Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

This phase II trial compares the effect of irinotecan versus oxaliplatin after long-course chemoradiation in patients with stage II-III rectal cancer. Combination chemotherapy drugs, such as FOLFIRINOX (fluorouracil, irinotecan, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin), FOLFOX (leucovorin, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan ), and CAPOX (capecitabin and oxaliplatin) work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. FOLFOX or CAPOX are used after chemoradiation as usual treatment for rectal cancer. Giving FOLFIRINOX after chemoradiation may increase the response rate and lead to higher rates of clinical complete response (with a chance of avoiding surgery) compared to FOLFOX or CAPOX after chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of teclistamab with PVd/Kd in Part 1 and to further characterize safety and efficacy of an alternative dosing for teclistamab in Part 2 in participants with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

Determine whether full-time patching is more effective than observation for improving distance control of IXT after 3 months of treatment (on-treatment outcome).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2022

open study

The purpose of the study is to compare the efficacy of talquetamab subcutaneous(ly) (SC) in combination with daratumumab SC and pomalidomide (Tal-DP) and talquetamab SC in combination with daratumumab SC (Tal-D), respectively, with daratumumab SC in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (DPd).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (DVRd) followed by Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel versus Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (DVRd) followed by Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to characterize cardiac safety of Daratumumab, Cyclophosphamide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone (D-VCd) treatment regimens (Arm A: daratumumab + immediate VCd treatment and Arm B: daratumumab + deferred VCd) in newly diagnosed systemic amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis with cardiac involvement and to identify potential mitigation strategies for cardiac toxicity (cohort 1); to characterize the pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous (SC) daratumumab, among racial and ethnic minorities, including Black or African American, with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis treated with D-VCd (cohort 2).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

This is a study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Pociredir in participants with sickle cell disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2021

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of stereotactic radiosurgery to standard of care memantine and whole brain radiation therapy that avoids the hippocampus (the memory zone of the brain) for the treatment of small cell lung cancer that has spread to the brain. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a specialized radiation therapy that delivers a single, high dose of radiation directly to the tumor and may cause less damage to normal tissue. Whole brain radiation therapy delivers a low dose of radiation to the entire brain including the normal brain tissue. Hippocampal avoidance during whole-brain radiation therapy (HA-WBRT) decreases the amount of radiation that is delivered to the hippocampus which is a brain structure that is important for memory. The drug, memantine, is also often given with whole brain radiotherapy because it may decrease the risk of side effects related to thinking and memory. Stereotactic radiosurgery may decrease side effects related to memory and thinking compared to standard of care HA-WBRT plus memantine.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

The Parkinson Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) is a longitudinal, observational, multi-center natural history study to assess progression of clinical features, digital outcomes, and imaging, biologic and genetic markers of Parkinson's disease (PD) progression in study participants with manifest PD, prodromal PD, and healthy controls. The overall goal of PPMI is to identify markers of disease progression for use in clinical trials of therapies to reduce progression of PD disability.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study

This phase III trial studies how well trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) and tucatinib work in preventing breast cancer from coming back (relapsing) in patients with high risk, HER2 positive breast cancer. T-DM1 is a monoclonal antibody, called trastuzumab, linked to a chemotherapy drug, called DM1. Trastuzumab is a form of targeted therapy because it attaches to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of cancer cells, known as HER2 receptors, and delivers DM1 to kill them. Tucatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving T-DM1 and tucatinib may work better in preventing breast cancer from relapsing in patients with HER2 positive breast cancer compared to T-DM1 alone.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2021

open study

This phase III trial compares perioperative chemotherapy (given before and after surgery) versus adjuvant chemotherapy (given after surgery) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer that can be removed by surgery (removable/resectable). Chemotherapy drugs, such as fluorouracil, irinotecan, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy before and after surgery (perioperatively) may work better in treating patients with pancreatic cancer compared to giving chemotherapy after surgery (adjuvantly).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2020

open study

This phase III ALCHEMIST trial tests the addition of pembrolizumab to usual chemotherapy for the treatment of stage IIA, IIB, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer that has been removed by surgery. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, pemetrexed, carboplatin, gemcitabine hydrochloride, and paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving pembrolizumab with usual chemotherapy may help increase survival times in patients with stage IIA, IIB, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2020

open study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness (prevention of thromboembolic events) and safety (major bleeding) of adding oral anticoagulation (OAC) to background antiplatelet therapy in patients who develop new-onset post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. All patients with a qualifying POAF event, who decline randomization, will be offered the option of enrollment in a parallel registry that captures their baseline risk profile and their treatment strategy in terms of anticoagulants or antiplatelets received. These patients will also be asked to fill out a brief decliner survey.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2019

open study

Primary Aim: To determine if apixaban is superior to aspirin for prevention of the composite outcome of any stroke (hemorrhagic or ischemic) or death from any cause in patients with recent ICH and atrial fibrillation (AF). Secondary Aim: To determine if apixaban, compared with aspirin, results in better functional outcomes as measured by the modified Rankin Scale.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2020

open study

The current study tests the feasibility and effectiveness of a youth intervention designed to provide meaningful leadership opportunities and to address barriers to equity, through the acquisition of civic leadership and development skills as well as mindfulness practice, LEAP: Leadership, Engagement, and youth Activism Program with Mindfulness. The goal of this project is to determine whether the Leadership, Engagement, and youth Activism Program with Mindfulness (LEAP) curriculum, which was developed with youth of color, is a feasible and effective intervention for fostering civic leadership, civic development, and wellbeing. The investigators seek to understand whether LEAP can support wellbeing for youth of color as a strategy to increase youth mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) health and decrease health disparities in youth of color.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

Intimate partner violence (IPV), specifically physical and psychological aggression toward an intimate partner, represents a public health crisis that affects millions of Americans each year. There currently exists very little evidence from randomized controlled trials for the effectiveness of abuser intervention programs designed to prevent and end perpetration of IPV in the general population. This is troubling considering that approximately half a million men and women are court-mandated to these programs each year. The investigators will conduct a randomized control trial (RCT) investigating the efficacy of the Strength at Home (SAH) intervention in reducing intimate partner violence (IPV). The overarching aim of this study is to test the efficacy of SAH with court-involved-partner-violent men through an RCT comparing those who receive SAH with those who receive other standard IPV interventions offered in the state of Washington (treatment as usual- TAU). The specific aims are: 1.1: Compare the frequency of physical and psychological IPV, the primary outcomes of interest, across conditions as reported by the male participants and their intimate partners across Time 1 (baseline) and four 3-month follow ups (Times 2-5). It is expected that greater reductions in IPV frequencies will be evidenced in SAH than TAU over the course of the year. 1.2: Compare symptoms of PTSD, alexithymia, and alcohol use problems across conditions and assessment time points as reported by the male participants. It is expected that greater reductions in these symptoms will be evidenced in SAH than TAU over the course of the year. 1.3: Compare treatment satisfaction across conditions as reported by the male participants across the four 3-month follow ups (Times 2-5). It is expected that treatment satisfaction will be higher in SAH than TAU.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

Youth with epilepsy (YWE) are significantly more likely than their peers without epilepsy to experience isolation, interpersonal victimization, and low relationship satisfaction. This is a serious health concern. Poor social support, real or perceived, is consistently correlated to worsened outcomes in every domain of health-related quality of life. As YWE are two to five times more likely than their peers without epilepsy to develop a mental health condition, poor social support is likely a bidirectional risk factor. Currently, there are no best practices or recommendations for clinicians or other youth-serving professionals to reference when it comes to improving the perceived social support of YWE specifically. The research team has drawn from multiple fields of scientific knowledge to develop a novel intervention that aims to provide YWE with knowledge, skills, connections, and positive emotional support that can help them to bolster their support system at every level of the social ecological model (SEM). The proposed study is a pilot of this intervention to test its acceptability and appropriateness according to YWE participants ages 12 to 26. The intervention's impact on participants social-emotional learning skills and the feasibility of expanding the study protocol for use in a large, multisite randomized control trial will also be explored. The goal of this research study is to help evaluate a new program for young people diagnosed with epilepsy that will build up young people's social opportunities, interpersonal skills, and sources of emotional support. The investigators want to research the impact of this program. From this study, the investigators hope to learn what the program does well, and in what ways it could be improved from the perspective of YWE.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether IBD patients have better disease outcomes and feel more empowered to manage their condition if they have access to text messaging with their clinical team and if their symptoms are more regularly monitored through text-based surveys. Researchers will compare participants who have access to text-based monitoring, communication and education to participants who have access to text-based education alone. Researchers will also examine if different social and other non-medical factors impact IBD symptoms and quality of life. All participants will: - complete 5 brief on-line surveys over 12 months about their IBD and social risk factors, - receive IBD education content by text message up to 2 times a week. Some participants will also: - receive additional surveys by text to monitor their IBD progression, - have the opportunity to directly text message their IBD medical team.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

Preterm birth is a leading cause of childhood mortality and developmental disabilities. Socioeconomic disparities in the incidence of preterm birth and morbidities, mortality, and quality of care for preterm infants persist. An important predictor of the long-term consequences of preterm birth is maternal presence during the prolonged infant hospitalization (weeks to months) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Mothers who visit the NICU can pump breast milk, directly breastfeed and engage in skin-to-skin care, which facilitates breast milk production and promotes infant physiologic stability and neurodevelopment. Low-income mothers face significant barriers to frequent NICU visits, including financial burdens and the psychological impact of financial stress, which hinder their participation in caregiving activities. The investigators will conduct an randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of financial transfers among 420 Medicaid - eligible mothers with infants 24 - 33 weeks' gestation in four level 3 NICUs: Boston Medical Center (BMC) in Boston, Massachusetts, UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMass) in Worcester, Massachusetts, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Mothers in the intervention arm will receive usual care enhanced with weekly financial transfers and will be informed that these transfers are meant to help them spend more time with their infant in the NICU vs. a control arm (usual care). The primary hypothesis is that financial transfers can enable economically disadvantaged mothers to visit the NICU, reduce the negative psychological impacts of financial distress, and increase maternal caregiving behaviors associated with positive preterm infant health and development.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

This study will be conducted as a prospective cohort study, enrolling all eligible women in their first trimester of pregnancy during a baseline visit during week 6-13 of pregnancy at Government Medical College Hospital, Nagpur. The Hospital provides primary, secondary, and tertiary care and the obstetric department delivers about 10,000 babies a year. The hypothesis is that co-infection of other respiratory viruses (ORV), particularly COVID-19 and Influenza increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in mothers and babies and could address the current standard of care in India to not vaccinate pregnant women during pregnancy, by either encouraging vaccination against both viruses before planning a pregnancy or during pregnancy based on global data supporting the safety of this strategy.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single dose of NTLA-2001 compared to placebo in participants with ATTR-CM.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

The phase III trial compares the effect of pembrolizumab to observation for the treatment of patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response after preoperative chemotherapy in combination with pembrolizumab. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. This trial may help researchers determine if observation will result in the same risk of cancer coming back as pembrolizumab after surgery in triple-negative breast cancer patients who achieve pathologic complete response after preoperative chemotherapy with pembrolizumab.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2023

open study

The US opioid overdose epidemic has been accompanied by an increase in human immunodeficiency (HIV) among persons who inject drugs. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an FDA approved medication taken daily orally by individuals who are HIV negative, but who are at increased risk for HIV. In order to obtain PrEP, a prescription is needed. Before being prescribed HIV PrEP, it is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to obtain an HIV test first. Although home HIV self-test kits are recommended by the CDC and are locally available, uptake remains low. CHORUS+ (Comprehensive HIV, Hepatitis C, and Opioid Use Disorder Response to the Unaddressed Syndemic +) is a theory-based, peer-delivered, mobile phone-supported intervention focused on enhancing uptake and adherence to HIV PrEP (primary outcome), and continuation of MOUD (secondary outcome) among persons who inject opioids. At recruitment, the intervention will include HIV self-testing, rapid initiation of PrEP and MOUD, and 6-month peer recovery coaching (PRC) to support adherence to these medications. This research study seeks to determine the efficacy of a novel intervention to increase the uptake of evidence-based measures to prevent HIV and treat opioid use disorder. The efficacy of this multi-site, two-arm randomized control trial of CHORUS+ and usual care [passive referral]. This study is not testing the efficacy of PrEP or HIV home testing which is already known. In addition the investigators will determine the influence of HIV self-testing on PrEP uptake and adherence. In the CHORUS+/ intervention arm, there will be a baseline in-person session with the participant to encourage uptake of PrEP and MOUD using motivational interviewing (MI).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

This is a Phase 3, 2-arm, randomized, open-label, global, multicenter study comparing the efficacy of ripretinib to sunitinib in participants with GIST who progressed on first-line treatment with imatinib, harbor co-occurring KIT exons 11+17/18 mutations, and are without KIT exon 9, 13, or 14 mutations. Upon disease progression as determined by an independent radiologic review, participants randomized to sunitinib will be given the option to either crossover to receive ripretinib 150 mg QD or discontinue sunitinib.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

The primary objective is to establish the efficacy of intra-arterial (IA) mechanical thrombectomy (MT) with extracranial proximal carotid artery acute stenting versus non-stenting approaches in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from intracranial vessel occlusion (IVO) in the anterior circulation and have a proximal carotid occlusive disease (occlusion or severe stenosis).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study