Conbriza bazedoxifene for MS and other demyelinating diseases

INDICATION: Multiple sclerosis (MS); neurology

Cell culture and mouse studies suggest Conbriza bazedoxifene could help treat MS and other demyelinating diseases. In oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) derived from a human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line co-cultured with dorsal root ganglia, Conbriza, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) targeting EBP, increased axon myelination compared with control. In a mouse model of lysolecithin-induced of demyelination, Conbriza increased axon remyelination in corpus callosum compared with vehicle. A bioinformatics screen of four approved SERMs identified EBP cholestenol δ-isomerase (EBP) as one of six possible targets involved in promoting OPC differentiation. Next steps include testing Duavee, a combination of conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene, in menopausal patients with MS...