Biotin for Progressive MS: Surprise from the American Academy of Neurology Meeting

Undoubtedly the most talked-about study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Washington, DC, was the study of high-dose biotin for progressive MS (PPMS or SPMS). The authors conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study across 16 MS centers in France, comparing placebo with MD1003, a proprietary purified high dose biotin. 154 patients participated in this 12-month study. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients who improved at 9 months (compared to the entry at the study), with sustained improvement at 12 months. 12.6% of patients in the MD1003 arm improved, compared to 0% in the placebo arm. The treated group, as a whole, had improved disability scores compared to placebo group. MD1003 was well-tolerated.

Although short, these results offer a tantalizing possibility of treatment for progressive MS. The findings will need to be replicated in a larger, possibly longer study. Stay tuned for the news of when/where that study may take place; but bear in mind that more than likely it will involve a placebo arm.