What is the drug thought to do in the body?

Ibudilast is thought to affect multiple pathways that happen in MND. Laboratory research, including in models of MND, has shown that Ibudilast could help to:

  • Reduce inflammation in the brain and spinal cord
  • Protect nerve cells from the overactivation of a neurotransmitter called glutamate
  • Remove faulty proteins (TDP-43 and SOD1) which clump together and are thought to contribute to nerve cell death 

Phase 2b/3

Current status: Recruiting 

Primary objective: To investigate if Ibudilast can change the rate of disease progression, from baseline to week 24, measured by the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R).

The Phase 2b/3 trial is currently recruiting participants to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Ibudilast for 12 months followed by a 6-month open-label extension phase. You can find out more about the trial here.

This trial is recruiting in the US and Canada only.

Previous Clinical Trials

Phase 2

The Phase 2 randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial recruited 71 people with MND who took 60 mg of ibudilast daily together with riluzole across 6 months. The treatment was shown to be safe and well-tolerated. In some participants, the ALSFRS-R score did not decline. However, the trials objective was to check it was safe in people with MND, so further research is needed to gather evidence on whether it is beneficial for people with MND. You can read more about the trial here.

Latest News

2020

The trial started recruiting participants. 

Last updated: 21/08/2024