Senolytics for Multiple Sclerosis

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: Ohio State University

Must not be taking: Anti-arrhythmics, Antipsychotics, Anxiolytics, others

Disqualifiers: Coronary disease, Stroke, Liver disease, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 12 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether a treatment using dasatinib and quercetin (a combination known as senolytics) can aid individuals with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) by removing old, damaged cells that might cause inflammation. Researchers aim to determine if this treatment is safe and can enhance physical and cognitive abilities. The study seeks participants with SPMS who are not currently on MS medications and have experienced worsening symptoms over the past year. Participants will take the medicines every two weeks for three months and will be monitored for a year to observe any effects. As a Phase 1 trial, the research focuses on understanding how the treatment works in people, offering participants a chance to be among the first to receive this innovative therapy.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

Yes, you may need to stop certain medications. The trial excludes people taking anti-arrhythmic medications, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, anti-platelet or anti-coagulant medications (except aspirin), quinolone antibiotics, and drugs metabolized by the same liver enzymes as the trial drugs.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this treatment is likely to be safe for humans?

Research shows that dasatinib and quercetin, when used together, can help remove old and damaged cells from the body, potentially reducing inflammation and supporting nerve healing. Studies are exploring whether this combination can slow aging and improve health.

Regarding safety, other studies suggest that using dasatinib and quercetin together is generally safe and well-tolerated. Participants in past studies did not report serious side effects. However, this treatment remains in the early testing stages for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). While initial results are promising, more research is needed to fully understand its safety and effectiveness for this condition.

In this trial, participants will take these medicines every two weeks for three months, with their health closely monitored for one year. This careful monitoring helps quickly address any potential side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising?

Researchers are excited about using dasatinib and quercetin for multiple sclerosis because these treatments offer a novel approach by targeting cellular aging. Unlike current therapies, which primarily focus on modulating the immune system, dasatinib and quercetin are senolytics that aim to clear out senescent cells—cells that contribute to inflammation and disease progression. This innovative mechanism could potentially slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis in a way that existing treatments do not.

What evidence suggests that this treatment might be an effective treatment for MS?

Research shows that dasatinib and quercetin, the treatment studied in this trial, can help remove old and damaged cells. In animal studies, this combination improved function and survival in models similar to multiple sclerosis. Other studies have shown that this treatment can reduce the number of senescent cells, which are cells that have stopped working properly and can increase inflammation. By clearing these cells, the treatment may reduce inflammation and possibly help repair nerve damage. Early human studies also suggest a reduction in these harmful cells in various tissues. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm their effectiveness in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Adults aged 50-85 with secondary progressive MS, who are not on MS disease-modifying therapy and have worsening symptoms, can join this trial. It's to see if senolytic therapy (dasatinib and quercetin) is safe and improves physical and cognitive functions.

Inclusion Criteria

I haven't taken MS drugs in the last 6 months or used alemtuzumab, cladribine, or mitoxantrone.

I am between 50-85 years old and have been diagnosed with SPMS according to the 2024 McDonald Criteria.

My MS has worsened in the last year.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been hospitalized in the last 6 months.

I have not had a stroke or mini-stroke in the last 6 months.

I have high blood pressure in the arteries of my lungs.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants take dasatinib and quercetin by mouth every two weeks for three months

12 weeks

6 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

9 months

Periodic visits (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Dasatinib and Quercetin

Trial Overview The trial tests dasatinib plus quercetin taken orally every two weeks for three months in SPMS patients. These drugs aim to eliminate old cells that may hinder nerve repair. Participants will be monitored for a year to assess the treatment's effects.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Dasatinib and quercetin

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Ohio State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

891

Recruited

2,659,000+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07270120?cond=multiple+sclerosis&aggFilters=status%3A%2Cphase%3A

NCT07270120 | Senolytics for Secondary Progressive MS Our pilot data shows D+Q treatment improves function and survival in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the widely used animal model of ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12181558/

The senolytic cocktail, dasatinib and quercetin, impacts the ... The results suggest that the triple treatment showed more beneficial effects on the nuclear morphology than a single one, and only after such ...

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1681724/full

Targeting senescent microglia in progressive multiple ... Specifically, here we show that middle-aged mice (40–44 weeks) with EAE exhibit improved clinical outcomes and survival following treatment with either ...

4. biorxiv.org biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.04.588076v1.full.pdf

Senolytic therapy combining Dasatinib and Quercetin ... Our results indicate that the treatment with D+Q selectively eliminates senescent cells in human OA cartilage tissue and in isolated hAC. The ...

5. aging-us.com aging-us.com/article/205581/text

Exploring the effects of Dasatinib, Quercetin, and Fisetin on ... Combined treatment with Dasatinib and Quercetin (DQ) has been demonstrated to decrease senescent cell burden in humans in multiple tissues [12, 17–20]; improve ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10929829/

Exploring the effects of Dasatinib, Quercetin, and Fisetin on ... We anticipate that the synergy between Quercetin and Dasatinib will lead to a significant reduction in cell proliferation, thereby slowing the rate of aging and ...

7. trial.medpath.com trial.medpath.com/clinical-trial/207942175d673021/nct07270120-senolytics-improve-physical-cognitive-function-multiple-sclerosis

Senolytics for Secondary Progressive MS - MedPath This is a clinical trial to see whether senolytic therapy is safe and feasible for patients with secondary progressive MS and whether ...

8. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07025226

Study Details | NCT07025226 | Sequential Treatments or ... Giving medication combinations of dasatinib, quercetin, fisetin and temozolomide may be safe, tolerable and/or effective in treating patients with ...