Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

The purpose of this study is to assess the anti-tumor activity and safety of amivantamab which will be administered as a co-formulation with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20) (subcutaneous co-formulation [SC-CF]) in combination treatment (all cohorts except Cohort 4) and to characterize the safety of amivantamab SC-CF (Cohort 4).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2022

open study

GRAIL is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) among 300 HIV-positive persons with heavy alcohol consumption (by NIAAA definition) who have had detectable HIV viral load (HVL) at least 6 months after their HIV diagnosis. This trial aims to test the efficacy of gabapentin versus placebo to achieve undetectable HVL and assess the impact of gabapentin compared to placebo on alcohol consumption, pain severity, ART adherence, and engagement in HIV care. HIV viral load will be assessed at 3 (primary), 6 and 12 months via laboratory test. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned into one of two study arms: 1) gabapentin (1800mg/day target dose) for 3 months vs. 2) placebo for 3 months. All participants will receive evidence-based counseling for alcohol and either an active medication or placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 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 Phase II/III trial will evaluate the what kind of chemotherapy to recommend to patients based on the presence or absences of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) after surgery for colon cancer.

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 I trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of ZEN003694 in combination with binimetinib in treating patients with solid tumors that carry RAS alterations and that have spread to other places in the body (advanced/metastatic) or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). ZEN003694 is an oral medication with potential anticancer activity. It is an inhibitor of a family of proteins called bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) which play important role during development and cellular growth. ZEN003694 may stop the growth of tumor cells that produce BET. Binimetinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action proteins called MEK1 and MEK2, that signal cancer cells to multiply. It may help keep cancer cells from growing and spreading. There is pre-clinical evidence that using ZEN003694 and binimetinib together may shrink or stabilize cancers studied in this trial. There are two parts of this study; dose escalation and dose expansion. In the dose escalation part of this study, different people will get different doses of the study drugs ZEN003694 and binimetinib. In the dose expansion part of this study, the highest dose with manageable side effects will be given to additional people. This will help to understand the side effects that may happen with this drug combination.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

The primary goal of the trial is to determine if the experimental arms (rivaroxaban or ticagrelor or both) are superior to the clopidogrel arm for lowering the 1-year rate of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or vascular death.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

This Phase III Trial evaluates whether breast conservation surgery and endocrine therapy results in a non-inferior rate of invasive or non-invasive ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) compared to breast conservation with breast radiation and endocrine therapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

Developing novel methods of patient communication is crucial in providing value-based care to orthopedic patients. Healthcare technology platforms have been developed to improve patient communication methods particularly for the administration of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). However, the majority of these interventions rely on web-based platforms that require patients to have computer access. Among American households earning less than $30,000 per year, only 59% have access to a desktop or laptop and just 47% have broadband internet at home compared to mobile phone penetration which is estimated at 95% of which 93% regularly use text messages. The use of phone messaging may be the most effective means to have patients complete PROMs. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is an NIH-funded, clinically validated method of tracking patient-reported outcomes to efficiently assess patient health status. PROMIS utilizes Item Response Theory (IRT) and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to improve measurement precision and decrease survey time as compared to traditional PROMs. The purpose of this two-phase study is to utilize Memora Health's text-messaging platform to collect web-based PROMIS CAT surveys from patients (Phase 1) and use this information to right-size clinic visits (Phase 2).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2021

open study

This phase II/III trial compares the effect of adding radiation therapy to the usual maintenance therapy with atezolizumab versus atezolizumab alone in patients who have already received atezolizumab plus chemotherapy for the treatment of small cell lung cancer that has spread outside of the lung or to other parts of the body (extensive stage). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving radiation therapy in addition to atezolizumab may extend the time without extensive small cell lung cancer growing or spreading compared to atezolizumab alone.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2021

open study

A randomized trial to determine whether simultaneous treatment with spectacles and patching has an equivalent VA outcome compared with sequential treatment, first with spectacles alone followed by patching (if needed), for previously untreated amblyopia in children 3 to <13 years of age.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

This trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of various therapies in patients with Stage IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, or selected IIIB resectable and untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors that meet protocol-specified biomarker criteria

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2020

open study

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is tuberculosis (TB) that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most important anti-TB drugs. It occurs in 3.6% of newly diagnosed TB patients in the world and 17% of patients who have been previously treated. In 2017, approximately 600,000 people were estimated to have acquired MDR-TB. However, only 25% of persons with MDR-TB were diagnosed and started on treatment, reflecting inadequate diagnostic capacity and lack of TB treatment capacity. In this multicenter, randomized, partially blinded, four-arm, phase 2 study, the investigators will examine the efficacy and safety of an all-oral regimen of bedaquiline, delamanid, levofloxacin, linezolid, and clofazimine given for 16, 24, 32 or 40 weeks

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

This phase II trial with a safety run-in component will evaluate whether the addition of pembrolizumab to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) re-irradiation will improve the progression-free survival for patients with recurrent or new second primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2018

open study

This phase II/III trial studies how well radiation therapy works when given together with cisplatin, docetaxel, cetuximab, and/or atezolizumab after surgery in treating patients with high-risk stage III-IV head and neck cancer the begins in the thin, flat cells (squamous cell). Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The purpose of this study is to compare the usual treatment (radiation therapy with cisplatin chemotherapy) to using radiation therapy with docetaxel and cetuximab chemotherapy, and using the usual treatment plus an immunotherapy drug, atezolizumab.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2013

open study

This study is a randomized controlled trial among 120 recently displaced women to determine the effectiveness of a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group therapy on prevention of development of mental health disorders or worsened mental health symptoms.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical study is to learn about the safety and efficacy of switching to once weekly tablet of islatravir/lenacapavir (ISL/LEN) regimen versus continuing standard treatment of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA levels < 50 copies/mL) on B/F/TAF for ≥ 6 months prior to screening. The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of switching to oral weekly ISL/LEN tablet regimen versus continuing B/F/TAF in virologically suppressed PWH at Week 48.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for speech anxiety and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present multicenter study (conducted through the Exposure Therapy Consortium) is designed to evaluate whether trait versus state positive affectivity is a more effective predictor of exposure therapy outcomes. Further, the investigators will examine whether the predictive significance of trait positive affectivity can be accounted for by examination of baseline levels of self-efficacy, hope, and optimism.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

The overarching goal of the proposed research is to prepare the clinical pharmacist intervention for sustainable implementation and dissemination. Because the effectiveness of the intervention has already been demonstrated in a NIH Stage Model IV trial, the investigators propose an Effectiveness-Implementation Type 3 Hybrid design, in which the primary focus is on testing different implementation methods, while secondarily observing clinical effects. The investigators' overarching hypothesis is to identify the most impactful elements of a behavioral theory-informed recruitment approach, which can be replicable across clinical settings. Accordingly, the investigators propose to perform testing of a behaviorally-informed recruitment approaches in a community-based setting. Like the previous Tele-Pharmacy Intervention to Improve Treatment Adherence (STIC2IT) trial (NCT02512276), participants will be English or Spanish speaking adults ≥18 years of age identified through the electronic health record (EHR) as having poor disease control and/or poor medication adherence for diabetes. The primary care physicians of eligible patients identified through the EHR will be contacted to opt-out any patients they wish not to be included. Patients will then be randomized to each of the following conditions, such that there will be 8 total arms: (1) inclusion of a mailer primer (yes/no), (2) the most successful recruitment letter from the preliminary study using prospect theory (versus the control letter), and (3) intensity of the intervention outreach (4 calls vs. 2 calls). The investigators plan to enroll 584 participants who meet the inclusion criteria, with 73 patients per each of the 8 study arms. Patients across all arms who agree to be scheduled will receive an appointment with one of the clinical pharmacists within the established BMC pharmacist program. The primary outcome will be completion of a clinical pharmacist appointment within 8 weeks after randomization. Key secondary outcomes will include scheduled visit rates, no-show rates for scheduled appointments, medication adherence over the 3-month follow-up, and clinical outcomes, including HbA1c levels measured using EHR data in the 3 months after randomization. The medication adherence and clinical outcomes will be used for the Aim 2 evaluation.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The aim of this research study is to test the feasibility of a physical and mental health intervention (Positive Minds, Strong Joints or PMSJ) for Black adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2025

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 - 34 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

The goal of this clinical trial is to test efficacy of different investigational products (IPs) compared with placebo on the change from baseline to the end of the treatment period at Week 52 in lung capacity in participants with Interstitial Lung Disease Secondary to Systemic Sclerosis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2024

open study

While numerous studies have assessed the promising impacts of prehabilitation, there is a lack of prehabilitation research within lower socioeconomic patient populations. Often for prehabilitation studies, patients are heavily involved in full scale exercise and nutrition programs weeks before the scheduled procedure. In underserved populations, programs such as these are often not feasible due to lack of transport, resources, and other barriers to healthcare. The investigators seek to evaluate the effectiveness of inexpensive interventions in lower socioeconomic populations. The investigators hypothesize that barriers to prehabilitation are environmental and that prehabilitation interventions tailored for lower socioeconomic (SES) populations will improve time to discharge, mobility, and in turn, readmission rates. The participants for this clinical trial will be seen four times: initially at the preoperative surgical clinic (6-8 weeks prior to surgery), 1-2 days preop at a pre-procedure clinic, postoperative in the inpatient setting (as soon as the participant is able to ambulate during their hospital stay), and in the postoperative surgical clinic at the postoperative visit. Patients will be within the general surgery, colorectal, and surgical oncology departments at Boston Medical Center (BMC). The anticipated sample size is 60 participants (30 in the intervention/prehabilitation arm and 30 in the control/usual care arm). Participants in the intervention arm will participate in a mobility and step tracking intervention aimed at improving postoperative outcomes. The control group will follow routine standard of care at BMC for preoperative and postoperative care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The overall objective of this double blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to compare specific outcomes of three medications (Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol) which are routinely used to lower blood pressure used during general anesthesia for orthognathic (jaw) surgery. The outcome measures for the study will be surgical field visibility, estimated blood loss, hemodynamic parameters, operation time, and adverse events. The specific objectives of this study are to compare: 1. Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol's effect on the quality of the surgical field. (Primary Outcome) 2. Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol's effect on estimated blood loss. 3. Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol's effect on hemodynamic parameters including systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate. 4. Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol's effect on operation time. 5. Dexmedetomidine, Nicardipine, and Labetalol's effect on adverse events. The investigators will evaluate healthy adult male and female patients who require jaw surgery at Boston Medical Center. The anticipated 90 participants will be randomized into three groups: ) A Labetalol group in which the patients receive hypotensive anesthesia with the aid of labetalol, 2) A Nicardipine group in which the patients receive hypotensive anesthesia with the aid of nicardipine, and 3) A Dexmedetomidine group in which the patients receive hypotensive anesthesia with the aid of dexmedetomidine. The time it will take for each individual participant ranges from 1-3 months. This time includes the pre-operative visit, the surgical procedure, a 1-week post-operation visit, and then followed for 30 days post-operatively after which the patient's participation in the study will conclude.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the number of catheter-free days (CFD) and the rate and severity of any dialysis access-related infections between the ATEV and AVF groups over 12 months in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) needing hemodialysis (HD). Participants will be stratified by location of the vascular access (forearm versus upper arm) and by type of AVF creation procedure planned by the surgeon at randomization (1-stage AVF versus 2-stage AVF). The comparator is an upper extremity arterio-venous fistula (AVF) for HD access surgically created per the institution's Standard of Care (SoC).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study