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Alzheimer's DiseasePhase 2NCT01703117

Riluzole in Mild Alzheimer's Disease

A Phase 2 study testing Riluzole in people with Alzheimer's Disease, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Cognitive aging is a major source of disability in an increasingly aging population. The paucity of effective treatments for cognitive aging disorders, and most importantly in Alzheimer's disease instigates a need for further research into novel therapeutic possibilities. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 50 to 95 years
Conditions the study is for
Alzheimer's Disease
What is being tested?
Riluzole
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
50 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
Nov 2013to 26 May 2020
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 50 to 95 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Male or female; 50 - 95 years old with mild Alzheimer's disease determined after neurological and neuropsychological evaluation following the National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's disease Association criteria that recently revisited the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. For mild Alzheimer's disease, Clinical Dementia Ratings Scale (CDR) should be 0.5 or 1 and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSS) between 19 and 27.
  • Must be on donepezil (Aricept®) or rivastigmine (Exelon®) or galantamine (Razadyne®) at a consistent dose for at least 2 months. Patients will be considered for inclusion if they were previously unable to tolerate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and as a result, are no longer on the medication for at least 2 months.
  • Must be fluent in English
  • The subject will appoint or have previously appointed a health care proxy specifically designated for research consent and that this be documented.

Who cannot join

  • Severe Alzheimer's disease and other dementias as determined by neuropsychological testing and neurological evaluation.
  • Previous riluzole treatment.
  • MRI contraindication (severe claustrophobia, metal implants, shunts, pacemaker, joint implants, metal valves).
  • Currently taking medications that either have evidence of glutamatergic activity or has previous MRS evidence of effects on brain glutamate levels at the discretion of the PI such as memantine, lamotrigine, lithium, opiates, bupropion, psychostimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and any other drug that the investigators judge might interfere with the study. (subjects on those medications may still be included in the study however only the values of NAA from MRS will be utilized and not the glutamate measurements).
  • Currently a user of the following illicit drugs: cocaine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) ("ecstasy"), heroin and other opioids or has a history of drug or alcohol abuse within the past 5 years.
  • Serum creatinine >1.5 times the upper limit of normal.
Show all 21Show fewer
  • Abnormal liver function test (greater than 2 times the upper limit of normal for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST); or bilirubin >1.5 times the upper limit of normal.
  • History of brain disease including Parkinson's Disease, severe brain trauma, seizures, history of stroke, clinically significant lacunar infarct in a region important for cognition or multiple lacunes or a cortical infarct or focal lesions of clinical significance, multiple sclerosis, mental retardation, normal pressure hydrocephalus, central nervous system (CNS) tumor, Huntington's disease, subdural hematoma or other serious neurological disorder.
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (Hba1c higher than 7) or chronically uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Subject must not be taking Namenda® (memantine) for 6-weeks prior to study entrance.
  • Currently taking any concomitant hepatotoxic drugs such as allopurinol, methyldopa and sulfasalazine.
  • Any unstable serious co-existing medical condition(s) including but not limited to myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease requiring coronary bypass surgery, unstable angina, clinically evident congestive heart failure within 6 months prior to the screening visit.
  • Current smoker or user of nicotine-containing products, such as chewing tobacco, nicotine patch or gum for the past 2 months.
  • Current untreated major depression defined by Geriatric Depression Scale > 20.
  • Participation in any investigational or marketed drug or device trial within 30 days prior to the screening visit.
  • Significant neuropsychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, moderate-severe anxiety, vascular dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob dementia, HIV dementia, and dementia in other specified diseases.
  • Subjects who have been on donepezil for longer than 5 years.
  • Weight> 300 pounds.
  • Lactose intolerance.
  • Any medical or social condition that, in the opinion of the Investigator, might pose additional risk to the participant or confound the results of the study.
  • Positive Hepatitis Serology (Hep. B antigen+ or Hep. C antibody+)

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    New York, New York, 10029

  • The Rockefeller University

    New York, New York, 10065

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Glutamatergic Dysfunction in Cognitive Aging: Riluzole in Mild Alzheimer's Disease

Cognitive aging is a major source of disability in an increasingly aging population. The paucity of effective treatments for cognitive aging disorders, and most importantly in Alzheimer's disease instigates a need for further research into novel therapeutic possibilities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and its prevalence steeply increases. Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity in neuropsychiatric disorders and in particular in Alzheimer's disease has been shown to cause significant cerebral damage. Early effective therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's disease is critical in order to prevent or at least slow down neuropathological progression that will lead to widespread irreversible neuronal loss and significant cognitive dysfunction. Riluzole, a glutamate modulator agent, will be tested in mild Alzheimer's disease patients. Cognitive functional changes along with two established in vivo biomarkers, namely, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) will be evaluated.

Read the detailed description

A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study will be performed. Forty-two individuals with a diagnosis of mild Alzheimer's disease between 50-95 years old will complete the study. All forty-two individuals will have been on an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which is FDA approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, for at least 2 months prior to initiating the study, unless the medication was not previously tolerated. Twenty to twenty-two mild Alzheimer's disease patients will receive riluzole and another 20-22 will receive a placebo. All patients will have a neurological evaluation and neuropsychological tests performed to confirm that they meet criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease set out by the National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's disease Association that recently revisited the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria along with FDG-PET biomarker consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

Being tested
Riluzole, Placebo
Keywords
Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia
Medical subject headings
Alzheimer Disease, Dementia

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • RiluzoleDrug

    Also called no other names

    20-22 subjects between the ages of 60-85 will receive study drug.

  • PlaceboDrug

    Also called no other names

    20-22 subjects between the ages of 60-85 will receive placebo

Study groups in NCT01703117
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
age matched cohort 50-95 years oldExperimental20-22 subjects between the ages of 50-95 will receive riluzole
Receives: Drug: Riluzole
24 subjects between 50-95 years oldPlacebo comparator20-22 subjects between 50-95 will receive placebo
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Imaging Biomarkers FDG-PET SUVR in Regions of Interest

    Change from baseline to 6 months in cerebral glucose metabolism measured with FDG PET in posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, precuneus, and medial temporal, lateral temporal, inferior parietal, and frontal lobes, referred to collectively as our pre-specified regions of interest.

    Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging procedure that measures glucose metabolism in the brain.It is a well-established Alzheimer's disease biomarker and predictor of disease progression. For each FDG PET scan, 5 mCi of fluorodeoxyglucose was administered followed by a 40 minute uptake period during which the participant was in a resting state. Images were acquired on a Siemens Biograph 64mCT scanner as a series of 4 frames of 5 minutes each. Using SPM12 (Wellcome Trust), motion correction was performed and frames averaged into a static image. Each 6 month scan was coregistered to the baseline FDG scan, which was co-registered to the participant's T1-weighted MRI scan.

    Measured: Change from baseline to 6 months

  2. Imaging Biomarkers N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in Posterior Cingulate (PC) Measured Through 1H MRS

    N-acetylaspartate (NAA) is a neuronal viability marker measured through magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS).In vivo brain levels of NAA, glutamate, tCr and other major metabolites were obtained using 1H MRS and a 2x2x2-cm3 Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PC) voxel of interest in approximately 6.5 minutes using the constant-time point-resolved spectroscopy (CT-PRESS) technique with TE 30 ms, 129 constant-time increments (t1) of 0.8ms, and TR 1500 ms and a receive-only 8-channel phased-array head coil.The levels of NAA and other metabolites were expressed semi-quantitatively as ratios of peak areas relative to that of the unsuppressed water signal (W) from the same voxels. For consistency with earlier MRS literature, levels of the same metabolites were also expressed as peak ratios relative to tCr area in the same voxel.

    Measured: Changes from baseline to 6 months

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Glutamate Levels Measured Through 1H MRS

    In vivo measurement of glutamate with 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) (a neuroimaging study) in posterior cingulate as a marker of target engagement at three and six months compared to baseline.In vivo brain levels of glutamate, tCr and other major metabolites were obtained using 1H MRS and a 2x2x2-cm3 Posterior Cingulate Cortex voxel of interest in approximately 6.5 minutes using the constant-time point-resolved spectroscopy (CT-PRESS) technique with TE 30 ms, 129 constant-time increments (t1) of 0.8ms, and TR 1500 ms and a receive-only 8-channel phased-array head coil.The levels of glutamate and other metabolites were expressed semi-quantitatively as ratios of peak areas relative to that of the unsuppressed water signal (W) from the same voxels. For consistency with earlier MRS literature, levels of the same metabolites were also expressed as peak ratios relative to tCr area in the same voxel.

    Measured: Change from baseline to 6 months

  2. Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) - Cognitive Subscale (ADAScog)

    The ADAS comprises two subscales, cognitive and non-cognitive. The Cognitive Subscale (ADAScog) is a psychometric instrument that includes 11 tasks and evaluates memory, attention, reasoning, language, orientation, and praxis, scored from 0 to 70. The full ADAS total is scored by summing the number of errors made on each task on a range from 0 to 150 so that higher scores indicate worse performance.The non-cognitive component was not used in this study. Obtained for correlation with neuroimaging biomarkers.

    Measured: baseline to 6 months

  3. Neuropsychiatry Inventory - NPI

    NPI assesses psychopathology in participants with dementia and other neurologic disorders. Information is obtained from a caregiver familiar with the participant's behavior. Total score ranges from 0 to 144; Higher scores indicate greater disease severity.

    Obtained for correlation with neuroimaging

    Measured: baseline to 6 months

  4. ADCS Activities of Daily Living

    ADCS-ADL is a 23-item inventory developed as a Rater-administered questionnaire answered by the participant's caregiver. It measures performance of basic and instrumental activities of daily living by participants. The total score ranges from 0 to 78, with lower scores indicating greater disease severity.

    Obtained for correlation with neuroimaging

    Measured: baseline to 6 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Oct 2012 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2013
  3. Primary completion26 May 2020
  4. Study completion26 May 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
50 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01703117
Sponsor's protocol ID
GCO 18-0623
Other IDs
APE-0792
Status last verified
Jul 2021
First submitted
4 Oct 2012
Last updated
22 Sep 2021
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes

Publications

  • Matthews DC, Mao X, Dowd K, Tsakanikas D, Jiang CS, Meuser C, Andrews RD, Lukic AS, Lee J, Hampilos N, Shafiian N, Sano M, David Mozley P, Fillit H, McEwen BS, Shungu DC, Pereira AC. Riluzole, a glutamate modulator, slows cerebral glucose metabolism decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Brain. 2021 Dec 31;144(12):3742-3755. doi: 10.1093/brain/awab222.

    PubMed 34145880

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Riluzole in people with Alzheimer's Disease, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 21 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Sep 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 22 Sep 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Imaging Biomarkers FDG-PET SUVR in Regions of Interest (time frame: Change from baseline to 6 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01703117, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Sep 2021.

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