Multiple Sclerosis Affects Millions Of People - Mostly Women, And There Is No Cure. What Is Being Done?

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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive and lifelong condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord – the central nervous system. It triggers an immune system response that damages myelin, the sheath that protects nerves and disrupts signals to the brain. 

This disruption results in a variety of symptoms that affect patients differently. These can include pain, fatigue, tingling, numbness, memory issues, vision problems, loss of speech, and the ability to walk. 

Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of around 20 to 50, but there have been older and younger cases. Each patient’s impact and severity differ, with some never developing severe disabilities. The exact cause is unknown, although new research suggests a link to the Epstein-Barr virus.

How many suffer from MS, and who is most affected?

There is no official registry, but recent estimates put the number of people living with MS at around 2.8 million. This represents a sharp rise from 2.3 million in 2013. 

An international study by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation was released in December 2020. The researchers collected data from 115 countries and found MS prevalence had increased in every global region over the last seven years.

However, the rise has not been uniform. Apart from variance due to age, there are several disparities in growth. For example, the condition has been linked to prosperity, with a recent study showing wealthier countries had higher MS rates than poorer ones. The study found Canada had the highest prevalence of 168 people per 100,000, while the Maldives had the lowest, with 1.52 per 100,000.

In addition to prosperity, studies show distance from the equator is another factor, with North Americans and North Europeans having the highest prevalence. In the US, which has around 1 million people with MS, the rate is twice as high in northern states compared to the south. Irrespective of the region, Caucasians of European descent have the highest risk compared to other ethnic groups.

By far, the group with the highest prevalence is women. A recent report by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society noted four times as many women are living with MS as men. Like the condition itself, it is not clear exactly why this is the case, with studies pointing to potential causes such as hormones, obesity, and inflammation.

There is currently no cure, with most treatments involving medication to control and manage symptoms. These disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) vary depending on the individual and are relatively effective against relapsing-remitting MS. But unfortunately, they have less impact on progressive MS.

New therapies and pharmaceutical products are emerging

Researchers and pharmaceutical companies are making progress, and several new products look particularly promising. A great example is Lucid-MS, a neuroprotective compound from FSD Pharma, a company trading on the Nasdaq and CSE stock exchanges.

Anthony Durkacz, the co-founder and interim CEO of FSD Pharma, explains, “We have three drug candidates in the pipeline, but our primary focus is on Lucid-MS a patented New Chemical Entity (NCE). 

“In pre-clinical trials, Lucid-MS has been shown to prevent and reverse myelin degradation, the underlying cause of Multiple Sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders. The results have been excellent in animal models, and we anticipate Investigational New Drug (IND) status with FDA and Health Canada  later this year.”

Another co-founder and the President of FSD Pharma, Zeeshan Saeed, says, “We are focused on developing novel therapies for brain and inflammatory disorders with the aim of achieving ‘Total Brain Health’.”

“Lucid-MS is the result of over 11 years of research and development by an incredibly experienced team. It is one of our innovative disorder therapies that has the potential to help millions. The company goal is to enhance the quality of life for society through multiple compounds addressing different indications.”

The company’s renowned clinical team has made impressive progress towards a cure for a previously incurable disease. The clinical team is led by Dr. Lakshmi P. Kotra, who is the recipient of Julia Levy Award (2021) and is also the CEO of Lucid, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FSD Pharma. Dr. Kotra is a professor of medical chemistry at the University of Toronto and is a senior scientist at the Krembil Brain Institute. The Julia Levy Award is given for excellence in innovation in the commercialization of novel molecules in Bio-tech. The award since its inception in 2006 has been granted to only 7 recipients so far. David Allan who serves as an advisor to FSD Pharma’s board is also a recipient of the Julia Levy Award (2017). 

Its success is reflected in the company’s balance sheet, with no debt and over US$40 million in funding. Given that the current market for MS treatment is around US$23 billion, it is in a very strong position.

“We want to help people and cure this disease,” Durkacz says. “Success will allow us to expand and advance our other compounds, such as the two we already have in the pipeline for treating depression and inflammation. It will also help our team in addressing other neurodegenerative diseases as well.”

Saeed says, “MS affects around one in a thousand people, most of whom are women. It can be hard to treat, given the unpredictable nature of the symptoms, and a cure is clearly the preferred solution. Lucid-MS has been shown to reverse the condition, and it does so without suppressing the immune system. Lucid-MS is a neuroprotective compound and is not an immuno-modulator like most of the drugs in the market used today to treat Multiple Sclerosis. This is a genuine game-changer for everyone involved.” 

Multiple sclerosis, like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, is currently incurable. However, companies like FSD Pharma and their Lucid-MS compound may be able to change that. If successful, the medication could change millions of lives. With cases of MS rising rapidly, the need for a cure is growing urgent.

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.