End of trial recruitment phase this autumn – MIROCALS

End of trial recruitment phase this autumn

The MIROCALS (Modifying Immune Response and Outcomes in ALS) Clinical Trial is still on-going, with recruitment continuing until the end of September 2019.

The MIROCALS trial is testing whether low doses of the drug Interleukin-2 (IL-2) can alter aspects of the immune system, which may play a role in the speed at which ALS progresses. The trial is also aiming to confirm the usefulness of recently identified disease biomarkers, whilst also looking for new and more effective biomarkers, as well as potential new targets for future drug development. It is also the first clinical trial to investigate whether an individual’s genetic make-up may determine whether they respond differently to either IL-2 or riluzole. This information will help in the design of future drug trials and even, potentially, in approaches to personalised medicine for ALS in the future.

In order to recruit up to 216 participants to the trial, 17 centres have been set up in France and in United Kingdom. The participating centres are:

France

  • Hôpital Dupuytren, CHU of Limoges
  • Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils of Lyon
  • Hôpital Gui de Chauliac, Clinique of Motoneurone, CHU of Montpellier
  • Hôpital Pasteur-2, CHU of Nice
  • Hôpital Bretonneau, CHU of Tours
  • Hôpital Pitié Salpétrière, Paris
  • Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille
  • Hôpital Roger Salengro, CHRU of Lille
  • Hôpital Yves Le Foll, CHU of Saint Brieuc
  • Hôpital of Hautepierre of Strasbourg

United Kingdom

  • Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
  • King’s College Hospital, London
  • National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals, London
  • The Royal London Hospital, London
  • The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
  • Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow
  • Salford Royal Hospital, Manchester
  Expected impact of MIROCALS - MIROCALS

MIROCALS Chief Investigator, Professor Nigel Leigh (Brighton) comments “The willingness of people with ALS to take part in this trial has been inspiring. We had originally expected around 10 clinical to take part in the trial, so the inclusion of so many additional clinics has hopefully made it a little easier for people from a much wider geographical area to take part.”

“This includes the first clinic in Scotland to be involved in an ALS drug trial in over a quarter of a century.”

MIROCALS Study Coordinator Dr Gilbert Bensimon (Nimes and Paris, France) adds: “Despite many hurdles, the study is on track to recruit to target and to build a unique resource for research into blood and spinal fluid biomarkers that may help to make future ALS trials more efficient. Most importantly, if low dose Il-2 can significantly slow the progression of ALS we should be able to detect that effect”.

Further details of participating clinics in France and the UK are available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.