Antrim

This trial studies adults 18 years and older with lung fibrosis caused by systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases SARD-ILD. It focuses on people whose lung function has not improved after standard immunosuppressant treatment. The study aims to learn how the medicine nerandomilast affects lung health in these patients by comparing it to a placebo, with the trial sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one takes nerandomilast tablets and the other takes placebo tablets that look identical but contain no medicine. They take the tablets twice daily for at least 26 weeks and up to one year while continuing their usual immunosuppressive therapy. The trial is double-blind and placebo-controlled to fairly evaluate the effects of nerandomilast. Each participant stays in the study for about 7.5 to 13 months, depending on when they start. During this time, they visit the study site 9 to 10 times for lung function tests and chest imaging at select visits. They also complete questionnaires about symptoms and quality of life. The researchers monitor health regularly and record any side effects. The main outcome is the change in lung disease extent measured by CT scans after 26 weeks.

Researchers are evaluating ALTO-207 compared to a placebo in adults with treatment-resistant depression TRD to measure changes in depressive symptoms. This phase 2 trial aims to better understand the effects of ALTO-207 on depression severity in participants who have not responded well to previous antidepressant treatments. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either ALTO-207 twice daily or a matching placebo. The study is double-blind and placebo-controlled, ensuring that neither participants nor researchers know who receives the active drug or placebo. The treatment period lasts up to 8 weeks, during which changes in depressive symptoms will be closely monitored. During the study, participants will undergo assessments including the Montgomery-sberg Depression Rating Scale MADRS to track changes in depression severity from the start through 8 weeks. Additional evaluations include response rates and clinical global impressions of severity over time. Safety and symptom monitoring will occur throughout, and participation may last up to 8 weeks based on treatment and follow-up visits.

Researchers are evaluating the use of EEG-based Brain-Computer Interface BCI technology to detect awareness and enable communication in people with prolonged disorders of consciousness DoC, such as unresponsive wakefulness syndrome UWS, minimally conscious state MCS, and locked-in syndrome LIS. The study aims to improve diagnosis accuracy where traditional methods relying on motor responses may fail, and to explore if BCI can provide movement-independent communication. The trial also investigates whether training with BCI can enhance brain response consistency and communication ability. Participants undergo three phases Phase I assesses if patients can imagine movements and produce detectable brain activity using EEG. Phase II involves training with motor imagery BCI and real-time auditory feedback to help participants modulate brain signals. Phase III tests participants ability to answer yes-no questions using imagined movement patterns. The study uses specific imagined movement combinations to represent yes or no responses, tailored individually and applied throughout sessions lasting about 1.5 hours each. During the study, participants complete up to 10 sessions including assessments, training, and communication tasks. Researchers monitor changes in BCI performance accuracy, ability to communicate consistently, and clinical scale scores related to consciousness and recovery. The study evaluates how feedback types and timing affect performance and collects data to support clinical diagnosis and potential therapeutic benefits. Participation involves EEG recordings, neurofeedback, and answering structured questions over several weeks.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of the medicine BI 690517 combined with empagliflozin in adults with chronic kidney disease CKD who are at risk of their kidney condition getting worse. This study includes people with or without type 2 diabetes and those who may or may not be taking certain blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors or ARBs. The goal is to understand if adding BI 690517 to empagliflozin helps reduce the risk of kidney failure, heart disease, or hospitalization due to heart failure. The study has two parts. In the first part, all participants receive empagliflozin or a placebo similar to BI 690517 for at least six weeks while continuing any indicated ACEi or ARB treatments. In the second part, participants are randomly assigned to take either BI 690517 tablets or placebo tablets once daily alongside empagliflozin for the remainder of the study. The study lasts about three to four years until enough events related to kidney or heart health occur. During the study, participants visit the study site about four times in the first six months and then every six months afterward. At these visits, doctors check health status, collect blood and urine samples, measure blood pressure and weight, assess kidney function, and monitor any side effects. Researchers track the time until worsening kidney disease, heart failure hospitalizations, or cardiovascular death to compare outcomes between treatment groups.

Researchers are evaluating whether metformin, a medication commonly used for diabetes, can be repurposed to slow kidney function decline in adults diagnosed with early-stage Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease ADPKD. ADPKD causes cyst growth in kidneys leading to pain, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and reduced quality of life. This global Phase III randomized controlled trial aims to find effective, affordable treatments to reduce illness impact and improve life quality for ADPKD patients. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either extended-release metformin Metformin XR or a placebo, alongside standard care, for 104 weeks. The metformin dose ranges from 500 to 2000 mg daily based on individual tolerance and kidney function. The study includes a control group receiving identical placebo tablets for comparison. This design allows assessment of metformins effect on slowing disease progression. During the study, participants undergo regular monitoring including kidney function tests, assessment of kidney disease progression, quality of life questionnaires, and tracking of side effects and healthcare use over 24 months. The primary outcome is the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR. Secondary outcomes include kidney failure, mortality, medication dosing changes, and symptoms related to ADPKD. Safety and effectiveness are carefully followed throughout the trial period, which may last until 2030.

Researchers are evaluating treatments for community-acquired pneumonia CAP, especially in patients admitted to intensive care units ICUs. This trial also adapts to study treatments for respiratory pandemics like COVID-19. The goal is to determine which treatment strategies improve outcomes for patients with severe pneumonia, using a flexible, ongoing approach that can test multiple therapies simultaneously and update as new information becomes available. Participants receive different treatment strategies based on random assignment to study groups. Treatments include various antibiotics, steroids, antivirals, immune modulators, anticoagulation methods, and ventilation strategies. Some treatment options have been closed to recruitment, reflecting the trials adaptive nature. The trial includes several domains targeting specific infections such as influenza and COVID-19, with dosing and duration guided by clinical practice and local guidelines. During the study, participants are monitored closely with assessments including survival up to 90 days, days alive without organ support in ICU, ICU and hospital length of stay, ventilator-free days, organ failure-free days, and quality of life up to 6 months. Researchers collect detailed data on patient outcomes, organ support needs, and hospital discharge status. The study runs until February 2028, with ongoing evaluation to improve pneumonia treatment strategies in ICU settings and during respiratory pandemics.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis IPF is a progressive lung disease causing scarring that leads to coughing and breathlessness. Many IPF patients also have reflux disease, where stomach acid can damage the lungs. This research aims to find out if treating IPF patients with proton pump inhibitors PPIs, which reduce stomach acid, can slow down the progression of IPF. The trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 298 IPF patients across about 37 UK hospitals. Participants will be randomly assigned to take either lansoprazole a PPI or dummy tablets twice daily for 12 months. They will start weekly breathing tests at home using equipment provided and, if they have a cough, use a device to count coughs over 24 hours. Participants will complete questionnaires about coughing, breathlessness, sleep habits, and overall health. Some will also wear activity and sleep monitors during cough monitoring sessions. Dose reduction is allowed if side effects occur. During the study, patients will complete regular questionnaires and provide blood samples for safety checks at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Weekly home spirometry will continue for the full year. Researchers will track lung function, cough frequency and severity, breathlessness, quality of life, sleep quality, reflux symptoms, and hospital-free survival. Remote and in-person visits are possible, and participants will receive training on study procedures. The primary outcome is the change in lung function 12 months after starting treatment.