"It would end this nightmare": Yorkshire woman one of nearly 1000 people in ground-breaking MS trial

The multi-million pound trial, MS-STAT2, has been co-funded by the MS Society in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and the National MS Society in the US.

The Phase 3 study - which is also supported by the NHS and University College London (UCL) – is investigating whether the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin slows disability progression in secondary progressive MS. With recruitment now closed, results will be shared in 2025 when all participants have been part of the trial for at least three years.

Alison Waite, 53, was diagnosed with relapsing MS in 1994 but was told she had secondary progressive MS 10 years ago.

Forced to medically retire from nursing in 1998, Alison lives with chronic fatigue, weakness and pain in both legs. She uses a walking stick around the house, but when out needs a wheelchair or scooter.

After showing no evidence of disability progression during her first three years on the trial, Alison was invited to continue as a participant at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

“When I was diagnosed with MS all I was told was that my GP could help manage my symptoms – there was no treatment, no MS nurses." Alison explained "I was terribly depressed and needed to see a community psychiatric nurse. Thankfully my husband and family supported me through those dark times."

More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, and most expect to develop a progressive form of the condition.

MS causes problems with how people walk, move, see, think, and feel. Positive results from a smaller phase 2 trial, MS-STAT, showed simvastatin could improve levels of disability and slow disease progression. It also reduced the rate of brain atrophy (shrinkage), suggesting the treatment could protect nerves from damage.

Alison wasn't nervous about joining the trial and is keen to help researchers find better treatments especially for her 24-year-old niece who was recently diagnosed with relapsing MS.

“I would encourage anyone to grab any opportunity with both hands to try to slow, stop, prevent or, ultimately, cure this disease." she said "Stopping MS would mean the world to us as it would end this nightmare.”

Dr Emma Gray, Assistant Director of Research at the MS Society, says: “Recruiting 964 participants to the MS-STAT2 trial is a really impressive MS research milestone, and we are grateful to each and every one of them for committing their time and energy to the study. While a few treatments for early progressive MS are beginning to emerge, there are still thousands of people who have no treatment options – this trial gives our community another reason to hope.

“There’s still a way to go, but thanks to Alison and everyone involved, we’re on track to know by 2025 whether simvastatin could become the first neuroprotective MS treatment.”

Professor Jeremy Chataway, Chief Investigator of the MS-STAT2 trial, says: “We are delighted to have completed recruitment for MS-STAT2, a landmark trial for people living with secondary progressive MS. If successful, the trial could lead to a common, affordable statin becoming the first ever MS treatment to protect nerves.

“Recruiting almost 1,000 participants is an incredible achievement, especially as the pandemic halted recruitment for months, and many staff – including myself – were diverted to frontline NHS duties. We have the wonderful participants to thank in helping us reach this milestone and for committing to at least three years on the trial. We're looking forward to sharing the results in 2025."

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