A Combination Trial of Copaxone Plus Estriol in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) (Estriol-MS)

Washington University School of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Ohio State University, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, University of Chicago, University of Utah, Johns Hopkins University, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, University of Colorado, Denver, University of New Mexico, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

This is a double-blinded, placebo controlled study of estriol pills versus placebo pills in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. The study treatment will be an added on to Copaxone injections in all subjects. The primary outcome measure is a reduction in relapses.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses are known to be significantly decreased during pregnancy. This proposal will establish whether oral treatment with estriol, the major estrogen of pregnancy, induces a decrease in relapses in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) subjects when used in combination with injectable Copaxone. Previously, in a pilot study, it has been demonstrated that treatment of RRMS subjects with oral estriol for six months resulted in a significant reduction in gadolinium enhancing lesions on serial brain MRIs (Annals of Neurology, 2002; 52:421-428) and caused a favorable shift in immune responses (Journal of Immunology, 2003; 171:6267-6274). This is an add-on study aiming to extend these previous findings by treating longer and focusing on clinical outcomes. The combination of Copaxone injection plus estriol pill (8 mg per day) will be compared to Copaxone injection plus placebo pill in a double blind trial. The duration of treatment will be two years and the primary outcome measure will be relapse rate. Other outcomes will include disability measures and brain MRI outcomes. Safety measures (blood tests and gynecologic evaluations) will also be followed and correlations will be made between serum estriol levels with efficacy and safety. The overall goal of this study will be the development of a new oral treatment, estriol, for RRMS.

Estriol Capsules (daily) plus Copaxone injections (daily). Progestin capsules given for 2 weeks every 3 months to avoid unopposed estrogens.

Placebo Capsules (daily) plus Copaxone injections (daily). A second placebo capsule given for 2 weeks every 3 months.

A confirmed relapse was defined as new neurological symptoms or worsening of pre-existing symptoms, lasting at least 48 hours in a subject who had been neurologically stable or improving in the previous 30 days, accompanied by objective change in the neurological examination (worsening of 0.5 points on the EDSS or worsening by 1.0 or more points on the pyramidal, cerebellar, brainstem or visual functional system scores), not due to fatigue alone and not associated with fever or infection.

Met all criteria for relapse except not confirmed to have increase in EDSS by an independent examiner.

A confirmed relapse was defined as new neurological symptoms or worsening of pre-existing symptoms, lasting at least 48 hours in a subject who had been neurologically stable or improving in the previous 30 days, accompanied by objective change in the neurological examination (worsening of 0.5 points on the EDSS or worsening by 1.0 or more points on the pyramidal, cerebellar, brainstem or visual functional system scores), not due to fatigue alone and not associated with fever or infection.

Met all criteria for relapse except not confirmed to have increase in EDSS by an independent examiner.

Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis At least one relapse in the last two years Exclusion Criteria: Patients treated in the past with total lymphoid irradiation, monoclonal antibody, T cell vaccination, cladribine, bone marrow transplantation, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, mitoxantrone, cyclosporin or Tysabri Clinically significant diseases other than multiple sclerosis

Investigators interested in further research using the data should contact Dr. Voskuhl with proposed plans and request.

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Soldan SS, Alvarez Retuerto AI, Sicotte NL, Voskuhl RR. Immune modulation in multiple sclerosis patients treated with the pregnancy hormone estriol. J Immunol. 2003 Dec 1;171(11):6267-74. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.11.6267.

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Voskuhl RR, Wang H, Wu TC, Sicotte NL, Nakamura K, Kurth F, Itoh N, Bardens J, Bernard JT, Corboy JR, Cross AH, Dhib-Jalbut S, Ford CC, Frohman EM, Giesser B, Jacobs D, Kasper LH, Lynch S, Parry G, Racke MK, Reder AT, Rose J, Wingerchuk DM, MacKenzie-Graham AJ, Arnold DL, Tseng CH, Elashoff R. Estriol combined with glatiramer acetate for women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet Neurol. 2016 Jan;15(1):35-46. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00322-1. Epub 2015 Nov 29.