US Pharm. 2014;39(4):7.
London, UK—Results of a phase II study published in The Lancet suggest that simvastatin, a generic cholesterol-lowering drug, might be a potential treatment option for the secondary progressive, or chronic, stage of multiple sclerosis (MS), which is currently untreatable. Findings from the MS-STAT trial showed that a high, daily dose (80 mg) of simvastatin was safe, well tolerated, and slowed brain atrophy (shrinkage) by 43% over 2 years compared with placebo. Longitudinal studies suggest that atrophy progression is linked with disability. To date, no licensed drugs have shown a convincing impact on this later stage of the disease. Further phase III studies will be required to measure the effect of simvastatin on sustained disability in patients with MS.
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