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Alzheimer's DiseasePhase 1/2FFADNCT01617577

Efficacy and Safety of Filgrastim in Alzheimer's Disease

A Phase 1/2 study testing G-CSF; filgrastim in people with Alzheimer's Disease, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Filgrastim (G-CSF) is widely used for treatment of patients who have a deficiency of white blood cells. It is also routinely used to stimulate and mobilize stem/progenitor cells for bone marrow transplantation. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 55 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Alzheimer's Disease
What is being tested?
G-CSF; filgrastim
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
8 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jun 2009to Feb 2012
Phase
Phase 1/2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 55 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • People with probable AD (by NINDS/ADRDA criteria) who are likely to be testable at the conclusion of the study period, and who do not have concurrent medical conditions or medications that might influence cognitive testing or that would increase the risk of treatment
  • The participants will have a Min Mental State Examination score of between 10 and 24
  • stable medical condition and stable medications for 3 months prior to screening
  • study partner (spouse or caregiver) to accompany patient to all scheduled visits; able to complete baseline assessments
  • physically acceptable for this study as confirmed by medical history, physical exam, neurological exam and clinical tests

Who cannot join

  • clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia
  • history of clinically significant stroke
  • use of another investigational drug within 2 months of screening
  • current evidence or history in the past 2 years of epilepsy, focal brain lesion, head injury with loss of consciousness or DSM-IV criteria for any major psychiatric disorder including psychosis, major depression, bipolar disorder alcohol or substance abuse; residence in a skilled nursing facility (but patients in assisted living facility are acceptable)

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • USF/Byrd Alzheimer's Center

    Tampa, Florida, 33612

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Efficacy and Safety of Filgrastim as a Pro-Cognitive Agent in Alzheimer's Disease

Filgrastim (G-CSF) is widely used for treatment of patients who have a deficiency of white blood cells. It is also routinely used to stimulate and mobilize stem/progenitor cells for bone marrow transplantation. In studies of thousands of healthy donor subjects treated with G-CSF, the side-effects profile has been reported to be mild and reversible. Currently, G-CSF is under investigation in clinical trials in Germany and the US that aim to enhance recovery from strokes and heart attacks. In animal studies, G-CSF has been observed to improve cognitive performance and to markedly reduce amyloid deposition in hippocampus and entorhinal cortex in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Since this drug is being used safely in many people throughout the world, the investigators hypothesize that it will also be safe to give to patients with Alzheimer's disease and that it may improve some aspects of memory and thinking. The present pilot study has two goals or objectives: 1) to investigate the effects of a five day schedule of Filgrastim administration on cognitive function and 2) to assess its tolerability and safety in a small group (12 patients) with mild to moderate stage AD. Patients who are eligible for the study will be randomly assigned to one of two groups (n=6 per group). One group will receive a five-day course of Filgrastim injections and the other group of subjects will receive vehicle injections (solution without drug). At the end of the first phase of the study (week 8), the groups will cross over to receive either vehicle or Filgrastim as appropriate. In this way all subjects will have received the active medication by the end of the study. After the study is finished the investigators should know whether or not Filgrastim improves some aspects of thinking and memory. And the investigators should know whether or not it is safe to give this medication to patients with Alzheimer's disease. To ensure that the drug is safe, a Safety Monitoring Committee will oversee the entire study. They will review all laboratory data, including complete blood counts, serum chemistry, EKGs and adverse events.

Read the detailed description

The study was originally designed to have two arms (GCSF first followed by placebo= Arm 1; placebo followed by GCSF=Arm2). Total length of study for each subject was 14 weeks, with crossover on week 7.

Linear regression models could not be used because of the small number of subjects; n = 5 in the first Arm who received G-CSF before crossover to the placebo phase and n = 3 in Arm 2 (who received placebo first before crossover to the G-CSF treatment phase). The general rule for the sample size required for regression analysis is n = 15 per covariate. Therefore, comparison of the final cognitive scores on visit 5 (week 14) were compared to scores at baseline (visit 1) for all subjects (n = 8) using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Plasma cytokine changes were plotted to compare effects following G-CSF to that following placebo, regardless of the order of treatment. Wilcoxon sum rank test was used to test differences between G-CSF treatment and placebo treatment at specific intervals after treatment. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 19) was used for all data analysis.

Being tested
G-CSF; filgrastim, Placebo
Keywords
G-CSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, Filgrastim
Medical subject headings
Alzheimer Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • G-CSF; filgrastimDrug

    Also called Neupogen; granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF)

    The drug is administered s.c. at a dose of 10 microg/kg daily for 5 days

  • PlaceboDrug

    Also called Vehicle (5% dextrose water or D5W)

    vehicle (D5W or 5% dextrose solution) is administered subcutaneously daily for 5 days

Study groups in NCT01617577
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
G-CSF (filgrastim) first phaseExperimentalSubjects assigned to this arm receive G-CSF for 5 days during the first phase of the study. At week 7 these subjects cross over to receive placebo injections for five days
Receives: Drug: G-CSF; filgrastim
Placebo first phasePlacebo comparatorSubjects assigned to this arm receive placebo injections daily for 5 days; after wk 7 they crossover to receive 5 daily injections of injections of G-CSF.
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Cognitive Measures Incluing ADAScog, Selected CANTABS Tests (Paired Associate Learning (PAL)and PAL )

    Scores from each of the cognitive assessments:

    mean ADAScog: a decrease in total score units = improvement, min=0 max=31 mean PAL (memory): an increase in score = improvement, min= 0 max=12 mean PAL (total trial adj): a decrease in score = improvement,

    Measured: Baseline and 2wk and 4 wk after Rx;

  2. Cognitive Measures Incluing ADAScog, Selected CANTABS Tests (Paired Associate Learning (PAL)and PAL )

    Scores from each of the cognitive assessments:

    mean ADAScog: a decrease in total score units = improvement, min=0 max= mean PAL (memory): an increase in score = improvement, mean PAL (total trial adj): a decrease in score = improvement,

    Measured: Baseline and final visit (14 wks)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted12 Jun 2012 (estimated)
  2. Study startJun 2009
  3. Primary completionFeb 2012
  4. Study completionFeb 2012

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1/2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
8 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01617577
Sponsor's protocol ID
ADDF-GCSF
Acronym
FFAD
Status last verified
Jun 2012
First submitted
8 Nov 2011
Last updated
27 Dec 2012
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Sanchez-Ramos J, Song S, Sava V, Catlow B, Lin X, Mori T, Cao C, Arendash GW. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor decreases brain amyloid burden and reverses cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's mice. Neuroscience. 2009 Sep 29;163(1):55-72. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.05.071. Epub 2009 Jun 14.

    PubMed 19500657

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing G-CSF; filgrastim in people with Alzheimer's Disease, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Dec 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 27 Dec 2012). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Cognitive Measures Incluing ADAScog, Selected CANTABS Tests (Paired Associate Learning (PAL)and PAL ) (time frame: Baseline and 2wk and 4 wk after Rx;). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01617577, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Dec 2012.

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