New funding fuels development of first potentially regenerative treatment for multiple sclerosis

A Canadian-led international research team, spearheaded by Dr. Fang Liu at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has received nearly $800,000 US ($1,137,868 CAD) in new funding to advance a promising therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS)

2025-09-15

(Press-News.org) Toronto, ON (September 15, 2025) – A Canadian-led international research team, spearheaded by Dr. Fang Liu at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has received nearly $800,000 US ($1,137,868 CAD) in new funding to advance a promising therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS). Supported by Brain Canada, the National MS Society’s Fast Forward program, and Health Canada through the Canada Brain Research Fund, the project is developing a novel approach to treatment that may halt disease progression and repair nerve damage and restore function.

Around 2.8 million people worldwide live with MS, a condition in which the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) around nerve fibers, disrupting communication between the brain and body. Symptoms such as fatigue, vision problems, and mobility challenges arise when myelin is lost. While current treatments can slow disease activity, none can fix existing damage.

This novel therapy offers a different promise. It targets a destructive process known as excitotoxicity, which harms nerve cells in MS. By blocking this process, without interfering with normal brain function, the treatment encourages the body to rebuild myelin and improve nerve recovery. In animal models of MS, the compound has already shown it can restore motor skills and repair myelin, even when applied after symptoms appeared.

The research team, led by principal investigator Dr. Fang Liu, Senior Scientist at CAMH and professor in department of Psychiatry, U of T, in collaboration Dr. Iain Greig, Reader in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen, is now entering the final stages of preclinical testing to prepare for future human clinical trials. If successful, this would mark Canada’s first regenerative treatment for MS, and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases, offering new hope for patients. CAMH and the University of Aberdeen have patent protected this research and are actively seeking industry partners and investors to further advance this work towards clinical trials.

"Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with an estimated 90,000 people living with the disease. Our compound could transform MS treatment, not just slowing the disease, but helping people regain what they’ve lost. I’m grateful for this new funding to take us one step closer to clinical trials for this potentially life-altering treatment."

- Dr. Fang Liu, Senior Scientist, CAMH

“The potential of this therapy is enormous, not only could it stop MS progression, but it could actually help repair damaged nerves and restore some functions already lost for people living with MS. Being able to take this work forward offers us a unique way to address the root causes of the nerve damage we see in MS patients, and I’m excited by what this could mean for MS patients and others with neurodegenerative diseases. I’m thankful to CAMH, our partners, and the funding agencies for making this possible, and for their belief in the power of this research.”

- Dr. Iain Greig, Reader in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Aberdeen

“CAMH is proud to be leading this groundbreaking work alongside our partners and contributors. As a global leader in mental health and neuroscience research, we are deeply committed to advancing care through innovation. By supporting the commercialization of discoveries like this, we can accelerate the translation of research into real-world treatments and deliver new hope to people living with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases.”

— Dr. Aristotle Voineskos, CAMH Senior Vice President, Research and Science

— Dr. Viviane Poupon, Brain Canada President & CEO

“We are pleased to see research advance on a pathway toward stopping MS progression in its tracks and restoring function to people with progressive MS.”

— Dr. Walter Kostich, Associate Vice President, Translational Research, National MS Society

This project has been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada, and Fast Forward. Past funding has also been provided by a CAMH Discovery Fund Accelerator grant, a CIHR POP II grant, an operating grant from the MS Society of Canada and funding from the National MS Society’s (USA) Fast Forward commercial research program.

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About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit camh.ca or follow @CAMHnews on Bluesky and LinkedIn.

About Brain Canada

Brain Canada is a national charitable organization that enables and supports excellent, innovative, and collaborative brain research in Canada. Through the Canada Brain Research Fund, a public-private partnership with the Government of Canada through Health Canada, Brain Canada funds initiatives that advance knowledge, drive innovation, and accelerate the development of diagnostics, treatments, and cures.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

The National MS Society, founded in 1946, is the global leader of a growing movement dedicated to creating a world free of MS. The Society funds cutting-edge research for a cure, drives change through advocacy and provides programs and services to help people affected by MS live their best lives. Connect to learn more and get involved: nationalmssociety.org, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube or 1-800-344-4867.

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