What does the drug do?

Memantine is an existing drug which is used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. It works by blocking the action of glutamate, a chemical in the brain which helps to pass messages between the neurons. Increased levels of glutamate have long been associated with neuron damage as excessive amounts are toxic to the cells. Glutamate is known to have links to MND, with increased levels being found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of those with MND.

Trial Outcome

The trial did not meet its primary endpoint of slowing disease progression as measured by ALSFRS-R, the decline was found to be the same for those taking the treatment and those who were on placebo. More analysis from the trial is expected soon. 

Memantine Hydrochloride Oral Solution is also being studied in the MND SMART platform trial in the UK. Find out more about the trial here

Clinical Trials

Phase 2 (TAME)

The phase 2 trial assess the efficacy of memantine treatment in 90 participants with MND across 11 different sites. The U.S. trial involves participants being randomly allocated to receive either memantine or a placebo for 32 weeks. The primary outcome is the number of points lost on the ALSFRS-R over 32 weeks. You can read more about the trial here.

Resources

Last updated: 21/12/2022