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Assessing Changes in Multi-parametric MRI in Patients With Acute Demyelinating Lesions Taking Clemastine Fumarate as a Myelin Repair Therapy

Study Purpose

The clinical trial is intended to assess for clinical evidence of Clemastine Fumarate as a myelin repair therapy in patients with acute inflammatory injury-causing demyelination as measured by multi-parametric MRI assessments. No reparative therapies exist for the treatment of acute demyelinating lesions. Clemastine fumarate was identified along with a series of other antimuscarinic medications as a potential remyelinating agent using the micropillar screen (BIMA) developed at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Following in vivo validation, an FDA IND exemption was granted to investigate clemastine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis in the context of chronic optic neuropathy. That pilot study was recently completed and is the first randomized control trial documenting efficacy for a putative remyelinating agent for the treatment of MS. The preselected primary efficacy endpoint (visual evoked potential) was met and a strong trend to benefit was seen for the principal secondary endpoint assessing function (low contrast visual acuity). That trial number was 13-11577. This study seeks to follow up on that study and examine clemastine fumarate's protective and reparative effects in the context of acute demyelinating brain lesions as imaged by multi-parametric MRI assessments. The investigators will be assessing the effects of clemastine fumarate as a remyelinating therapy and assessing its effect on MRI metrics of lesions found in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acute inflammatory injury-causing demyelination. In addition to using conventional multi-parametric MRI assessments, this study will also evaluate a new MRI technique called Ultrashort Echo Time (UTE) MRI to assess the effects of clemastine fumarate as a remyelinating therapy of acute lesions found in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acute inflammatory injury-causing demyelination and compare it to the other assessments.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years - 55 Years
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - Written informed consent must be obtained prior to any assessment being performed.
  • - Patients diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and a disease duration of < 15 years.
  • - Male or female patients aged 18-55 years (inclusive) - Use of appropriate contraception during period of trial (women).
Before entry women must be:
  • - Post-menopausal for at least 1 year OR.
  • - Surgically sterile (have had a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy, tubal ligation, male partner vasectomy or otherwise incapable of pregnancy) OR.
  • - Practicing a highly effective method of birth control if sexually active, including hormonal prescription oral contraceptives, contraceptive injections, contraceptive patch, intrauterine device, double barrier method (e.g., condoms, diaphragm or cervical cap with spermicidal foam, cream or gel), or male partner sterilization consistent with local regulations regarding use of birth control methods for patients participating in clinical trials, for the duration of their participation in the study OR.
  • - Not heterosexually active (patients who are not heterosexually active at screening must agree to utilize a highly effective method of birth control if they become heterosexually active during their participation in the study) OR.
  • - Practicing true abstinence (when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject) Period abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post ovulation methods) is not an acceptable method.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - Radiologic identification of marked brain atrophy relative to patients age based on recent MRI and interpretation of expert neuroradiologist or PI.
  • - New lesion in most recent MRI (within 3 months) - Hypersensitivity to clemastine or other arylalkylamine antihistamines, or any of the excipients.
  • - Treatment with corticosteroids within 30 days prior to screening.
  • - Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≥ 4.5.
  • - History of significant cardiac conduction block.
  • - History of cancer.
  • - Suicidal ideation or behavior in 6 months prior to baseline.
  • - Pregnancy, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant.
  • - Involved with other study protocols simultaneously without prior approval.
  • - Concomitant use of any other putative remyelinating therapy as determined by the investigator.
  • - Prior treatment with total lymphoid irradiation, T cell or T cell receptor vaccination.
  • - Prior treatment with alemtuzumab, mitoxantrone, or cyclophosphamide.
  • - Serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL; aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), or alkaline phosphatase > 2 times the upper limit of normal.
(Reported within 72 hours)
  • - History of drug or alcohol abuse within the past year.
  • - Untreated B12 deficiency (as determined by B12 serological assessments and metabolites including methylmalonic acid [MMA] and homocysteine) or untreated hypothyroidism.
  • - Clinically significant cardiac, metabolic, hematologic, hepatic, immunologic, urologic, endocrinologic, neurologic, pulmonary, psychiatric, dermatologic, allergic, renal, or other major diseases that in the PI's judgment may affect the interpretation of study results or patient safety.
  • - History of or presence of clinically significant medical illness or laboratory abnormality that, in the opinion of the investigator would preclude participation in the study.
  • - Inability to participate in MRI, including extreme claustrophobia.
  • - Any dental braces or permanent or undetachable metals in the jaw or face.

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT06065670
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 1/Phase 2
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

University of California, San Francisco
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Ari J Green, MD
Principal Investigator Affiliation University of California, San Francisco
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Not yet recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Demyelinating Diseases, Demyelination; Corpus Callosum, Multiple Sclerosis Brain Lesion, Multiple Sclerosis Acute and Progressive, Clinically Isolated Syndrome, CNS Demyelinating
Additional Details

Treatments capable of remyelination are a major unmet need for demyelinating diseases that involve myelin damage, loss, or dysfunction in the central nervous system (CNS). Acute demyelination of axons is believed to be injurious to neurons and serves as a major contributor to irreversible cell loss that underlies permanent disability. Available treatments are primarily immunosuppressing, without directly addressing or fully preventing axonal degeneration and disability. Clemastine fumarate was identified along with a series of other antimuscarinic medications as a potential remyelinating agent using the micropillar screen (BIMA) developed at UCSF. The screen demonstrated that clemastine promoted the differentiation of the endogenous oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Following in vivo validation, an FDA investigational new drug (IND) exemption was granted to investigate clemastine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis in the context of chronic optic neuropathy. That pilot study was recently completed and is the first randomized control trial documenting efficacy for a putative remyelinating agent for the treatment of MS. The preselected primary efficacy endpoint (visual evoked potential) was met and a strong trend to benefit was seen for the principal secondary endpoint assessing function (low contrast visual acuity). That trial number was 13-11577. This clinical trial is intended to assess magnetic resonance imaging evidence of remyelination using Clemastine Fumarate in patients with acute demyelinated lesions. Specifically speaking, the primary objective will assess various multi-parametric MRI sequences on the corpus callosum region, a region that animal models studies identified as a promising candidate for assessing remyelination. The aim was to help define the potential for MRI in measuring remyelination in acute lesions, determine the optimal sequences and location for measuring myelin recovery, and help guide trial design for future remyelinating trials. Finally, the study is designed to assess tolerability and clinical efficacy of Clemastine using outcomes intended to assess for (a) adverse events and (b) recovery of myelin.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Clemastine 12 mg, then clemastine 8 mg, then Placebo

Group 1 will receive the treatment (clemastine) for the first 90 days. They will receive clemastine 12 mg for 14 days followed by clemastine 8 mg for 76 days, and then switch to the placebo (a sugar pill) for the remaining 90 days

Experimental: Placebo, then Clemastine 12 mg, then Clemastine 8 mg

Group 1 will receive the placebo for the first 90 days. Then, they will switch to clemastine (treatment) for 90 days. They will receive clemastine 12 mg for 14 days followed by clemastine 8 mg for the remaining 76 days.

Interventions

Drug: - Clemastine Fumarate

12 or 8 mg Clemastine tablet. Clemastine fumarate was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies) in 1977 and was approved for over-the-counter marketing in 1992. Clemastine is not FDA approved as a remyelinating therapy

Drug: - Placebo

Matched sugar tablet

Contact a Trial Team

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San Francisco, California

Status

Address

Sandler Neurosciences Building, Neurological Clinical Research Unit

San Francisco, California, 94107

Site Contact

Harkeerat Halait, BS

[email protected]

415-745-1304

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