Waterloo

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of delgocitinib cream 20 mg/g applied twice daily compared to a cream vehicle in treating adults with mild to severe palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). This phase 2a, double-blind, two-arm trial focuses on adults diagnosed with PPP, a condition characterized by persistent pustules on the palms and/or soles, lasting more than three months. The study aims to assess skin improvement using the PPP Area and Severity Index (PPPASI) and other clinical evaluations over 16 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to apply either delgocitinib cream or the cream vehicle twice daily during a 16-week treatment period. The study involves approximately 9 visits over about 18 weeks in total. The trial is designed to compare the two treatments' effects on PPP severity, with a thorough monitoring process throughout the study period. During the trial, participants will undergo clinical assessments including photographic evaluations to confirm PPP diagnosis, PPPASI scoring to measure skin improvement, and physician global assessments. Safety and treatment adherence will be closely monitored. The main outcome measure is the number of participants achieving at least a 75% improvement in PPPASI score from baseline at week 16. The study also includes safety checks and follow-up to ensure participant well-being throughout the trial.

Researchers are evaluating the effect of baxdrostat combined with dapagliflozin compared to baxdrostat with placebo on reducing albuminuria in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and high blood pressure. This Phase IIb, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study includes adults aged 18 years and older, with or without type 2 diabetes and regardless of current SGLT2 inhibitor treatment. The study aims to assess both the impact on albuminuria and the safety of these treatments. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either baxdrostat with dapagliflozin or baxdrostat with a matching placebo. The study includes an optional pre-screening period to assess kidney function and other health markers, and those on SGLT2 inhibitors will undergo a washout before starting treatment. Randomization will consider diabetes status to ensure balanced groups. During the study, participants will be monitored up to 12 weeks to measure changes in albuminuria, specifically urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Safety and other health parameters will also be assessed through blood tests and blood pressure measurements. The study ends when the last participant completes their final visit and procedures, ensuring thorough data collection on treatment effects and safety.

Researchers are investigating the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of combining baxdrostat with dapagliflozin compared to dapagliflozin alone in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and high blood pressure. This Phase III, international, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aims to see if this combination reduces risks such as significant kidney function decline, kidney failure, heart failure events, or cardiovascular death. The study includes a 4-week run-in period where participants not previously treated with SGLT2 inhibitors receive dapagliflozin alone. After this, participants are randomly assigned to receive either baxdrostat plus dapagliflozin or placebo plus dapagliflozin in a double-blinded manner. Study visits occur frequently initially (at 2, 4, 8, 16, 34, and 52 weeks after randomization) and then approximately every 4 months. If participants stop the blinded treatment early, they continue dapagliflozin alone unless specific criteria require its discontinuation. Participants will undergo regular assessments including blood pressure monitoring and laboratory tests related to kidney function and cardiovascular health. The primary outcome measures the reduction in risk of major kidney and heart events over up to 37 months. Even if participants stop the study treatment, they will continue follow-up visits and data collection to ensure comprehensive safety and efficacy evaluation throughout the study duration.

Researchers are investigating whether ziltivekimab can treat people living with heart failure and inflammation. The study compares ziltivekimab, a new medicine not yet approved anywhere, to a placebo, an inactive substance that looks like the medicine but contains no active drug. Participants have an equal chance of receiving either treatment. The study is expected to last up to one year and four months and focuses on people with heart failure who also have systemic inflammation. Participants will receive either ziltivekimab or placebo by monthly injections under the skin. The doses are given once a month throughout the study period. The study lasts for 12 months of treatment following randomization, during which the effects of the medicine compared to placebo will be closely monitored. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including a heart failure questionnaire called the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) to measure symptoms and physical function over the 12 months. Other evaluations may include walking tests and heart function tests. Safety and health will be monitored regularly to understand how participants respond to the treatments and to track any side effects or changes in heart failure symptoms.

Researchers are evaluating ziltivekimab as a treatment for people living with heart failure and inflammation. This Phase 3 study compares ziltivekimab to a placebo in participants with heart failure who have mild to preserved ejection fraction and systemic inflammation. The study aims to assess the effect of ziltivekimab on cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, or urgent heart failure visits over a period of up to 4 years. Participants will receive monthly injections of either ziltivekimab or a placebo using a pre-filled syringe or a pen-injector. The study medication is administered subcutaneously once a month for up to 4 years. The trial includes up to 20 clinic visits during which participants will be monitored and assessed. During the study, participants will use a study app on their phone to record all injections and complete questionnaires. Researchers will monitor participants for key outcomes like cardiovascular events and heart failure episodes from the time of randomization until the end of the study. Safety and health status will be regularly evaluated throughout the study period, which may last up to 48 months.

Researchers are evaluating the change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in people with type 2 diabetes who have not reached their HbA1c goal despite stable treatment with semaglutide or tirzepatide. This phase 2, double-blind study compares the effects of LY3457263, a drug given by subcutaneous injection, with a placebo in this patient group. Participants will be adults aged 18 to 75 with type 2 diabetes and specific HbA1c and BMI criteria. Participants will receive either LY3457263 or a placebo, both administered once weekly by subcutaneous injection. All participants must be on a stable dose of either injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide for at least three months before the study. The treatment period is 24 weeks, during which researchers will monitor changes in HbA1c levels from the start of the study. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments to measure HbA1c at the beginning and at week 24. The total participation duration is about 9 months. Researchers will also track participants' safety and treatment adherence during this time to evaluate the effects of LY3457263 compared to placebo in managing type 2 diabetes.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of the drug orforglipron compared with a placebo on cardiovascular outcomes in adults who have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to investigate major adverse cardiovascular events over a long period. Participants will receive either orforglipron or a placebo orally. The study is event-driven and will continue until the occurrence of major cardiovascular events or up to about 5 years. The treatments are administered without revealing to participants which group they are in to ensure unbiased results. During the study, participants will be monitored for the time to the first occurrence of a major cardiovascular event. Researchers will collect data from baseline through the end of the study, which lasts approximately 5 years. Regular assessments will help evaluate the safety and effects of the treatments on cardiovascular health in this population.

All participants will be scheduled to come to the testing rooms at the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) Improvisation Laboratory for participation. After the study is explained, questions are answered, and informed consent is obtained, the individual will complete the experiment. At the beginning of the study, participants will receive a standardized functional and cognitive evaluation, as well as gait, fine motor, and gross motor assessments at the CIMTR lab. Additionally, a detailed demographic history will be taken, and prescription and over-the-counter medications will be recorded. Functional status will be measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery and the Timed Up \& Go Test (TUG) for basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Global cognition will be assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Trail-Making Test (TMT) A \& B, the WAIS-R Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), the Digit Span Test, and the Letter Number Sequencing test. Fine and gross motor skills will be assessed using the Action Research Arm Test, the Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer Test, the Box and Block Test (BBT), and the 9-Hole Pegboard Test (9HPT). Following the standardized functional and cognitive evaluation, gait, and fine and gross motor assessments, participants will undergo one individual IAMT assessment session consisting of 30 minutes of uninterrupted improvised music at the CIMTR. Participants will play music on a simplified electronic drum set (Roland TD-11K V-Compact Kit) with two drum pedals, two drum pads, and two cymbals. The supervised student or accredited music therapist will facilitate the session with an electric piano (Korg 88-Key) or guitar with MIDI outputs. MIDI files will be recorded with LogicPro (music software) and processed using MATLAB. The quantitative music outcomes provided by IAMT will allow us to objectively correlate them with functional and cognitive parameters. During the music improvisation process, the supervised student or accredited music therapist will carefully listen to the participant's initial musical expression, including tempo, rhythmic structure, dynamics, and beat. The supervised student or accredited music therapist will then join, reflecting or confirming aspects of the participant's musical expression using standard music therapy improvisation techniques such as mirroring, matching, dialoguing, and containing on their electronic instrument. Mirroring involves playing exactly what the participant is playing. Matching is playing music that fits the participant's style. Dialogue is the process of free communication through musical play, allowing the therapist to introduce new musical material. Containing involves creating stable music that supports the participant's music. The supervised music therapy student or accredited music therapist will also incorporate call and response techniques and familiar music within the improvised music. At this stage, the primary goal will be to meet or blend with the participant's music. The supervised student or accredited music therapist will maintain these clinical improvisation techniques throughout the sessions. By comparing the participant's and therapist's musical responses over the sessions, it will be possible to identify note frequency, velocity of movement, synchronization, and acquisition of rhythmic complexity. Following the music therapy session, the supervised student or accredited music therapist will conduct a post-session debrief of approximately 15 minutes. This will involve open-ended and closed-ended questions related to how participants felt during the music therapy session, their thoughts during the session, and their thoughts about the music played by the supervised music therapy student or accredited music therapist, as well as their own music playing.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic and often painful skin disease that causes lumps, abscesses, and scars in areas like under the breasts, armpits, inner thighs, groin, and buttocks. Researchers are evaluating the investigational drug lutikizumab compared to placebo in adults and adolescents with moderate to severe HS. This study aims to assess the disease activity and safety of lutikizumab in a Phase 3 clinical trial involving about 1280 participants worldwide.

The purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib cream in children and adolescents (6 to \<18 Years Old) with moderate atopic dermatitis.