This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Minocycline is proposed as an add-on therapy to improve the efficacy of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone)

MinocyclineSummary
Minocycline is proposed as an add-on therapy to improve the efficacy of glatiramer acetate in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The effect of minocycline plus glatiramer acetate was evaluated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Mult Scler. 2009 Sep 23 epub ahead of print

Details
Canadian researchers, lead by Dr. Luanne Metz of Calgary,aimed to investigate the efficacy of combined glatiramer acetate(GA) plus minocycline treatment in people with relapsing-remitting MS, by comparing a group receiving GA plus minocycline with another receiving GA plus placebo. Forty-four participants were randomized to either minocycline 100 mg twice daily or matching placebo for 9 months as add-on therapy. They were assessed at screening and months 1, 3, 6, 8 and 9. Forty participants completed the study.

Compared with glatiramer acetate/placebo, glatiramer acetate/minocycline reduced the total number of T1 gadolinium-enhanced lesions by 63%, the total number of new and enlarging T2 lesions by 65%, and the total T2 disease burden. A higher number of gadolinium-enhanced lesions were present in the glatiramer acetate/minocycline group at baseline; this was incorporated into the analysis of the primary endpoint but makes interpretation of the data more challenging. The risk of relapse tended to be lower in the combination group.

Treatment was safe and well tolerated. The authors conclude that results showed a consistent trend favouring combination treatment.

As minocycline is a relatively safe oral therapy, The authors conclude that further study of this combination is warranted in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Source: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (14/10/09)

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Treatment: CCSVI both IJV ballooned 09/2010, No DMDs, Tysabri on hold after 24 Infusions, after LDN, ABX Wheldon Regime for 1 year.

Medical research is so frustrating. The Copaxone + Minocycline study was completed and reported on over 2 1/2 years ago at an MS conference, and they're finally publishing the results? I'd like to know what took so long and whether there have been any other developments in minocycline MS research during the intervening period.

Anyway, here's a link from May 2007 discussing the same study:

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Minocycline was one of the trial drugs in article Neuro gave me.
I asked him about it before he told/gave me article. I wondered if I could take it instead of the amox and trim I take daily. He said
"no...that wont help". and it was in article he gave?? Along with Estriol and a vaccine bht-3009? All looked like safest/best bets to me (patient).
Wants me to fill out papers for Tysabri. sheesh.

Don't the regulators know the consequences of their procrastination in certain circumstances?

Imagine the uproar if an AIDS treatment showing these results was restricted. There would be people marching in the streets.

Or if access to insulin took 20 years for Type1 diabetics when it was discovered in 1924.

Greater flexibility needs to be introduced into these processes. Perhaps drugs that have been approved for one disease are able to be approved for others subject to certain conditions.

Yes I'm angry and frustrated.

I started Minocycline 10/22 at 100mg/day. Study was 200mg/day. I'm on Copaxone.
Only improvement is urine is much less cloudy = better. That's why im prescibed it.
Plus I showed uro article on m.s. and he said sure. Still progressing though.