Medellin

Researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the PerQdisc Nucleus Replacement Device NRD for patients with degenerative disc disease DDD causing chronic low back pain. This prospective, open-label, multi-center study involves 72 patients who have DDD in one or more lumbar discs between L1 and S1. The study aims to collect additional data on this minimally invasive device, which is designed to maintain disc height and preserve spinal motion compared to the current standard spinal fusion surgery. Participants will undergo nucleus replacement surgery using the PerQdisc device via standard anterior, lateral, or minimally invasive posterolateral surgical approaches to replace the single nucleus pulposus in the affected lumbar disc. All surgeries require approval from a Medical Advisory Board. The study focuses on patients who have exhausted at least six months of conservative treatments for their back pain and meet specific criteria, including disc height and pain scores. During the study, participants will be monitored closely with evaluations at multiple time points up to five years. Researchers will assess performance outcomes such as disability Oswestry Disability Index, pain levels Visual Analog Scale, disc height, and range of motion, as well as safety outcomes including device expulsion, failure, neurological status, revision surgeries, and serious adverse events. Follow-up visits will include questionnaires, imaging, and clinical assessments to track the devices impact over time.

Researchers are evaluating if combining the medicines calderasib and subcutaneous pembrolizumab can more effectively treat people with non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC that has a KRAS G12C mutation. The study aims to find out whether patients receiving calderasib with pembrolizumab live longer without their cancer growing or spreading compared to those receiving pembrolizumab with chemotherapy. This is a Phase 3 clinical trial focusing on first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC. Participants are assigned to one of two groups. One group receives subcutaneous pembrolizumab plus berahyaluronidase alfa every 6 weeks for up to 18 cycles about 2 years along with oral calderasib until treatment discontinuation criteria are met. The other group receives the same pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa regimen plus chemotherapy with pemetrexed and either carboplatin or cisplatin infusions during the early cycles. Treatment continues based on individual response and tolerability. During the study, participants will have regular visits for treatment and monitoring. Researchers will assess progression-free survival, overall survival, response rates, and quality of life using questionnaires and symptom scores over several years. Safety will be monitored through adverse event reporting. The trial lasts up to about 7 years with ongoing evaluation of health outcomes and side effects to understand the impact of these treatment combinations.

Researchers are studying metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer mCRPC to find new treatment options. This trial evaluates if the study medicine ifinatamab deruxtecan I-DXd or MK-2400 helps people live longer overall and experience slower cancer growth or spread compared to chemotherapy. The study is a Phase 3 trial comparing I-DXd with standard chemotherapy for mCRPC patients. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either I-DXd at 12 mgkg every 3 weeks through intravenous infusion or docetaxel chemotherapy at 75 mgm2 every 3 weeks combined with daily prednisone pills. Treatment continues until the disease progresses, unacceptable side effects occur, or treatment is stopped for other reasons. Premedication is given before each dose of I-DXd to help prevent nausea and vomiting. During the study, participants will have regular visits for treatment and monitoring. Researchers will assess overall survival and radiographic progression-free survival for up to about 36 months. Additional measures include response rates, time to pain progression, PSA progression, and adverse events. The study tracks safety, treatment effects, and quality of life over a long follow-up period to better understand the potential benefits and risks of I-DXd compared to chemotherapy.

Researchers are studying new treatment options for people with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer HR NMIBC, including cases with carcinoma in situ CIS. HR NMIBC affects the lining of the bladder but has not spread to muscle or beyond. The study aims to learn if adding intismeran autogene V940 to the standard Bacillus Calmette-Guerin BCG immunotherapy can improve outcomes by helping the immune system attack the cancer more effectively. Participants are divided into groups receiving different treatments. One group Cohort A receives both intismeran autogene via intramuscular injection every 3 weeks for 9 doses and BCG instillations weekly in specific weeks over about 75 weeks. Another group receives only BCG following the same weekly schedule. A third group Cohort B receives intismeran autogene alone every 3 weeks for 9 doses. The study evaluates these treatments over several years. During the study, participants will have regular treatments and follow-up visits where researchers will monitor cancer progression, recurrence, and survival for up to approximately 5 years. Assessments include event-free survival, recurrence-free survival, overall survival, response rates, time to cystectomy, and safety outcomes such as adverse events and treatment discontinuation. The study is randomized and open-label, with detailed long-term monitoring planned.

Researchers are evaluating new medicines to prevent HIV-1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 infection. This Phase 3 clinical study aims to determine if taking the drug MK-8527 once a month can prevent HIV-1 infection as well as or better than the standard daily pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP. The study also assesses the safety and tolerance of MK-8527 in participants. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives 11 mg of MK-8527 once monthly along with a daily placebo pill matching FTCTDF. The other group receives a daily dose of FTC245 mg TDF and a monthly placebo matching MK-8527. This treatment period lasts for approximately two years, followed by an additional 28-day period where all participants receive open-label FTCTDF daily. During the study, participants will undergo regular monitoring to check for HIV-1 infection and any adverse events. Researchers will track the number of participants who acquire HIV-1, experience side effects, or stop treatment due to side effects over the two-year period. Safety and adherence assessments will be conducted to evaluate the study treatments. The total participation time includes the two-year treatment phase plus the 28-day follow-up with open-label FTCTDF.

Researchers are evaluating molnupiravir, an oral medicine designed to stop the COVID-19 virus from multiplying, to see if it can prevent severe illness from COVID-19 in people at high risk of disease progression. The study focuses on adults with confirmed COVID-19 infection who are at increased risk due to age, medical conditions, or other factors. This is a Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial led by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either molnupiravir or a matching placebo. Those in the molnupiravir group will take 800 mg orally every 12 hours for 5 days, totaling 10 doses. The same dosing schedule applies to the placebo group. Some participants may also receive remdesivir as part of standard care if clinically appropriate. During the study, participants will be monitored for up to 29 days to assess outcomes such as hospitalization, death, or medically attended visits related to COVID-19. Safety will be evaluated by tracking adverse events and discontinuation due to side effects. Researchers will also measure symptom relief, viral RNA levels, and other health indicators. The study is expected to continue until January 2031.

Researchers are investigating new treatment options for breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive HR and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative HER2-, specifically for cases that are unresectable locally advanced or metastatic. This type of breast cancer involves cancer cells that depend on hormones like estrogen or progesterone and have low HER2 protein levels. The study focuses on comparing the effects of patritumab deruxtecan against chemotherapy or trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients whose cancer has progressed despite prior treatments. Participants receive either patritumab deruxtecan through intravenous infusions every three weeks for about 13 months or a treatment chosen by their physician, which may include various chemotherapy drugs or trastuzumab deruxtecan, administered according to specific schedules for up to 13 months. The study is randomized and open-label, meaning participants are randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups, and both the patients and researchers know which treatment is given. Throughout the study, participants undergo regular assessments to monitor cancer progression and overall survival for up to approximately 85 months. Researchers evaluate tumor response, duration of response, and changes in quality of life using standardized questionnaires. Safety is carefully monitored by recording adverse events and treatment discontinuations. The goal is to understand if patritumab deruxtecan can improve outcomes compared to current treatment options.

Researchers are investigating new treatments for high-risk, early-stage breast cancer, specifically targeting two types triple-negative breast cancer TNBC and hormone receptor-low positiveHER2-negative breast cancer. These cancers are characterized by low or no HER2 protein and low hormone receptor presence. The study aims to evaluate if adding sacituzumab tirumotecan sac-TMT to pembrolizumab and chemotherapy can better reduce cancer cells in tumors and lymph nodes and improve the length of time patients live without cancer progression compared to pembrolizumab with chemotherapy alone. Participants in this trial receive one of two treatment plans. One group gets sacituzumab tirumotecan intravenously every two weeks plus pembrolizumab every three weeks for 12 weeks, followed by pembrolizumab with carboplatin and paclitaxel for another 12 weeks. After 3 to 6 weeks, surgery and optional radiation therapy take place, followed by pembrolizumab for about 28 weeks. Participants with remaining disease may receive additional treatments chosen by their doctors, including olaparib, capecitabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, or cyclophosphamide. The other group receives chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel with pembrolizumab initially, then pembrolizumab with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin or epirubicin, followed by surgery, optional radiation, and pembrolizumab for about 28 weeks, with similar additional options for residual disease. During the study, participants undergo core needle biopsies, receive intravenous infusions of study drugs, and have surgery and possible radiation therapy. Researchers assess outcomes such as the percentage of participants with no detectable cancer cells at surgery pathological complete response, event-free survival up to about 92 months, and overall survival up to nearly 10 years. Quality of life and side effects are monitored through questionnaires and adverse event tracking. The study lasts several years, with various assessments throughout treatment and follow-up periods to gather comprehensive data on treatment effects and safety.

Researchers are evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous ianalumab in adults with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, a condition characterized by skin thickening and other systemic symptoms. This Phase 2 study compares ianalumab to a placebo to understand its impact on this disease, aiming to provide new treatment options for affected individuals. The study is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals and employs a randomized, double-blind design to ensure reliable results. Participants receive either ianalumab or placebo through subcutaneous injections during the initial 52-week treatment period. After this, all participants enter a second 52-week open-label phase where they receive ianalumab. Following treatment, there is a post-treatment follow-up lasting at least 20 weeks and up to 2 years to monitor long-term effects. The study includes a screening period lasting up to 6 weeks before treatment begins. Throughout the study, participants undergo regular assessments including measuring response based on the rCRISS25 scale at Week 52, lung function tests, skin scoring, and disability index evaluations. Blood samples are taken periodically to measure drug levels and antibodies. Safety is closely monitored through adverse event reporting up to Week 208. The total participation time can extend over several years including treatment and follow-up phases.

Researchers are investigating new treatments for neovascular age-related macular degeneration NVAMD, a condition that affects vision. This study aims to learn if a medicine called tiespectus also known as MK-8748 or EYE201 can treat NVAMD as well as the standard treatment called aflibercept. The trial is a pivotal Phase 23 study that compares these treatments in people newly diagnosed with NVAMD. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups one group receives a low dose of tiespectus, another receives a high dose of tiespectus, and the third group receives aflibercept. Those in the tiespectus groups get three initial injections every 4 weeks, then continue injections every 8 weeks until week 48, followed by treatments at intervals based on their individual response up to week 92. The aflibercept group receives three initial injections followed by injections every 8 weeks until week 92. During the study, participants are regularly assessed for changes in their best-corrected visual acuity using ETDRS letters from baseline to one year. Other evaluations include eye imaging to measure retinal thickness and monitoring for any adverse events up to approximately 96 weeks. The study lasts over one year with ongoing visits to track treatment response and safety.