Summary
Amphetamine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Multiple Sclerosis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Multiple Sclerosis. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Amphetamine to Multiple Sclerosis: 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 1 has completed. The most advanced is Phase 2 (NCT01615887). The largest enrolment is 180 participants (NCT02676739). Registration activity spans 2009 to 2016. The literature layer holds 7 publications for this pair: 1 Cochrane review, 1 meta-analysis and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2008 to 2025. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Multiple Sclerosis ranks 371 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Untreated relapsing MS: ~1 relapse/year; disability accumulates over time in ~85% who convert to secondary progressive MS; spontaneous remission from MS is not possible.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 45.5 (trials 6.5, literature 19.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 2 total: 0 recruiting, 1 active / not yet recruiting, 1 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 7 (5 clinical trial publications, 1 Cochrane review, 1 meta-analysis) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ATP6V1B2 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01615887 | Study of Lisdexamfetamine Sulfate to Treat Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis 2009 | completed | Phase 2 | 63 |
| NCT02676739 | Adderall XR and Cognitive Impairment in MS 2016 | active, not recruiting | PHASE2, PHASE3 | 180 |
Published literature
- Cochrane review Pharmacological treatment options for cognitive dysfunction induced by multiple sclerosis: a network meta-analysisFan Z, Liu D, Zhang G et al. · Frontiers in neurology · 2025 · PMID 41127289
- Meta-analysis Examining the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and stimulant-based medications for cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysisCotter J, Muhlert N, Talwar A et al. · Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2018 · PMID 29406017
- Clinical trial publication Effects of single dose mixed amphetamine salts--extended release on processing speed in multiple sclerosis: a double blind placebo controlled studyMorrow SA, Rosehart H · Psychopharmacology · 2015 · PMID 26289355
- Clinical trial publication Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate improves processing speed and memory in cognitively impaired MS patients: a phase II studyMorrow SA, Smerbeck A, Patrick K et al. · Journal of neurology · 2013 · PMID 23001556
- Clinical trial publication L-amphetamine improves memory in MS patients with objective memory impairmentSumowski JF, Chiaravalloti N, Erlanger D et al. · Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2011 · PMID 21561956
- Clinical trial publication The effects of L-amphetamine sulfate on cognition in MS patients: results of a randomized controlled trialMorrow SA, Kaushik T, Zarevics P et al. · Journal of neurology · 2009 · PMID 19263186
- Clinical trial publication Effects of l-amphetamine sulfate on cognitive function in multiple sclerosis patientsBenedict RH, Munschauer F, Zarevics P et al. · Journal of neurology · 2008 · PMID 18481035
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ATP6V1B2. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amphetamine approved for Multiple Sclerosis?
Amphetamine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Multiple Sclerosis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Multiple Sclerosis. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Amphetamine in clinical trials for Multiple Sclerosis?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Amphetamine to Multiple Sclerosis: 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 1 has completed. The most advanced is Phase 2 (NCT01615887). The largest enrolment is 180 participants (NCT02676739). Registration activity spans 2009 to 2016.
What does the evidence show for Amphetamine in Multiple Sclerosis?
Amphetamine has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Multiple Sclerosis. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ATP6V1B2. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.