Matthews

Researchers are studying a treatment called MK-2214 to see if it can slow certain brain changes in people with early Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a form of dementia that causes memory loss, difficulties with communication, and challenges in decision-making, which affect daily activities. The study aims to find out if MK-2214 can slow the spread of tau protein in the brain compared to a placebo and to assess the safety and tolerability of MK-2214. Participants will receive either MK-2214 or a placebo through an intravenous (IV) infusion. The study is designed as a phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial with parallel groups. The treatment period lasts up to about 23 months, during which participants will receive infusions as scheduled. The placebo looks like the study treatment but contains no active drug, helping researchers understand the treatment's effects. Throughout the study, participants will be monitored for changes in tau protein levels in the brain using PET scans and for any adverse events or side effects. Researchers will track the number of participants experiencing adverse events and those who stop treatment because of them, with safety follow-up lasting up to approximately 26 months. Participants will also undergo brain imaging such as CT, PET, or MRI scans. The study involves regular assessments to measure the treatment's impact and ensure participant safety over the study duration.

Researchers are investigating whether buntanetap/Posiphen can help treat early Alzheimer's disease in adults aged 55 to 85 years. This Phase 3 study aims to find out if buntanetap/Posiphen improves thinking abilities and daily functioning compared to a placebo. It also evaluates the safety of buntanetap/Posiphen by monitoring any medical issues that participants may experience during the trial. Participants will take either a 30 mg capsule of buntanetap/Posiphen or a placebo capsule by mouth once daily for 18 months. The study includes regular clinic visits at screening, enrollment, and months 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18. During some visits, participants will have brain MRI scans. The study uses a double-blind design, meaning neither participants nor researchers know who receives the active drug or placebo. Throughout the study, participants will complete tests and questionnaires to measure cognitive function and daily living activities, including the ADAS-Cog13 and ADCS-iADL scales. Phone calls before and after visits help track progress and adherence. Safety is closely monitored with ongoing assessments from screening through the 18-month treatment period.

Researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of KarXT in adults aged 55 to 90 who have mild to severe Alzheimer's Disease (AD) accompanied by moderate to severe psychosis related to AD. This phase 3 study aims to better understand how KarXT compares to a placebo in treating the psychotic symptoms associated with Alzheimer's Disease. Participants must have documented AD diagnosis and a history of psychotic symptoms lasting at least two months prior to starting the study. Participants will receive either KarXT or a placebo, with specified doses given on designated days. The study is designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel groups to assess the treatment's effects. Details about dosing schedules and administration are planned but not specified here. During the study, researchers will measure changes from baseline in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician: Hallucinations and Delusions (NPI-C: H+D) score up to week 14 to evaluate the impact on psychosis symptoms. Participants will undergo brain imaging (MRI or CT) if not already done within the past five years to rule out other conditions, and safety monitoring including laboratory tests will be conducted. The total participation duration covers screening through at least 14 weeks of treatment and assessment.

Researchers are investigating the effectiveness and safety of KarXT combined with KarX-EC in treating cognitive problems associated with mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease. This phase 3 study focuses on patients diagnosed according to the National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association criteria, targeting those with specific dementia stages and confirmed disease pathology. The goal is to assess whether this combination therapy can improve cognitive function in this population. Participants will receive either KarXT and KarX-EC together or a placebo, with doses given on specified days during the study. The study is randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled, meaning neither participants nor researchers know who receives the active treatment or placebo during the trial. The treatment period lasts up to 24 weeks to evaluate the effects of these medications on cognitive impairment. During the study, participants will be closely monitored through cognitive assessments including the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale 11 and the Clinician's Interview-Based Impression with caregiver input, both measured at 24 weeks. Caregivers play an important role by maintaining regular contact, reporting on the participant's condition, and helping with medication adherence. Safety and cognitive function will be regularly evaluated to understand the impact of the treatment over the study period.

Researchers are studying Benfotiamine, a drug that might delay or slow the symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease. This clinical trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study lasting 18 months, designed with a seamless phase 2A-2B approach involving 406 participants. The goal is to learn about the safety, effectiveness, and tolerability of Benfotiamine in people with early Alzheimer's disease. In phase 2A, about 150 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 1200 mg/day Benfotiamine, 600 mg/day Benfotiamine, or a placebo. This phase aims to find the highest dose that is safe and well tolerated by measuring tolerability events up to 72 weeks. In phase 2B, all participants who received Benfotiamine will continue at the selected dose, and the study will evaluate the drug’s effect on cognitive function and daily living abilities over 72 weeks, while also monitoring longer-term safety and tolerability. Participants will attend clinic visits where cognitive and functional assessments will be done, including the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale 13 and Clinical Dementia Rating - Sum of Boxes. Blood tests for biomarkers and other safety monitoring will be conducted throughout the study. Participants will be followed for up to 72 weeks to assess changes in cognition, function, and tolerability of the treatment.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of active surveillance and chemotherapy treatments in pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients with low risk and standard risk germ cell tumors. This phase III trial focuses on monitoring patients after tumor removal and comparing the outcomes of carboplatin-based versus cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens. The study aims to maintain high overall survival rates for low risk patients and to compare event-free survival between the two chemotherapy options in standard risk patients. Additional objectives include assessing side effects such as hearing loss and neuropathy, and exploring tumor marker changes and other biological measures related to treatment outcomes. Patients with low risk stage I germ cell tumors undergo surgery followed by observation, with the option to transfer to standard risk treatment if the tumor recurs. Those with standard risk tumors are randomly assigned to one of four chemotherapy regimens combining bleomycin, etoposide, carboplatin, or cisplatin. Treatments are given intravenously on specific schedules every 21 days for up to 3 or 4 cycles, depending on the group. Throughout the trial, patients receive imaging scans, blood tests, tumor biopsies if needed, and pulmonary function tests to monitor treatment response and side effects. Participants are closely followed after treatment completion with regular visits every 2 months for the first year, then less frequently up to 10 years. Researchers collect data through imaging, blood samples, lung tests, and questionnaires to measure survival, disease recurrence, and side effects like hearing loss. The study also includes exploratory analyses of tumor markers and patient-reported outcomes to better understand treatment impacts and improve future care for germ cell tumor patients.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of cannabis and cannabinoid use on cancer-related symptoms in adults newly diagnosed with breast, colorectal, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or non-small cell lung cancer. This study focuses on patients who are planning to receive or have recently started systemic cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4. The goal is to understand how cannabis use may be associated with symptom changes over time. Participants are enrolled in a non-interventional study where no experimental treatment is given. They complete surveys about their symptoms and cannabis use, and their medical records are reviewed regularly. The study tracks cancer-related symptoms monthly for up to 12 months after enrollment, allowing researchers to observe symptom patterns during ongoing cancer treatment. An optional substudy is available at select sites for patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving paclitaxel and ICIs. During the study, participants complete online surveys in English or Spanish at their convenience, either at home or in clinic. Medical records are examined to gather information on treatments and health status. The main outcome measured is cancer-related symptoms, assessed monthly for one year. Safety monitoring includes ensuring participants have an expected life expectancy of at least six months and are not enrolled in hospice. The study aims to enroll 2000 patients across multiple sites in the United States.

Researchers are evaluating whether breast conservation surgery combined with endocrine therapy can achieve a similar rate of invasive or non-invasive ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) compared to breast conservation surgery followed by breast radiation and endocrine therapy in patients with Stage I, hormone sensitive, HER2-negative breast cancer with an Oncotype recurrence score of 18 or less. This Phase III trial builds on the established role of radiation after lumpectomy, aiming to identify if radiation can be safely omitted in certain low-risk patients to reduce treatment burden and side effects. Participants receive either breast radiation plus endocrine therapy or endocrine therapy alone. Radiation therapy involves external beam radiation to the whole breast with or without a boost, partial breast irradiation, or accelerated partial breast irradiation, starting within 12 weeks after the last breast surgery. Endocrine therapy is given for a minimum of 5 years, with the specific drug choice and schedule determined by the treating physician. Endocrine therapy may begin before, during, or after radiation therapy, depending on the treatment group. Throughout the study, participants undergo regular assessments including imaging such as mammograms or MRI within six months before enrollment, and clinical evaluations to monitor tumor recurrence. The main outcome measured is the time to invasive or non-invasive ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence over five years. Safety, adherence to therapy, and recovery from surgery are also monitored. The total participation period includes at least five years to evaluate long-term recurrence rates.

Researchers are evaluating if adding adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) to ovarian function suppression (OFS) plus endocrine therapy (ET) improves invasive breast cancer-free survival (IBCFS) compared to OFS plus ET alone. This Phase III trial focuses on premenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer that is estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative, and has a 21-gene recurrence score between 16-25 for node-negative patients or 0-25 for patients with 1-3 positive nodes. The study addresses the need for better treatment options for younger women diagnosed with this type of breast cancer, as younger age is linked to worse outcomes despite standard therapies. Participants receive one of two treatments: either OFS combined with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for five years or adjuvant chemotherapy followed by the same OFS plus AI regimen. The specific AI and GnRH agonist used, along with their dosing schedules, are chosen by the investigator, commonly including goserelin, leuprolide, or triptorelin administered monthly or every three months. Bilateral oophorectomy may be used instead of ovarian suppression if preferred. Endocrine therapy beyond five years is at the investigator's discretion. During the trial, participants will be closely monitored for invasive breast cancer-free survival over an 11-year period from randomization. Assessments include clinical evaluations, hormone receptor testing, tumor staging, and genetic recurrence scoring prior to enrollment. Safety and effectiveness data will be collected throughout the study, with particular attention to treatment side effects and long-term outcomes. The trial involves detailed eligibility screening and ongoing follow-up to ensure accurate measurement of the study's primary outcome.

Researchers are evaluating surgical and minimally invasive treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) by comparing Medicare patients who received the MILD procedure against those who had interspinous process decompression (IPD). The study focuses on outcomes such as the rate of harms related to the initial procedure and the frequency of additional surgical or minimally invasive interventions within 24 months after treatment. Enrollment includes patients treated from January 1, 2017, onward, with continuation until the sponsor decides to stop. The MILD procedure involves percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression, performed under fluoroscopy through a dorsal approach to partially remove tissue and bone at the affected spinal level. The control group receives the IPD procedure for LSS. Both groups are monitored for a 24-month period post-index procedure using Medicare claims data to track reoperations and any harms. Participants contribute data through Medicare claims without needing prior enrollment or consent, as the study is exempt from IRB oversight. Researchers collect and analyze information on procedure-related harms and subsequent interventions over two years. This approach allows evaluation of long-term safety and effectiveness outcomes for patients treated with either MILD or IPD.