Lost in translation: rethinking animal models of progressive MS (an industry perspective)

While multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies have successfully reduced relapse rates and new lesion development in the brain, people with MS continue to experience gradual physical and neurological deterioration even without relapse activity. This disease progression is the current focus of research and treatment, and there is a substantial unmet medical need for therapies that manage disability progression. Animal models have proved to be useful tools for elucidating MS pathogenesis and identifying therapeutic targets, but increased understanding of disease progression requires models that better reflect the processes leading to progression. This review describes novel and optimized animal models and a preclinical cascade used by the pharmaceutical industry to study the biology of progression and investigate the mechanistic effects of potential new therapies. The future of animal models and potential alternatives in MS research is also discussed.