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Alzheimer's Disease DementiaPhase 3ATHENE IINCT07191028

Alzheimer's Disease THErapy With NEuroaid II

A Phase 3 study testing MLC 901 in people with Alzheimer's Disease Dementia, run by Moleac Pte Ltd. at 1 site in Singapore.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

ATHENE II is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MLC901 in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, as well as its effects on plasma biomarkers compared to placebo. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 50 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Alzheimer's Disease Dementia
What is being tested?
MLC 901
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
350 participants
Where
1 siteSingapore
Study dates
Aug 2026to May 2029
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Male or female subjects aged ≥ 50 years at the time of providing informed consent.
  • Diagnosis of AD based on the National Institute on Ageing and the Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) criteria, supported by the presence of a Core 1 AD biomarker, specifically elevated plasma ptau217 ≥0.471 pg/mL.
  • MMSE score between 10 and 26, inclusive, at baseline, corresponding to mild to moderate AD.
  • Subjects may be either treatment-naïve or currently receiving stable symptomatic treatment for AD for at least the 2 months prior to screening, including AChEIs, memantine, or a combination of both.
  • Subjects must have a designated study partner who provides ongoing support during the study and interacts with the subject for a minimum of 8 hours per week, and will accompany the subject to study visits or be available by telephone at designated times.
  • A second study partner may serve as backup. If the original study partner withdraws from participation, a replacement study partner may be permitted at the investigator's discretion. The replacement study partner must provide informed consent prior to their first study visit with the subject.
  • Both the subject (or their legally authorized representative) and the study partner(s) must be capable of providing informed consent.
  • Subjects must have adequate literacy, vision, and hearing, in the opinion of the investigator at the time of screening, to allow for valid administration of the clinical outcome assessments.

Who cannot join

  • Presence of any neurological disorder contributing to cognitive impairment other than AD, including but not limited to: Parkinson's disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and epilepsy or recurrent seizures.
  • Evidence of other clinically significant cerebrovascular disease or intracranial abnormalities based on the latest brain CT or MRI, including but not limited to: multiple lacunar infarcts, large territorial infarcts, severe small vessel or white matter disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, space occupying lesions.
  • The most recent available scan (obtained at diagnosis or subsequently) is usually sufficient for screening eligibility to exclude these other conditions. Repeat imaging may need in some cases to be considered if there is clinically significant deterioration or new neurological signs suggestive of a cerebrovascular event.
  • Presence of any serious or unstable medical illnesses, including but not limited to: cardiovascular, respiratory, gastroenterological, endocrinologic, immunologic, hematologic, hepatic, or renal and other conditions, that, in the investigator's judgment, may interfere with study participation or compromise subject safety.
  • Patients with a CDR Global Score of 0, 0.5 or 3 at the Screening Phase, corresponding to no, very mild or severe dementia, respectively, will be excluded from the study.
  • Severe visual or hearing impairment that would prevent the subject from accurately completing clinical outcome assessments.
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  • Serum creatinine > 130 µmol/L at baseline, which may affect plasma biomarker analysis.
  • Female subjects who are pregnant at screening.
  • Participation in another clinical trial or receipt of any investigational product within 60 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to screening.
  • Current use at baseline of any AD disease modifying therapies including anti-amyloid therapy or neuroprotective/nootropic agents, including Ginkgo biloba, Neurotain, Citicoline, Cerebrolysin, or Piracetam.
  • Known hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to MLC901 or any of its components. Any known food allergy or hypersensitivity to Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Polygala tenuifolia, Angelica sinensis or members of the Fabaceae/Leguminosae family (e.g., legume, pea, bean), Polygalaceae family (e.g., milkwort, snakeroot), Apiaceae/Umbelliferae family (e.g., anise, caraway, carrot, celery, dill, parsley, parsnip) or Quillaja bark (soapbark).

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Singapore1 site
  • National University Hospital Singapore

    Singapore

    Christopher Li Hsian Chen, +65 66015668, Christopher_CHEN@nuhs.edu.sg

Other trials in Singapore

About this study

Official title: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parellel-group Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of MLC901 (NeuroAiD™II) in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

ATHENE II is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MLC901 in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, as well as its effects on plasma biomarkers compared to placebo.

Read the detailed description

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with limited treatments that slow progression. Current symptomatic therapies provide modest benefit, while anti-amyloid agents target a single pathway and have uncertain long-term outcomes. Multitarget approaches may provide broader and more durable benefit. MLC901 (NeuroAiD™II), a Traditional Chinese Medicine derived formulation, has shown neuroprotective and neuroproliferative properties in preclinical studies through multimodal mechanisms, including modulation of amyloid beta and tau phosphorylation, reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, and promotion of neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Clinical studies, including the ATHENE trial, suggest MLC901 may slow cognitive decline and is well tolerated. ATHENE II is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study enrolling approximately 350 patients with mild to moderate AD across Southeast Asia. Participants will receive MLC901 or placebo for 12 months. The primary objective is to determine whether MLC901 is superior to placebo in slowing cognitive decline as measured by ADAS-Cog11. Secondary and exploratory objectives include global cognition, function, behavior, safety, and plasma biomarkers of AD (p-tau217, NfL and GFAP).

Being tested
MLC 901, Placebo
Keywords
MLC901, NeuroAiD™II, Alzheimer's disease, multicenter, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled
Medical subject headings
Alzheimer Disease

What participants receive

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

  • MLC 901Drug

    Oral capsule, 2 capsules 3 times a day for 12 months

  • PlaceboDrug

    Oral capsule, 2 capsules 3 times a day for 12 months

Study groups in NCT07191028
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
MLC901ExperimentalActive arm
Receives: Drug: MLC 901
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorMatching placebo
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale11 (ADAS-Cog11)

    The ADAS-Cog is a rater-administered instrument designed to assess the severity of cognitive impairment and associated non-cognitive behaviors characteristic of individuals with AD. It is the most widely used cognitive scale in clinical trials evaluating treatments for mild to moderate AD.

    For this study, the version of ADAS-Cog11 will be used as the primary efficacy assessment. The ADAS Cog11 consists of 11 items assessing key areas of cognitive function that are commonly impaired in AD, including: orientation, word recall, word recognition, remembering word recognition test instructions, commands, comprehension of spoken language, naming, word-finding difficulty, spoken language ability, construction praxis, and ideational praxis.

    The ADAS-Cog11 total score ranges from 0 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive impairment.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 6 and Month 12

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR): Global Score and Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB)

    The CDR evaluates both cognitive and functional domains through structured interviews conducted with both the participant and a knowledgeable informant (such as a caregiver or study partner). The assessment is administered by a trained assessor according to a standardized protocol. The CDR includes the following 6 domains: 3 cognitive domains (memory, orientation, and judgment/problem solving) and 3 functional domains (community activities, home and leisure, and personal care). Each domain is rated on a scale from 0 (no impairment) to 3 (severe impairment). The CDR yield 2 scores, including CDR Global Score and CDR-SB. The CDR global score: a categorical rating from 0 to 3, derived via a standardized algorithm. This score is used to stage the severity of dementia as follows: 0= No dementia; 0.5= Very mild dementia; 1= Mild dementia; 2= Moderate dementia; 3= Severe dementia. CDR-SB: a continuous score ranging from 0 to 18, calculated by summing the individual domain scores.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 6 and Month 12

  2. Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL)

    The ADCS-ADL, developed by Galasko et al, is the most widely used instrument for assessing functional outcomes in patients with AD. This 23-item scale evaluates both basic activities of daily living-such as eating and toileting-and more complex instrumental activities of daily living. The ADCS-ADL is administered as a structured interview with the participant's study partner or caregiver. For each item, the study partner is first asked whether the participant attempted the activity within the past four weeks. If so, the study partner is then asked to describe the participant's performance, which is scored accordingly.

    The total ADCS-ADL score ranges from 0 to 78, with lower scores indicating greater functional impairment.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 6 and Month 12

  3. Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)

    The NPI is a validated instrument developed to assess a broad spectrum of behavioral and psychological symptoms commonly observed in individuals with dementia. The purpose of the NPI is to characterize the presence and severity of these symptoms. The questionnaire assesses 12 neuropsychiatric symptom domains: delusions, hallucinations, dysphoria, anxiety, agitation/aggression, euphoria, disinhibition, irritability/lability, apathy, aberrant motor behavior, nighttime disturbances, and appetite/eating abnormalities.

    For each symptom domain, both frequency and severity are assessed. Severity is rated on a 3-point scale (mild, moderate, or marked), while caregiver distress related to each symptom is also rated on a 6-point scale (ranging from no distress to very severe distress). The NPI is administered via a structured interview with the subject's study partner or caregiver, who provides observations based on the subject's behavior.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 6 and Month 12

  4. Adverse events

    Listing and calculating the number and percentage of subjects experiencing non-serious and serious adverse events for each arm.

    Measured: Up to 52 weeks

Timeline

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

  1. First posted24 Sep 2025
  2. Study startAug 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completionFeb 2029 (estimated)
  4. Study completionMay 2029 (estimated)

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 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parellel-group study
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
350 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07191028
Sponsor's protocol ID
EFSA2025_01
Acronym
ATHENE II
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
2 Sep 2025
Last updated
12 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: There are no plans to share individual participant data (IPD) for this study. Only de-identified, aggregate study findings will be disseminated through scientific meetings and peer-reviewed publications.

Publications

  • Dib M, Ampil E, Kee HF, et al. A review of NeuroAiD™ II (MLC901) development in Alzheimer's disease treatment: promises of a multimodal pathway. J Neurol Res Rev Rep. 2022 Jun 30;1-13.

  • Lee WT, Hsian CCL, Lim YA. The effects of MLC901 on tau phosphorylation. Neuroreport. 2017 Nov 8;28(16):1043-1048. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000884.

    PubMed 28902708
  • Lim YA, Murray LA, Lai MK, Chen C. NeuroAiD(R) (MLC601) and amyloid precursor protein processing. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2013;35 Suppl 1:30-7. doi: 10.1159/000346236. Epub 2013 Mar 14.

    PubMed 23548917
  • Heurteaux C, Widmann C, Moha ou Maati H, Quintard H, Gandin C, Borsotto M, Veyssiere J, Onteniente B, Lazdunski M. NeuroAiD: properties for neuroprotection and neurorepair. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2013;35 Suppl 1:1-7. doi: 10.1159/000346228. Epub 2013 Mar 14.

    PubMed 23548913
  • Heurteaux C, Gandin C, Borsotto M, Widmann C, Brau F, Lhuillier M, Onteniente B, Lazdunski M. Neuroprotective and neuroproliferative activities of NeuroAid (MLC601, MLC901), a Chinese medicine, in vitro and in vivo. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Jun;58(7):987-1001. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2010.01.001. Epub 2010 Jan 11.

    PubMed 20064536

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing MLC 901 in people with Alzheimer's Disease Dementia, run by Moleac Pte Ltd. at 1 site in Singapore.

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 8 inclusion and 11 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Singapore. 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 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

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

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Mei Fen Sung (+65 62113710 ext. 183, mea.sung@moleac.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale11 (ADAS-Cog11) (time frame: Baseline, Month 6 and Month 12). 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 NCT07191028, which also lists 5 linked publications.

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 12 Jun 2026.

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