Methuen

Researchers are evaluating the safety and potential benefits of VHB937 in people aged 50 to 85 years with early Alzheimer's disease, including those diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer's or mild Alzheimer's disease. This Phase II, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aims to assess how VHB937 affects memory, thinking abilities, daily activities, and brain changes, while also studying how the body processes and responds to the treatment. The study includes an initial 72-week double-blind phase followed by an extension period. Participants will receive either VHB937 solution for infusion or a placebo solution through infusion during the 72-week double-blind phase. The study compares these two groups to evaluate the effects and safety of VHB937 in early Alzheimer's disease. After the double-blind phase, participants may continue in an extension period for further observation. Treatment involves regular infusions under controlled conditions throughout the study. During the study, participants and their study partners will attend visits for assessments including memory and cognitive tests, evaluations of daily functioning, brain imaging, and biomarker analysis from cerebrospinal fluid or PET scans. Researchers will monitor safety, record any side effects, and track changes using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) over 72 weeks. The study requires a reliable partner to accompany participants to visits, and overall participation includes monitoring during treatment and the extension phase to thoroughly assess VHB937's effects and safety.

Researchers are evaluating multiple independent pain treatments under a master protocol designed for chronic pain conditions including osteoarthritis of the knee, chronic low back pain, and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. This phase 2 study aims to compare different interventions through disease-state addenda and intervention-specific appendices to better understand their effects on chronic pain. Participants may receive various investigational drugs administered either orally or intravenously, including LY3016859 (IV), LY3556050 (oral), LY3526318 (oral), LY3857210 (oral), or placebo versions given orally or intravenously. Each intervention-specific appendix may begin independently as treatments become available for clinical testing, following the master protocol structure. During the study, participants will be monitored for pain levels using specific scales and assessments related to their condition. Researchers will track the number of participants assigned to each intervention from baseline through week 8. Participants must maintain consistent non-drug pain therapies and discontinue chronic pain medications except for rescue medication during the study. Safety assessments, including physical exams and laboratory tests, will be conducted to ensure participant well-being throughout the trial.

Researchers are evaluating the clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of azetukalner as a monotherapy in adults diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study focuses on participants aged 18 to 74 who have experienced their first major depressive episode before age 50. The study aims to compare azetukalner with placebo in treating MDD over a 6-week period. Participants will receive either azetukalner 20 mg or placebo orally once a day with food, preferably with the evening meal, for 6 weeks. The treatment is administered as a daily oral dose, and participants are randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The study is designed to maintain blinding of treatments to both participants and researchers. During the study, participants' depression symptoms will be assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) to measure changes from baseline to Week 6. Researchers will also monitor safety and tolerability throughout the treatment period. Participants will undergo regular evaluations, and the study includes careful screening to ensure eligibility and monitor any adverse effects during the 6 weeks of treatment.

Researchers are evaluating how well elacestrant works compared to standard endocrine therapy in adults with node-positive, Estrogen Receptor-positive (ER+), Human Epidermal Growth Factor-2 negative (HER2-) early breast cancer who are at high risk of the cancer returning. This is a Phase 3 global, multicenter, randomized, open-label study focusing on participants who have had early invasive breast cancer removed and meet specific receptor and risk criteria. The study aims to understand which treatment better prevents invasive breast cancer over up to five years. Participants will receive either elacestrant or one of several standard endocrine therapies, including anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane, or tamoxifen, all given as oral tablets. Treatments will be administered according to the study plan, with careful monitoring throughout the trial. The study includes adults who have already received between 24 and 60 months of prior endocrine therapy, with or without certain inhibitors, and who have completed or stopped these treatments as required. During the study, participants will be monitored for invasive breast cancer-free survival for up to five years. Researchers will perform regular assessments to track treatment effects, side effects, and cancer recurrence. The study also includes safety monitoring and may involve additional tests or evaluations as needed to ensure participant well-being throughout the trial.

Researchers are investigating treatments for people with newly diagnosed Stage I HER2-positive invasive breast cancer. This phase II study compares two different combinations of HER2-targeted therapies after surgery to evaluate their effects and side effects. The study focuses on whether trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) followed by subcutaneous trastuzumab has fewer side effects than the standard treatment of paclitaxel combined with subcutaneous trastuzumab, while also looking at long-term benefits and disease-free survival. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) through intravenous infusion followed by subcutaneous trastuzumab injections. The other group will receive paclitaxel through intravenous infusion combined with subcutaneous trastuzumab injections. Treatments will be given for a total of one year. T-DM1 is a targeted therapy that combines an antibody with chemotherapy to directly attack cancer cells. During the study, participants will undergo screening, laboratory tests, and regular follow-up visits over five years after treatment ends. Researchers will monitor side effects during the first 18 weeks of treatment and measure disease-free survival up to 72 months. The study includes assessments of heart function, blood tests, and collection of tumor tissue for research. About 500 people are expected to participate.

Researchers are evaluating the effect of adding chemotherapy to immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) compared to using immunotherapy alone in treating older adults aged 70 and above with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage IIIB-IV). This phase III trial aims to determine if combining chemotherapy with pembrolizumab improves overall survival and other outcomes like progression-free survival, response rates, toxicity, and quality of life in this vulnerable patient group. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. In the immunotherapy-alone group, patients receive pembrolizumab intravenously every 21 days for four cycles, followed by maintenance pembrolizumab every 21 or 42 days for up to two years if there is no disease progression or unacceptable side effects. In the combination group, patients receive pembrolizumab plus a chemotherapy regimen chosen by their doctor, including drugs such as pemetrexed, carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel, or paclitaxel, given intravenously on specific schedules for four cycles, followed by the same pembrolizumab maintenance. Imaging scans like MRI, CT, and PET are performed at baseline and throughout the study. During the study, participants undergo various assessments including imaging scans, laboratory tests, and questionnaires to evaluate treatment effects, side effects, and quality of life. Researchers monitor overall survival for up to five years from randomization, with follow-up visits every three months for the first two years and every six months thereafter until five years. Additional exploratory analyses include safety, tolerability, and correlations with gut microbiome and geriatric assessments to better understand treatment outcomes in this population.

Researchers are evaluating how to best recommend chemotherapy for patients with colon cancer after surgery by using the presence or absence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood. This approach aims to identify microscopic residual tumor cells and may provide better risk prediction for cancer recurrence compared to traditional methods. The trial focuses on patients with Stage IIB, IIC, or III colon cancer who have undergone complete tumor removal. Participants will have their tumor tissue and blood tested centrally using the Signatera assay to determine ctDNA status. Patients without detectable ctDNA may avoid chemotherapy, while those with detectable ctDNA are considered at higher risk and will be randomly assigned to receive different chemotherapy regimens, including mFOLFOX6, CAPOX, or mFOLFIRINOX, given intravenously or orally over periods ranging from 3 to 6 months. The study includes initial screening, treatment, and possible second randomization for patients whose ctDNA status changes during monitoring. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including blood tests, imaging scans, and performance evaluations to monitor their health and response to therapy. Researchers will track the time to ctDNA positivity and disease-free survival for up to 3 and 5 years, respectively. Safety and treatment effects will be closely observed throughout the study duration, ensuring thorough follow-up and monitoring for all participants.

Researchers are investigating whether the medicine vicadrostat, when taken together with empagliflozin, can lower the risk of heart-related problems in adults who have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease but no history of heart failure. This study is a Phase III trial that compares the effects of vicadrostat plus empagliflozin to a placebo plus empagliflozin in people with these conditions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group takes vicadrostat and empagliflozin tablets, and the other group takes placebo tablets that look like vicadrostat along with empagliflozin. All participants take one tablet daily for a period ranging from two and a half years up to four years and three months. Throughout the study, participants continue their usual medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. During up to 51 months of participation, participants visit the study site regularly where doctors collect health information and blood samples. Researchers track when participants experience cardiovascular events such as heart-related deaths or heart failure events. The study also monitors participants’ overall health and any side effects they may experience to assess the safety and effects of the treatments.

Researchers are evaluating the potential effects of repeated use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) on motor and cognitive functions in neurologically normal adults over a period of five years. This Phase 4 study involves adults up to 65 years old who are likely to need at least yearly MRI or other imaging scans. The goal is to compare changes in body movement and mental skills between participants exposed to GBCAs multiple times and a matched group not exposed to GBCAs. Participants will undergo annual motor and cognitive tests to assess their functions. Unenhanced MRI scans of the brain will be performed at the start and after five years to check for abnormalities. Blood and urine samples will be collected yearly to measure gadolinium levels. The GBCAs administered during clinical care include various agents such as Gadoxetate disodium, Gadobenate dimeglumine, Gadodiamide, Gadoterate meglumine, Gadobutrol, and Gadoteridol. The study itself does not assign or control GBCA use; this is based on the participants' medical needs. Over the five-year study, participants will visit the study doctor at least seven times for physical exams, lab tests, and motor and cognitive assessments. Imaging tests like MRI, CT scans, or x-rays will be conducted annually. Researchers will measure changes in motor and cognitive performance compared to baseline and between GBCA-exposed and non-exposed groups. Safety and adverse events will also be monitored throughout the study period.

Researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of solriamfetol in adults aged 18 to 55 who have been diagnosed with binge eating disorder (BED) according to DSM-5 criteria. This Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aims to better understand how solriamfetol affects BED by comparing it to a placebo over 12 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups receiving either solriamfetol 150 mg, solriamfetol 300 mg, or a placebo. All treatments are given once daily during the 12-week study period. The study carefully monitors the impact of these treatments on the number of binge eating episodes. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed for changes in binge eating behavior from the beginning to the end of the 12 weeks. Safety and adherence to treatment will also be monitored. Participants provide written informed consent before starting and are regularly evaluated to ensure compliance and well-being during the trial.