Clinical Research Directory

Studies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Other Neurodegenerative Motor Neuron Disorders

The purpose of this study is to collect, from patients with sporadic and familial ALS and their family members, clinical data and blood samples for extraction of DNA, RNA, preparation of lymphocytes, plasma and serum to establish a repository for future investigations of genetic contributions to ALS pathogenesis. Blood samples for DNA extraction also would be collected from control subjects with no personal or family history of ALS phenotypes.

Study is to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of VTx-002 in Participants With ALS

PIONEER-ALS is a Phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label, ascending dose, uncontrolled, first-in-human study that will evaluate the safety, tolerability and effects on clinical and biomarker endpoints of intracisternal administration of Vtx-002 in participants with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Two escalating dose (low dose and high dose) cohorts are planned. The duration of the study will be a maximum of 5 years and 5 weeks (265 weeks) for each participant. The screening period may last up to 5 weeks to complete screening procedures.

Pridopidine Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety in ALS

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the drug pridopidine works to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in adults. It will also help to learn about the safety of pridopidine. The main question it aims to answer is: Does pridopidine slow disease progression of ALS? Researchers will compare pridopidine to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if pridopidine works to treat ALS. Participants will: Take pridopidine or a placebo by mouth every day for 48 weeks. Afterwards, all participants will take pridopidine for another 48 weeks. Visit the clinic once every 1-3 months for checkups and tests

ASSESS ALL ALS Study

The ALL ALS Clinical Research Consortium is establishing research to collect a wide range of samples, clinical information and measurements from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) symptomatic, ALS gene carriers and control cohorts. This consortium is being funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH/NINDS) and managed by two clinical coordinating centers (CCC) at Barrow Neurological Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. The clinical sites are distributed across the country, and led by a group of collaborative principal investigators. Once data and samples are collected and harmonized, it will be made available to research community for future research into ALS and related neurological diseases. ASSESS protocol is specific for symptomatic ALS and control participants. This protocol includes both on-site and off-site(remote) participants. The participants will be followed for 24 months (2 years), and will include collection of medical history, clinical outcomes, and blood samples once in 4 months. Additionally, the participants will complete patient reported outcomes and speech recordings once a month. Participants who are coming into clinic may also provide optional Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) samples.

Three Intermediate Expanded Access Protocols (EAP) CNMAu8.EAP01, CNMAu8.EAP02, and CNMAu8.EAP06 for ALS

The primary objective of the intermediate expanded access protocol is to provide access to the investigational product, CNM-Au8, to up to 300 people living with ALS (pALS). No formal clinical hypotheses are being evaluated with concurrent controls. Secondary objectives include assessment of the safety of CNM-Au8 treatment in pALS. Safety will be assessed through the frequency of serious adverse events (SAEs), treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) assessed as 'severe', discontinuations due to TEAEs, and laboratory abnormalities assessed as clinically significant during routine clinical monitoring (as applicable).

PREVENT ALL ALS Study

The ALL ALS Clinical Research Consortium is establishing research to collect a wide range of samples, clinical information and measurements from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) symptomatic, ALS gene carriers and control cohorts. This consortium is begin funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH/NINDS) and managed by two clinical coordinating centers (CCC) at Barrow Neurological Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. The clinical sites are distributed across the country, and led by a group of collaborative principal investigators. Once data and samples are collected and harmonized, it will be made available to research community for future research into ALS and related neurological diseases. PREVENT protocol is specific for asymptomatic participants who are genetically at risk for ALS. The participants will be followed for up to 36 months (3 years), and will include 4 in-person on-site visits once a year and 6 off-site(remote) visits once in 4 months. The study includes collection of medical history, clinical outcomes, and blood samples once in 4 months. Additionally, the participants will complete patient reported outcomes and speech recordings once in 4 months. Participants may also provide optional Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) samples.The participants may also opt into a sub-study if they are interested in genetic testing for ALS causative genes. The sub-study will involve a minimum of 3 visits over a course of 2-3 months. This will include a screening/pre-test genetic counseling visit, a return of genetic results and a post-test counseling visit.

A Master Protocol (OLMP): A Study of LY4256984 in Participants With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Study OLMP is a master protocol that will support a collection of individual sub studies that share key design components. Participants from the originator study OWAA (NCT07100119) will be assigned to the appropriate study treatment group: Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis OL01 (NCT07571174). The studies aim to evaluate the safety and tolerability of different treatments in participants with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that will last at least 96 weeks.

A Substudy of LY4256984 in Participants With Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The main purpose of this study is to assess the long-term safety and tolerability of LY4256984 in participants with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This study is a long-term extension of study J6I-MC-OWAA (NCT07100119) and is part of the OLMP (NCT07571200) master protocol that will last approximately 96 weeks.

Investigation on the Cortical Communication (CortiCom) System

The CortiCom system consists of 510(k)-cleared components: platinum PMT subdural cortical electrode grids, a Blackrock Microsystems patient pedestal, and an external NeuroPort Neural Signal Processor. Up to two grids will be implanted in the brain, for a total channel count of up to 128 channels, for six months. In each participant, the grid(s) will be implanted over areas of cortex that encode speech and upper extremity movement.

Natural History and Biomarkers of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia Caused by the C9ORF72 Gene Mutation

Background: \- Some people have a mutation in the C9ORF72 gene that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The mutation causes a small piece of DNA to repeat itself thousands of times. The C9ORF gene mutation mostly occurs in families. In those families, some persons have ALS and others have FTD. Occasionally the C9ORF gene mutation occurs in persons without a family history. Researchers want to understand how this gene causes different diseases. They will study how symptoms caused by the C9ORF gene develop and change over time. They will measure symptoms that occur in ALS and in FTD. In particular, they will measure strength, ability to move, thinking, and memory. They will also see if other tests are associated with progression of disease. These tests, called biomarkers, may help detect or measure C9ORF72 disease in the future. Objectives: \- To understand how symptoms change over time in people with mutations in a gene called C9ORF72, which causes ALS and FTD. Eligibility: \- Adults over age 18 who have this genetic mutation Design: * Participants will have up to 4 in-person visits and 3 telephone interviews over 3 years. Each in-person visit may take place over several days. They may be either inpatient or outpatient visits. * At each visit, participants will undergo a series of brain, language, and behavior tests. These will include: * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. This uses magnets, radio waves, and computers to produce detailed pictures of the brain. * Collecting spinal fluid. The clinician will make the participant s back numb and then insert a needle to collect fluid. \<TAB\>- Blood samples will be taken. \<TAB\>- Participants will be asked to perform several language and movement tests. \<TAB\>- Small skin samples will be taken on one visit \- Between visits, participants will answer questions about their health over the phone 3 times.

A Study of LTX-002 in Adult Participants With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

This study will examine what happens when patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are given an investigational medication (study drug) known as LTX-002. Specifically, the researchers will be looking at safety, tolerability (if someone has any side effects from the drug), pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the study drug) and pharmacodynamics (what the study drug does to the body). The study will also investigate the effect of the drug on indicators of the severity of ALS, such as markers in blood and in the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, CSF) and on measures of the participant's ability to move, speak, and breathe.

Effect of Terazosin on ATP Levels in People With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

This will be a single center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to assess the safety and tolerability of terazosin (TZ) at a dose of 5 milligrams (mg) per os (PO) daily for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The primary outcome of this study is to determine whether TZ increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in ALS. The investigators will measure adverse outcomes, safety, and tolerability of taking TZ. Procedures include blood draws, spirometry, fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans, questionnaires, and physical examinations. TZ will be titrated up to 5 mg PO daily. This is a pilot study and is not powered to assess efficacy of this medication. The investigators' hope is that this study will guide future studies of this (and similar) medications for the disease modification of ALS. This study also aims to learn more about how patients produce and use energy and if TZ can help to reverse energy deficits that appear in ALS.

Investigating Complex Neurodegenerative Disorders Related to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia

Background: Neurodegenerative disorders can lead to problems in movement or memory. Some can cause abnormal proteins to build up in brain cells. Researchers want to understand whether these diseases have related causes or risk factors. Objective: To test people with movement or thinking and memory problems to see if they are eligible for research studies. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older with a neurodegenerative disorder associated with accumulation of TDP-43 or Tau proteins Design: Participants will have a screening visit. This may take place over 2-3 days. Tests include: Medical history Physical exam Questions about behavior and mood Tests of memory, attention, concentration, and thinking Movement measurement. The speed at which participants can stand up from a chair, tap their finger and foot, and walk a short distance will be measured. Some movements will be videotaped. They will be videotaped while they speak and read a paragraph. Blood tests. This might include genetic testing. Lung and breathing tests MRI. They will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder that takes pictures of the body. Some participants will get a dye through IV. Electromyography. A thin needle will be inserted into the muscles to measure electrical signals. Nerve tests. Small electrodes on the skin record muscle and nerve activity. A small piece of skin may be removed. A skin or blood sample may be taken to create stem cells. Optional lumbar puncture. A needle will be inserted into the space between the bones of the back to collect fluid. If participants are not eligible for current studies, they may be contacted in the future.

A Study to Learn More About the Long-Term Safety of Tofersen (Qalsody) in Chinese Participants With SOD-1 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

In this study, researchers will learn more about the safety of tofersen, also known as Qalsody®. This is a drug available for doctors to prescribe for people with a certain type of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS. This type is in people who have a mutation in the superoxide dismutase 1 gene, also known as SOD-1. This is known as a "postmarketing" study. In this kind of the study, the goal is to learn more about how a drug works after it has been approved for use in the general public. Tofersen was approved in China in September 2024. The main goal of this study is to collect long-term safety information in Chinese participants with SOD-1 ALS. The main question researchers want to answer in this study is: • How many participants have adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)? An AE is a health problem that may or may not be caused by a drug during the study. An AE is considered serious when it results in death, is life-threatening, causes lasting problems, or requires hospital care. Researchers will also learn more about : * How the body processes tofersen. * How much tofersen is found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or the fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. This study will be done as follows: * Participants will be screened to check if they can join the study. The screening period will be up to 4 weeks. * After joining the study, participants will receive the first 3 doses of 100 milligrams (mg) of tofersen about 14 days apart. This will be given through an intrathecal (IT) injection. This means it will be given into the fluid surrounding the spine. * After that, participants will receive 10 more doses every 28 days through IT injections. Participants will have up to 13 total doses of tofersen in this study. * Participants will have up to 15 visits to their study research center. Each participant will be in the study for up to 52 weeks (1 year).

Mechanical Insufflation in the Philadelphia Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cohort (MI-PALS) Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how doing mechanical insufflation (MI) using a mechanical insufflator-exsufflator (MI-E) device affects breathing in early amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This will be a single-center, single-arm study of MI in 20 patients with ALS at Penn. Based on prior research, we believe that 6-months of MI may slow decline in cough strength, measured as peak cough flow (PCF). Participants will perform MI using a device designed for mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) known as the BiWaze Cough system. The BiWaze Cough is used for mucus clearance . It is connected to tubing and mouthpiece (or mask). The device will use programmed pressure and timing settings. An insufflation includes inflating the lungs for a maximal size inhalation before exhaling. The daily routine for the device includes 5 sets of 5 insufflations twice daily. Researchers will compare how use of MI in early ALS affects peak cough flow compared to 20 subjects who did not use MI in early ALS.

Effects of Psilocybin in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

This study aims to study the feasibility of psilocybin therapy for patients with Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) with depressed mood. The secondary objective is to assess its impact on depression, quality of life, hopelessness, and functional status in this patient population.

Acamprosate in C9orf72 Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansion Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ACALS)

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disorder that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, and loss of movement. The symptoms grow worse over time. Half of all people with ALS live only 3 to 5 years after diagnosis. Current drug treatments can slow the progress of the disease, but they cannot stop or reverse it. Objective: To test a study drug (acamprosate) in people with ALS with a mutation in the C9orf72 gene. Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older with ALS. They must have a mutation in the C9orf72 gene. Design: Participants will have 13 visits over 32 weeks. Five visits will be at the clinic, and 8 visits will be by phone. Participants will have a baseline visit of up to 3 days. They will have a physical exam with blood tests. They will have imaging scans and tests of their breathing ability. Their memory, thinking, and behavior will be assessed. They will have a neurologic exam to check their reflexes, strength, balance, eyes, and coordination. They will complete questionnaires about their daily life. They will have a lumbar puncture to collect fluid from the area around the spinal cord. Acamprosate is a pill taken by mouth. Participants will take 2 pills by mouth 3 times a day with meals for 24 weeks. They will record their doses and any missed doses in a diary. Baseline tests will be repeated during follow-up clinic visits. These tests may be spread out over 3 days. During phone visits, participants will talk about how they are doing. They will review their diary with researchers.

Sociodemographic Factors and Criminal Behaviour Preceding Neurodegenerative Disease - Retrospective Register Study

In this retrospective register study, clinically classified individuals with neurodegenerative disease from the years 2010-2021 will be verified from the clinical records from KUH and Oulu University Hospital (OUH). Based on the Finnish social security number, these individuals will be linked to the the national registers of Statistics Finland and Finnish Social and Health Data Permit Authority Findata including incomes, sociodemographic factors, education, occupation, criminal records as well as to the national registers including the bought pharmaceuticals, comorbidities and causes of death. For each study case, 10 randomly selected control cases, matched with age, sex and geographical area, will be used. The aim of the study is to examine: * 1\) The prevalence of criminal and other disruptive behaviour in groups of different neurodegenerative diseases prior to and after the diagnosis * 2\) Changes in employment, residency,income, and marital status prior to and after the neurodegenerative disease diagnosis * 3\) Hospital diagnoses and reimbursable drugs prior to and after the diagnosis * 4\) Causes of death in patients with neurodegenerative disease to study excess mortality of the patients

iPSC-based Drug Repurposing for ALS Medicine (iDReAM) Study

This study consists of a phase 1 part and a phase 2 part. Phase 1 part: This is a phase 1, open-label, multicenter, dose escalation study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of bosutinib to determine the maximum tolerated dose(MTD) and a recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of bosutinib for treatment of ALS patients. Also, efficacy will be evaluated exploratory. Phase 2 part: This is an open label, multicenter, phase 2 part whose purpose is to evaluate the efficacy exploratorily and the long-term (for 24 weeks) safety of bosutinib for the treatment of ALS patients.

Evaluating Verbal Communication in Structured Interactions: Theoretical and Clinical Implications

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effect of communicative interaction on verbal communication in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and age-matched speakers. The question is, What are the effects of communicative interaction on verbal communication in people with ALS? Participants will read words and sentences while they are in a solo setting and interactive setting.

French-German Cohort Study to Determine Factors Associated With Weight Loss in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease. Studies have shown the importance of weight loss at the time of diagnosis and during the progression of the disease. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms behind weight loss remain unknown. Identifying these mechanisms could make it possible to propose an effective therapeutic strategy against weight loss for ALS patients, which could improve their survival and quality of life. In this context, the investigators are proposing an innovative multidisciplinary project aimed at structuring a large Franco-German cohort to identify the markers associated with weight loss in ALS. Participants will undergo high quality standard care for ALS patients. In addition, participants will be asked to respond different questionnaires and blood samples will be taken for analysis to identify biological markers.

FUNCtion ALS: Aiming to Restore UNC13A Function in People Living With ALS

The FUNCtion Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 trial to evaluate the safety and tolerability of TRCN-1023 in adults living with ALS. TRCN-1023 is an investigational medicine given as a single injection into the fluid surrounding the spine (intrathecal injection). The trial will also assess how the body processes the drug and whether it shows early signs of benefit over 24 weeks.

Oral Intake of Enteral Nutrition Formula Preceding Placement and Feeding Via GTube and Its Impact on Formula Intolerance in pALS

The main objective of the proposed study is to evaluate if oral intake of EN formula preceding Gtube placement will impact tolerance upon placement and feeding via Gtube in pALS. This single arm intervention study all participants will receive the intervention and researchers will utilize validated indicators combined with clinical expertise to assess gastrointestinal symptoms of feeding intolerance before and after the intervention. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Wil participants meeting a greater percentage of their estimated nutritional needs at baseline present a slower disease progression rate and a lower incidence of GI symptoms of feeding intolerance when feeding via Gtube? 2. Will there be significant change in feeding intolerance when oral intake of enteral nutrition formula precedes feeding via Gtube? This proposed study consists of three stages, as follows: 1. Pre-Intervention: The lead in period of one-week preceding intervention phase I will be timed to initiate 3 weeks before the scheduled Gtube placement procedure. Patients will be advised to maintain their usual food and beverage intake. Dietary intake and GI symptoms data will be collected by research personnel. 2. Phase I: Dietary intake data collected from the pre-intervention stage will be averaged and used to determine the number of cartons of enteral nutrition formula needed to meet the participants estimated nutritional needs. For two weeks +- 2 days participants will be directed to drink the number of cartons of a pre-selected enteral nutrition formula to meet their estimated nutritional needs when combined to their current oral dietary intake. A plant based EN formula (Kate Farms 1.4 Standard) commonly prescribed for pALS was selected to be provided to all patients in the study to keep this variable constant. Weekly data collection of dietary intake and GI symptoms will be ongoing. 3. Phase II: At the end of phase I, patients will undergo a Gtube placement at their selected medical facility. For the following two weeks +- 2 days participants will be directed to feed via Gtube the same number of cartons of the enteral nutrition formula used orally on phase I and make no changes to their current oral intake.

Digital Speech Markers for Monitoring ALS in Spanish Speakers

The goal of this observational study is to learn how speech and breathing change over time in Spanish-speaking individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared to age- and gender-matched individuals without ALS. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can speech and breathing measures collected through a smartphone application serve as reliable digital biomarkers to track bulbar disease decline in Spanish-speaking people with ALS? How do these measures differ between individuals with ALS and those without ALS? Researchers will compare Spanish-speaking participants with ALS to age- and gender-matched healthy controls to see if specific speech and breathing features can identify or predict bulbar decline. Participants will: Use a Spanish-language smartphone application to record speech and breathing tasks over time. Complete assessments of speech, breathing, and functional abilities (e.g., ALS Functional Rating Scale). Provide data that will be compared to caregiver reports and clinical outcomes to validate new digital biomarkers.