Clinical Trial
TIMELY-PLEX Clinical Trial
Does early plasma exchange improve recovery after severe optic neuritis or myelitis?
About the Trial
TIMELY-PLEX is a PCORI-funded randomized controlled trial enrolling at 31 US centers, co-led by Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. It tests whether early PLEX given with high-dose corticosteroids produces better visual and neurological recovery than corticosteroids alone, with rescue PLEX offered to non-responders at day 14 (optic neuritis) or day 7 (myelitis).
PCORI-Funded
31 US Sites
RCT Now Recruiting
Co-PI: John J. Chen, MD, PhD · Mayo Clinic | Co-PI: Elias Sotirchos, MD · Johns Hopkins Medicine
Eligibility Criteria
Severe Acute Optic Neuritis
Visual acuity ≤ 20/200 in the affected eye
Severe Acute Myelitis
EDSS ≥ 3.0 (excluding visual/cerebral systems)
All Inflammatory Etiologies
MOGAD, NMOSD, MS, and idiopathic
Age
Adults ≥ 18 years
For Clinicians
Refer Within 14 Days of Symptom Onset
From first vision loss (optic neuritis) or first motor symptom (myelitis)
See participating sites to refer patients at timely-plex.org
The MOG Project’s Role
The MOG Project serves as an advocacy principal investigator on the TIMELY-PLEX grant, bringing the voice of people living with MOGAD into the research.
Patient representatives from our community serve on the TIMELY-PLEX Study Advisory Committee and Patient Engagement Committee, where they give input on patient-facing materials, study priorities and the outcomes that matter most to patients and families.
Help Spread the Word
Share the official TIMELY-PLEX flyer with your neurologist, your care team or your community.
Learn More About TIMELY-PLEX
Find a Participating Site
Trial locations and contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov
TIMELY-PLEX Study Website
Study information from the research team
New to Clinical Trials?
Start with our Clinical Trials 101 guide
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk with your own healthcare team about diagnosis and treatment decisions. The MOG Project does not endorse any specific treatment.
Trial details last checked against ClinicalTrials.gov on October 26, 2026.