There are different types of clinical trials but the randomized clinical trial (RCT) is the most commonplace. In an RCT, the effects of the experimental treatment will be compared between the groups who receive the treatment and the group who receive no treatment (the control, or placebo group). It is important to remember, therefore, that if you are asked, or volunteer, to participate in a trial, you may not be allocated to the treatment group : instead, you may be allocated to the control group.
To date, Riluzole is still the only proven treatment for MND. However, research into finding a successful treatment for MND is on-going. Details of some clinical trials (for new drugs) which are taking place in the United Kingdom at present, are listed below.
MND-SMART (https://www.mnd-smart.org/)
Motor Neurone Disease - Systematic multi-arm Adaptive Randomisation Trial (MND-SMART) is a landmark drug trial designed to speed up the time it takes to find medicines that can slow, stop, or reverse the progression of Motor Neurone Disease.
The trial is being led by researchers at the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research at the University of Edinburgh and the trial will include as many people with MND as possible, regardless of how the disease or current treatments affect them. There are now 17 trial centres across the UK, including the initial centre in Edinburgh.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04302870
MIROCALS: Modifying Immune Response and OutComes in ALS (MIROCALS)
The MIROCALS trial has now closed and results are being analysed.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03039673
Drug name: Interleukin 2 or IL-2
Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes
Start Date June 19, 2017. Study completion date July 22, 2021
Information on World-Wide Clinical Trials and Research can be found on the website below :
