Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Multiple Sclerosis: Neuroprotective Drugs for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that causes significant disability. Immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs have been designed for years to treat MS, as it was considered the most appropriate way to balance the effects of the patients' immune reaction. However, basic and clinical research has recently offered new data that help to better understand the nature of this complex disease, allowing changing the treatment approach. As a consequence, the first disease-modifying drug with a suggested neuroprotective and antioxidative mechanism of action has been recently approved, broadening and improving the therapeutic landscape to fight against MS. In this review, we focused our attention on promising neuroprotective or neuroregenerative drugs that are currently approved or in clinical trials. These neuroprotective therapies provide new valid alternatives that significantly could impact on disease progression and neurodegenerative changes in MS.