Clinical Research Directory

Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation (tTIS) for Neuropathic Pain in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)

This is an open-label, single-arm, single-center prospective pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of transcranial temperol interference stimulation in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) complicated by neuropathic pain in China.

Tongji NADs Cohort

Neurological Autoimmune Diseases (NADs) are disorders caused by abnormal immune system attacks on neural tissues, affecting multiple systems including the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and neuromuscular junctions. This study examines clinically significant NADs such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein G antibody-related diseases (MOGAD), autoimmune encephalitis (AE), immune-mediated peripheral neuropathy (PN), myasthenia gravis (MG), and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). While sharing the core pathogenesis of autoimmune response, these diseases exhibit significant heterogeneity in epidemiological patterns, clinical manifestations, therapeutic approaches, and disease progression. This heterogeneity stems from multiple factors: (1) Differences in immune targets: MS primarily involves T-cell-mediated myelin attack, NMOSD is mainly driven by astrocyte damage caused by anti-AQP4 antibodies, MOGAD results from myelin surface loss mediated by antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobulin G, while AE involves synaptic dysfunction due to antibodies against neuronal surface proteins (e.g., anti-NMDA-R antibodies); (2) Genetic-environmental interactions: MS is more prevalent in European and American populations, whereas NMOSD is more aggressive in Asian populations; (3) Variability in treatment response: Some diseases respond well to immunomodulatory therapy, but most still face challenges such as high relapse rates, progressive disability accumulation, and irreversible neurological damage. While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide high-quality core evidence for drug registration, their strict inclusion/exclusion criteria, relatively homogeneous patient populations, and short-term observation designs often fail to fully capture the complex disease progression and treatment response patterns in real-world clinical settings. Additionally, long-term RCTs are frequently constrained by economic factors and sustainability challenges. Therefore, conducting comprehensive real-world observational studies (RWS) on NADs-integrating multi-disease cohorts, long-term follow-up data, and diverse clinical practices-holds significant scientific and clinical value for optimizing treatment strategies and improving long-term patient outcomes.

Clinical Impact Through AI-assisted MS Care - A Retrospective Multi-center Observational Study.

The RECLAIM study aims to gather a centralized and harmonized dataset, enabling the secondary use of data for building AI-based models that will support diagnosis and prognosis of individual Multiple Sclerosis patient's disease course and treatment response in a real-world setting. Additionally, the data will be used to generate further insights on Multiple Sclerosis progression as well as to develop the tools to monitor this progression.

Monoclonal Antibody-Based Therapies for AQP4-Positive NMOSD

The primary objective of this registry study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles of distinct monoclonal antibody-based therapies for aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G-seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders within the Chinese population under real-world clinical conditions. Secondary objectives include quantitative assessment of longitudinal neuroimaging biomarker variations and immunological profile alterations in longitudinal biological specimens pre- and post-therapeutic intervention.

Clinical Study of B001 Injection in Subjects With Neuromyelitis Optic Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)

The objectives of this phase Ib study are to evaluate the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and immunogenic profiles of B001 in subjects with aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG) positive NMOSD.

Safety and Efficacy of BAFF-R CART for Refractory Neuroimmune Diseases

This study is a phase Ib/IIa dose-escalation study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of autologous T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-targeted B-cell activating factor receptor (BAFFR) in refractory neuroimmune diseases. The study design is divided into two parts, the first of which will be given to each patient at 3 incremental dose levels to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Each disease is expected to enroll 12 patients who meet the inclusion criteria. In the second part, 15 patients per disease will be recruited to further characterize the efficacy of the MTD.

Biorepository and Registry for Plasma Exchange Patients

Patients who have immune mediated diseases commonly undergo plasma exchange (PLEX) procedures to remove pathological substances, typically believed to be antibodies. At our facility about 400 of these procedures are performed annually on 40-60 different patients. These procedures are considered within the standard of care for these patients and are covered by insurance. This study will not influence the treatment plan for subjects who participate in this study. The goal of the study is to collect and cryopreserve blood biospecimens (plasma, serum, PBMCs) for current and future studies. Any patient undergoing plasma exchange procedures will be eligible for the study. Patients or the legally authorized representative (LAR) will be consented for the study as soon as feasible after the are referred to DeGowin for plasma exchange. The immediate objective of the study is to examine antibody levels (IgG/IgM) and BAFF levels in the blood of these patients over the course of the plasma exchange treatments. Specimens and clinical data will be collected such that other immune factors that may regulate B cell survival, proliferation and antibody secretion can be studied. Another goal of the study is to isolate and cryopreserve PBMCs at different points during the patient's treatment. This would allow the study of immune cells that may mediate these diseases. The study will also follow pathological antibodies over time in these patients so biospecimens can be obtained even after the completion of their course of plasma exchange treatments. The collection of biospecimens and clinical information from these subjects will help us understand the impact of plasma exchange on both normal and pathological immune factors in a variety of patients undergoing these procedures.

Safety and Efficacy of Daratumumab in Patients With Anti-Aquaporin 4 Antibody Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders

The objectives of this time-to-event study are to assess the efficacy and safety of Daratumumab as compared with placebo in participants with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who are anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody-positive. NMOSD is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that predominantly affects the spinal cord, optic nerves, and area postrema. It is usually mediated by the pathogenic AQP4-IgG. Antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) have been recognized as essential sources of AQP4-IgG. CD38 is a glycoprotein that is highly expressed on ASCs. Daratumumab, a CD38-directed monoclonal antibody, has been shown to decrease the levels of autoantibodies in lupus, myasthenia gravis, or autoimmune encephalitis. This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of daratumumab in NMOSD.

Clinical and Imaging Cohort of Neuroinflammation Diseases in China (CLUE)

CLUE is a prospective study to determine structural and functional changes of brain and spinal cord, as well as the inflammatory environment in patients with neuroinflammatory and demyelination disease. Participants will receive new magnetic resonance (MR) technics including double inversion recovery (DIR) imaging diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and resting-state functional imaging and follow up for one year using 3T MRI. In addition, participants will receive T1WI, T2WI, FLAIR and SWI sequences on 7T MRI.

Efficacy and Safety of Baricitinib in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) is associated with a pathological humoral immune response against the aquaporin-4(AQP-4) water channel. Baricitinib is an oral Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor that blocks the upregulated JAK-STAT pathway in patients with neuroimmune disorders, which is important in bone marrow regulation of B cell proliferation and differentiation. Baricitinib may benefit some patients with NMOSD due to the important role of B cells in the pathogenesis of NMOSD. Clinical trials may be needed to observe its efficacy and safety.

FcRn Antagonists (Efgartigimod) for Acute NMOSD Attack

NMOSD is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. The objectives of this study are to assess the efficacy and safety of FcRn antagonists (efgartigmod) for treatment of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders during acute phase who are anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody-positive. The potential of efgartigimod, an IgG1 Fc fragment that competes with IgG for FcRn binding, thereby lowering IgG levels, warrants further investigation as a treatment for acute neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders attacks. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of efgartigmod in acute NMOSD attack.

National, Multicentric Registry Study on Neuroimmunological Diseases in China

The aim of this study is to establish a real-world clinical neuroimmune disease research cohort, to follow up and observe the prognosis of patients with different subtypes and subgroups, and to provide support for the treatment, early warning, and outcome prediction research of neuroimmune diseases.

China National Registry of Neuro-Inflammatory Diseases

Central nervous system (CNS) idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDD) are mainly diseases caused by autoimmune factors that result in CNS demyelination damage and loss. It tends to accumulate in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis (MS), clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) are all common IDDs of the CNS. Besides, primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS), autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy (GFAP-A), etc. may also be included because they are important differential diagnoses. This study will establish a large prospective cohort study database of Chinese IDD, which will record detailed electronic information on IDD patients, including demographic and socioeconomic data, medical history, clinical information, medication, and relevant examination results. The long-term observational study will be used to understand the natural history of disease, disability progression rates, imaging and biological indicators, long-term treatment approaches and prognosis of Chinese patients with IDD, to find predictive markers for IDD progression and prognosis, and to identify factors that influence the treatment and prognosis of patients with IDD.