MS breakthrough? Metformin and clemastine combo shows potential to repair damaged nerves in trial

Scientists say they are on the brink of a breakthrough in treating multiple sclerosis that could repair nerve damage by rebuilding myelin, the protective layer around nerve fibers. In a six-month trial at the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, researchers tested a combination of the diabetes drug metformin and the antihistamine clemastine in people with relapsing MS.

Seventy participants were enrolled; half received the drug combination and the other half a placebo. To assess nerve function, scientists measured how quickly signals travel between the eyes and the brain, a proxy for conduction along affected nerves. The study found that signal speed fell in the placebo group over six months, while it remained steady in the drug group, suggesting some preservation of function. The team says the results point to a potential repair of the myelin sheath, though long-term benefits and safety must be established before widespread use. The findings are expected to be published in a peer‑reviewed journal.

"Dr Nick Cunniffe, an academic neurologist at Cambridge University who led the trial, said: "We still need to research the long-term benefits and side-effects before people with MS consider taking these drugs. But my instinct is that we are on the brink of a new class of treatments to stop MS progression, and within the next decade we could see the first licensed treatment that repairs myelin and improves the lives of people living with MS.""

"Dr Emma Gray, director of research at the MS Society, which funded the trial, said: "These results could represent a turning point. This research gives us real hope that myelin repair drugs will be part of the armoury of MS treatments in the future."

MS affects more than 150,000 people in the United Kingdom. The Cambridge trial enrolled two groups of 35 participants, all with relapsing forms of MS, and researchers measured changes in nerve signal speed over the study period. The research is being closely watched as scientists pursue therapies that not only slow disease progression but also repair damaged nerve tissue.

Experts cautioned that the six-month window does not answer long-term safety questions, and that longer and larger studies are needed before any treatment could be licensed. Researchers emphasized that while the early results are encouraging, they represent an initial step toward a potential new class of MS therapies rather than a definitive cure.