The MND Association has trebled its investment in the MND-SMART trial to speed research into treatments for motor neurone disease.
The charity has committed £1.5m over five years to the MND-SMART platform, up from £0.5m originally planned.
MND Scotland, the founding funder since 2018, remains a partner and will contribute £1m to the £2.5m collaboration.
MND-SMART is a multi-arm clinical trial, meaning several potential treatments can be tested at the same time against a single placebo group.
This allows more participants to receive drugs that could be beneficial and enables ineffective treatments to be removed earlier, speeding up the process.
Tanya Curry, chief executive of the MND Association, said: “MND-SMART is a pioneering drugs trial platform, exactly the kind of innovative research we’ve committed to focusing our investment on over the next five years.
“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we’re pleased to be able to extend our funding commitment which will drive real progress for people with MND.”
More than 1,000 participants have taken part since the platform launched in 2018, with recruitment beginning in 2020. There are currently 26 clinics, hospitals and universities across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with two more sites due to open this year, including one at the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.
Two drugs, tacrolimus and amantadine, are currently being tested. Results from the next interim analysis of amantadine are expected in the coming weeks.
The increased funding follows the launch of the association’s new five-year research and innovation strategy, aimed at accelerating investment and progress towards better treatments.
Mike Rogers, director of research and innovation, said: “Trebling our commitment to this innovative trial platform reflects our determination to further our understanding of MND, develop new treatments and ensure more people have the chance to take part in clinical trials.
“Working at greater scale means faster progress, and we urgently need that as every day matters for everyone affected by MND.”
