Approaches to Remyelination Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose of review: While there are a growing number of therapies targeting relapse prevention in multiple sclerosis (MS), there are no approved therapies promoting remyelination. Understanding endogenous myelin formation, remyelination strategies, pre-clinical models, and clinical outcomes is essential to the interpretation of current and future clinical trials of remyelinating agents. Recent findings: Several recent clinical trials of remyelination therapies, including opicinumab, clemastine, and GSK239512, showed negative or modest results. These results could highlight challenges translating pre-clinical studies into subjects with MS and current strategies to measure remyelination. Summary: Current approaches to remyelination include (1) blocking inhibitors of remyelination, (2) improving the clearance of myelin debris, (3) increasing the number of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), and (4) stimulating OPC differentiation. To date, no therapies have led to robust remyelination. Future efforts to promote remyelination will likely require a combination of these mechanistic strategies.