MND Scotland makes 'historic' £2m investment in huge drug trial

Stevie Williams, Person living with MND; Judy Newton, Lead MND nurse for Scotland; Professor Suvankar Pal, MND-SMART Co-Lead; Dr Jane Haley, Director of Research for MND Scotland

A charity has announced a "historic" £2m investment in what is said to be the UK's biggest ever motor neurone disease (MND) clinical drug trial.

The MND-SMART trial is designed to speed up the search for treatment that can stop, slow or reverse the progression of the disease.

MND Scotland said the money would drive the next phase of the trial.

More than 500 participants have already been recruited to take part in the trial.

MND is a terminal illness which stops the signals from the brain reaching the muscles.

Average life expectancy is just 18 months from diagnosis and there is currently no cure or effective treatment.

Dr Jane Haley, director of research for MND Scotland, said: "This is the largest single research investment MND Scotland has ever made and will help drive the next phase of this pioneering trial, ensuring equitable access to a clinical trial for people with MND.

"None of this would be possible if not for our incredible fundraisers, volunteers and donors who make our work possible every day. Together, we will make time count."

MND Scotland is the foundational funder of the clinical trial, which started recruiting in February 2020, as a result of the charity's initial £1.5m investment.

The charity is working alongside the MND association who are providing a further £500,000 towards the trial, taking the total investment to £2.5m.

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The trial allows multiple drug treatments to be tested at the same time, speeding up progress and reducing the number of people with MND who would be assigned to a "placebo" group.

It has started with "repurposed" drugs which are already approved for use in other conditions.

The trial, designed to run continuously for years to come, is based at the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research at the University of Edinburgh and is open to the vast majority of people living with MND across the UK.

Professor Suvankar Pal, who is leading the trial, said: "MND-SMART has already transformed the MND clinical trial landscape in the UK; so far more than 500 people with MND across Scotland and the rest of the UK have given up their time to take part in this vital research to identify potential new treatments."