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C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)Phase 2NCT04220021

Safety and Therapeutic Potential of the FDA-approved Drug Metformin for C9orf72 ALS/FTD

A Phase 2 study testing Metformin in people with C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia, run by University of Florida at 1 site in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The primary objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of Metformin in subjects with C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis administered for 24 weeks. The overall objective is to determine if Metformin is safe in C9orf72 ALS patients and is a potentially viable therapeutic treatment for C9-ALS that reduces… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 80 years
What is being tested?
Metformin
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
41 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
10 Jan 2020to 31 Aug 2027
Phase
Phase 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 18 to 80 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Subjects have a diagnosis of probable or definite ALS in accordance with the Revisited El-Escorial Criteria.
  • Subjects have a likely diagnosis of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) positive ALS/FTD.
  • Subjects must be currently on an oral diet and able to take foods, pills and liquids by mouth equivalent to a score of 4 or above on the Functional Oral Intake Scale
  • Subjects must have no known allergy to barium sulfate or Metformin.
  • Subjects or subject's legally authorized representative must be willing and able to complete informed consent/assent and HIPAA authorization.
  • Ability to comprehend and be informed of the nature of the study, as assessed by the PI or Co-Investigators.
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  • Subjects prescribed to take Metformin at or before the time of first dosing. (The study is open to subjects currently taking Metformin or subjects who have taken Metformin in the past).
  • Availability to participate for the entire study duration.
  • Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test prior to Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) exam during Visit 1, 3, and 4.

Who cannot join

  • Subjects who score 3 or below on the Functional Oral Intake Scale
  • Subjects who do not carry the C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion as determined by laboratory analysis.
  • Subjects with a history of clinically significant liver disease, renal disease, or any other medical condition judged to be exclusionary by the investigator.
  • Subjects who are unwilling to sign informed consent or subjects who for any other reason in the judgment of investigator are unable to complete the study.
  • Female subjects who have a positive urine pregnancy test (βhCG) at screening or visit 1, are trying to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
  • Subjects with active cancer within the previous 2 years, except treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin.
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  • Subjects who have taken any experimental drug within 30 days prior to enrollment or within 5 half-lives of the investigational drug -whichever is the longer period.
  • Subjects with known history or presence of moderate or severe renal impairment as defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) value below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2.
  • Subjects with hepatic impairment as defined by baseline elevations of serum aminotransferases greater than 5 times upper limit of normal or evidence of liver dysfunction (e.g., elevated bilirubin).
  • Use of potentially hepatotoxic drugs: (e.g., allopurinol, methyldopa, sulfasalazine).
  • Subjects with clinically significant abnormal laboratory values in the judgment of the investigator.
  • Subject with implanted electrical device (i.e. cardiac pacemaker or a neurostimulator), metal or metallic clip(s) in their body (i.e. an aneurysm clip in the brain) that will be damaged by participation in the MRI portion of the study.
  • Anything else that, in the opinion of the investigator, would place the subject at increased risk or preclude the subject's full compliance with or completion of the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • UF Health at the University of Florida

    Gainesville, Florida, 32610

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Single-Center, Open Label Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of Metformin in Subjects With C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Over 24 Weeks of Treatment

The primary objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of Metformin in subjects with C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis administered for 24 weeks. The overall objective is to determine if Metformin is safe in C9orf72 ALS patients and is a potentially viable therapeutic treatment for C9-ALS that reduces repeat-associated non-canonical start codon - in DNA (non-ATG) (RAN) proteins that are produced by the C9orf72 repeat expansion mutation.

Read the detailed description

The C9orf72 repeat expansion is the most common cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (C9-ALS/FTD). Metformin, a well-tolerated diabetes drug, blocks a key pathway for expression of toxic proteins produced from the C9orf72 repeat expansion via repeat associated non-canonical start codon - in RNA (non-AUG) (RAN) translation. In mouse model of C9-ALS/FTD, metformin treatment decreases RAN protein levels and improves disease features. This current study is a small-scale clinical trial to assess the safety and potential efficacy of metformin for the treatment of C9-ALS/FTD.

Being tested
Metformin
Keywords
ALS, FTD, Lou Gehrigs Disease
Medical subject headings
Frontotemporal Dementia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

What participants receive

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

  • MetforminDrug

    Also called Metformin hydrochloride sustained-release (SR)

    Metformin is a widely used, well-tolerated drug that has been used for decades as a first-line defense for treating type 2 diabetes. Its safety has been well established. Subjects will begin treatment with Metformin at a dosage of 500mg with an escalation of dosage by 500mg every week to a maximal dosage of 2000mg. Dosing will be twice daily.

Study groups in NCT04220021
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
C9orf72 positive ALSExperimentalSubjects with C9orf72 positive ALS will be instructed in the use of Metformin and receive the first dose of Metformin under supervision of the investigator during Visit 1, Day 2. Subjects will then continue on Metformin per the dose escalation schedule twice daily for 24 weeks.
Receives: Drug: Metformin

What is being measured

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

  1. Number of Subjects With Unexpected Treatment-emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]

    The safety and tolerability of Metformin in participants with C9orf72 ALS currently treated with Metformin will be evaluated by the number of subjects with treatment-emergent adverse events

    Measured: Baseline through 24 weeks

  2. Change in Repeat Associated Non-AUG (RAN) Protein Levels

    Assessment of RAN protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from participants calculated as the percentage change in polyglycine-proline (GP) levels in ng/ml at study start \& end of the study as measured by Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) assays.

    Measured: Baseline through week 24.

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) Score

    The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) is a quickly administered (5 minute) ordinal rating scale (ratings 0-4) used to assess the capability and independence of subjects across 12 functional activities/questions. The score represents the sum of 12 functional domain items where each item is scored from 0 to 4 (Max score for each functional domain is 4 (Normal function); Minimum score for each functional domain = 0 (No ability to perform the task). The total score range is from 0 to 48, with a score of 48 meaning no functional impairment and 0 meaning complete loss of function across all domains. The mean values reported are at each study visit which occurred at baseline and at approximately 6, 12 and 24 weeks. The total number of days between study visits varied due to scheduling issues.

    Measured: Baseline through Week 24

Timeline

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

  1. First posted7 Jan 2020
  2. Study start10 Jan 2020
  3. Primary completion26 Aug 2024
  4. Study completion31 Aug 2027 (estimated)

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 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Model description
All participants receive medication
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
41 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04220021
Sponsor's protocol ID
IRB201800620
Other IDs
UF2019-001, OCR20620, UF2019-001, CDMRP AL220089, AGR DTD 12-20-2022
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
3 Jan 2020
Last updated
20 Aug 2026
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Cedarbaum JM, Stambler N, Malta E, Fuller C, Hilt D, Thurmond B, Nakanishi A. The ALSFRS-R: a revised ALS functional rating scale that incorporates assessments of respiratory function. BDNF ALS Study Group (Phase III). J Neurol Sci. 1999 Oct 31;169(1-2):13-21. doi: 10.1016/s0022-510x(99)00210-5.

    PubMed 10540002
  • Crary MA, Mann GD, Groher ME. Initial psychometric assessment of a functional oral intake scale for dysphagia in stroke patients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Aug;86(8):1516-20. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2004.11.049.

    PubMed 16084801
  • Rosenbek JC, Robbins JA, Roecker EB, Coyle JL, Wood JL. A penetration-aspiration scale. Dysphagia. 1996 Spring;11(2):93-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00417897.

    PubMed 8721066
  • Watanabe H, Atsuta N, Nakamura R, Hirakawa A, Watanabe H, Ito M, Senda J, Katsuno M, Izumi Y, Morita M, Tomiyama H, Taniguchi A, Aiba I, Abe K, Mizoguchi K, Oda M, Kano O, Okamoto K, Kuwabara S, Hasegawa K, Imai T, Aoki M, Tsuji S, Nakano I, Kaji R, Sobue G. Factors affecting longitudinal functional decline and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2015 Jun;16(3-4):230-6. doi: 10.3109/21678421.2014.990036. Epub 2014 Dec 30.

    PubMed 25548957
  • Cammack AJ, Atassi N, Hyman T, van den Berg LH, Harms M, Baloh RH, Brown RH, van Es MA, Veldink JH, de Vries BS, Rothstein JD, Drain C, Jockel-Balsarotti J, Malcolm A, Boodram S, Salter A, Wightman N, Yu H, Sherman AV, Esparza TJ, McKenna-Yasek D, Owegi MA, Douthwright C; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; McCampbell A, Ferguson T, Cruchaga C, Cudkowicz M, Miller TM. Prospective natural history study of C9orf72 ALS clinical characteristics and biomarkers. Neurology. 2019 Oct 22;93(17):e1605-e1617. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000008359. Epub 2019 Oct 2.

    PubMed 31578300
  • Atassi N, Berry J, Shui A, Zach N, Sherman A, Sinani E, Walker J, Katsovskiy I, Schoenfeld D, Cudkowicz M, Leitner M. The PRO-ACT database: design, initial analyses, and predictive features. Neurology. 2014 Nov 4;83(19):1719-25. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000951. Epub 2014 Oct 8.

    PubMed 25298304
  • Brown A, Armon C, Barkhaus P, Beauchamp M, Bertorini T, Bromberg M, Cadavid JM, Carter GT, Crayle J, Feldman EL, Heiman-Patterson T, Jhooty S, Linares A, Li X, Mallon E, Mcdermott C, Mushannen T, Nathaniel G, Pattee G, Pierce K, Ratner D, Slactova L, Wicks P, Bedlack R. ALSUntangled #72: Insulin. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2024 May;25(3-4):416-419. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2288110. Epub 2023 Nov 28.

    PubMed 38018119

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Metformin in people with C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia, run by University of 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 9 inclusion and 13 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Aug 2026. 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. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

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 2 Dec 2025). 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?

Number of Subjects With Unexpected Treatment-emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability] (time frame: Baseline through 24 weeks). 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 NCT04220021, which also lists 7 linked publications.

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 20 Aug 2026.

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