Beta-1b Trial In Multiple Sclerosis (SWABIMS)" (see http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00942591) SWABIMS evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of atorvastatin 40 mg in addition to interferon-beta 1b compared to interferon-beta 1b monotherapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for 15 month. The SWABIMS Follow up study observes patients that finish the SWABIMS study for another 12 month with ongoing unchanged medication.

Full description

Background

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Statins are lipid-lowering drugs which inhibit the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA-) reductase, which is the main regulatory enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. In recent years many studies have demonstrated, that statins have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties in addition to their lipid-lowering effects. Therefore, statins may have therapeutic potential in immune-mediated disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Studies in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model for the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis, as well as smaller studies in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis showed beneficial effect on the course of the disease. But there are also reports of negative impact of statins on multiple sclerosis. Therefore, bigger studies are needed to investigate the therapeutical potential of statins in multiple sclerosis.

Objective

To assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the combination of atorvastatin 40mg p.o. daily and interferon-beta 1b sc e.o.d compared to monotherapy with interferon-beta-1b sc e.o.d in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for 12 month after completing the SWABIMS study.

Methods

Multi-center, rater-blinded, parallel-group, two arm, randomized study. Patients with relapsing-remitting forms of MS, respecting all inclusion/exclusion criteria, were randomized in the SWABIMS study in two equal-size parallel arms after three months of treatment with interferon-beta 1b, receiving atorvastatin 40mg/d or not in addition to interferon-beta 1b for 12 month.

After successful completion of the study, patients were asked to participate in the "SWABIMS Follow up study" for another 12 month with ongoing medication.

Enrollment

28 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 67 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Successful completion of the SWABIMS study
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Any disease other than multiple sclerosis that would better explain the patient's signs and symptoms
  • Secondary progressive MS
  • Uncontrolled severe medical disorder
  • Participation in any other studies

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

28 participants in 2 patient groups

1
Active Comparator group
Description:
Interferon beta-1b 250ug subcutaneously every other day
Treatment:
Drug: Interferon beta-1b group
2
Experimental group
Description:
Interferon beta-1b 250ug subcutaneously every other day AND atorvastatin 40mg every day (oral)
Treatment:
Drug: Interferon beta-1b/Atorvastatin group

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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