About Octopus

Octopus is a trial which will test multiple treatments with the aim to find one that can slow down, and ultimately stop, the progression of disability in people with primary or secondary progressive MS.

Octopus aims to be a more efficient kind of clinical trial by using the multi-arm, multi-stage (MAMS) approach, visit this page about MAMS for more details on the trial design. It will run over a number of years. The trial has two stages.

Analysis Stage 1

In the first stage participants will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as well as other tests. At the end of this stage, researchers will review the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from participants’ scans.

This analysis of Analysis Stage 1 data will help researchers decide whether the treatments under investigation are likely to be helpful in slowing disease progression.

If the MRI scans show that a treatment is not making a difference, then that arm will be stopped. Visit this MS society page for more details on how MRI will help Octopus test potential treatments faster.

Any treatments that seem to have a beneficial effect on MS at this point of analysis will continue to be tested in the second stage.

Analysis Stage 2

During the second stage more participants will be recruited to join each treatment . At this stage, researchers will be looking at clinical data to see whether the treatments can, in fact, slow down the progression of MS.

Currently, the trial compares two treatment groups, or "arms", with one control group. New arms can also be added to Octopus in the future to test other new and promising drugs. 

Initially at least, the treatments tested will be repurposed treatments, meaning they are already in use for other conditions. These treatments will largely be focused on promoting the repair of damaged myelin, and the protection of nerves from damage. To learn more about how researchers are working to stop MS, visit this MS society page.

You can find more information about the Octopus trial in the Octopus Protocol (version 4.0). Please note: this document is for information only. Participants going through the recruitment process will be given the Participant Information Sheet (version 3.0) specific to their trial site.