National MS Society commits $19 million to launch 40 multi-year research awards to drive progress towards new cures

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Aug 4 2022

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has committed $19 million to launch 40 new multi-year research awards to drive progress toward stopping MS, restoring function, and ending MS forever – the goals of the widely endorsed Pathways to Cures for MS to better align the global MS research community around the most promising areas to cure MS for every single person as fast as possible.

The new awards include research training fellowships, early career awards, research grants and special initiatives. Just a few of the new cutting-edge projects include:

• Oregon Health & Science University researchers will investigate signals that cause nerve cells to die when nerve-insulating myelin is lost in MS, and how to block those signals;
• Case Western Reserve researchers will seek new targets for treatments to repair the damage that occurs to the nervous system in people with MS;
• A team at Johns Hopkins will test a potential treatment for MS-related fatigue;
• and University of California, San Francisco researchers will determine the targets recognized by immune cells in the spinal fluid of people with MS for clues to what triggers this nervous system disease.

The comprehensive nature of these new research awards is exciting and critical. Investments in research accelerate progress on our Pathways to Cures roadmap journey to stop MS disease activity, reverse symptoms and end MS forever. Through leadership, influence and funding, we will cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives."

Cyndi Zagieboylo, President and CEO, National MS Society

This latest financial commitment is part of a projected total investment of nearly $30 million in 2022 to support more than 250 new and ongoing MS research studies around the world, including support and leadership for the International Progressive MS Alliance – a global effort to accelerate the development of effective treatments for people with progressive MS to improve quality of life worldwide.