Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

To evaluate the efficacy of eplontersen compared to placebo in participants with ATTR-CM receiving available standard of care (SoC). For more information, please visit https://www.cardio-ttransform.com.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2020

open study

This phase III trial studies how well an antibody (durvalumab) with chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation) works in treating patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. This study is being done to see if adding durvalumab to standard chemoradiation followed by additional durvalumab can extend patients life and/or prevent the tumor from coming back compared to the usual approach of chemoradiation alone followed by durvalumab.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2020

open study

The purpose of this study is to confirm the tolerability of recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of Lazertinib (Phase 1), to determine the tolerability and identify the recommended Phase 2 combination dose of Lazertinib when combined with Amivantamab (JNJ-61186372) (Phase 1b), to characterize the safety and tolerability of Lazertinib and Amivantamab combinations at the RP2CD in participants with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with documented advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (Phase 1b expansion cohorts A, B, C, D and E), to estimate the antitumor activity of Lazertinib and Amivantamab combinations at the RP2CD in participants with advanced NSCLC with documented advanced or metastatic EGFR mutation (Phase 1b expansion cohorts A, B, C, and D), to validate the biomarker identified in Phase 1b expansion Cohort D as a predictor of antitumor activity of Lazertinib and Amivantamab combination (Cohort E) or Amivantamab monotherapy (Cohort F) in participants with osimertinib-relapsed, chemotherapy-naïve, EGFR Exon19del or L858R mutated NSCLC, to identify the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2ChD) of Lazertinib when combined with Amivantamab and standard of care chemotherapy and to determine the tolerability of the Lazertinib, Amivantamab, and platinum-doublet chemotherapy (LACP) combination (Phase 1b LACP combination cohort) and to characterize the safety and tolerability of Lazertinib at the RP2ChD and Amivantamab and standard of care chemotherapy in participants with advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC (Phase 1b LACP combination cohort), to assess 2 potential biomarker strategies to identify participants at increased, or decreased, probability of tumor response with JNJ-61186372 and lazertinib combination in participants with EGFR Exon19del or L858R mutated NSCLC progressed on or after osimertinib (Phase 1b expansion Cohort D).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2019

open study

This home-based study is a randomized (1:1) placebo-controlled trial of a single infusion of zoledronic acid-5 mg (ZA) for the prevention of fractures in men and women aged 60 years and older with Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism with at least 2 years of follow-up. A total of 3500 participants will be enrolled and randomized in the United States. Participants, follow-up outcome assessors, and study investigators will be blinded to assigned study treatment. This trial is funded by the National Institute of Aging.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2019

open study

Study ROR-PH-301, ADVANCE OUTCOMES, is designed to assess the efficacy and safety of ralinepag when added to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) standard of care or PAH-specific background therapy in subjects with World Health Organization (WHO) Group 1 PAH.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2018

open study

This phase III trial studies cabozantinib to see how well it works compared with placebo in treating patients with neuroendocrine or carcinoid tumors that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). Cabozantinib is a chemotherapy drug known as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and it targets specific tyrosine kinase receptors, that when blocked, may slow tumor growth.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2018

open study

The main aims of this 3-part study are as follows: Part 1: To determine any side effects from modakafusp alfa single treatment and how often they occur. The dose of modakafusp alfa will be increased a little at a time until the highest dose that does not cause harmful side effects is found. Part 2: To assess clinical activity of one or more dosing schedules of modakafusp alfa alone in participants with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Dexamethasone standard dose will be administered with one or more selected dose of modakafusp alfa in selected group of participants. Part 3: To find the optimal dose with the more favorable risk-benefit profile of modakafusp alfa. Participants will receive modakafusp alfa at one of two doses which will be given through a vein.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2017

open study

The purpose of this study is to compare two red blood cell transfusion strategies (liberal and restrictive) for patients who have had an acute myocardial infarction and are anemic.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2017

open study

There are two study questions we are asking in this randomized phase II/III trial based on a blood biomarker, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for locoregionally advanced non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. All patients will first undergo standard concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When this standard treatment is completed, if there is no detectable EBV DNA in their plasma, then patients are randomized to either standard adjuvant cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy or observation. If there is still detectable levels of plasma EBV DNA, patients will be randomized to standard cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy versus gemcitabine and paclitaxel. Radiation therapy uses high energy x rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, fluorouracil, 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. It is not yet known whether giving cisplatin and fluorouracil is more effective than gemcitabine hydrochloride and paclitaxel after radiation therapy in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2014

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

Enroll-HD is a longitudinal, observational, multinational study that integrates two former Huntington's disease (HD) registries-REGISTRY in Europe, and COHORT in North America and Australasia-while also expanding to include sites in Latin America. More than 20,000 participants have now enrolled into the study. With annual assessments and no end date, Enroll-HD has built a large and rich database of longitudinal clinical data and biospecimens that form the basis for studies developing tools and biomarkers for progression and prognosis, identifying clinically-relevant phenotypic characteristics, and establishing clearly defined endpoints for interventional studies. Periodic cuts of the database are now available to any interested researcher to use in their research - visit www.enroll-hd.org/for-researchers/access-data/ to learn more.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Jul 2012

open study

Our goals are to identify blood lipids/metabolites that correlate with cognitive decline in the presence of the APOE ε4 allele among veterans with GWI. To determine the effect of dietary, medical and biological factors that influence lipid and metabolites in blood from GW veterans. To identify blood lipid/metabolite profiles that correlate with bioenergetics deficits and glial activation in the brains of GWI. To validate blood biomarker signatures of GWI using APOE genotyping and blood lipids/metabolites that correlate with the CNS dysfunction in GWI.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting approximately 10 million people worldwide. It is a complex movement disorder that results in reduced walking ability. Prior studies have identified declines in walking as a marker of ensuing disability. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) is a rehabilitation approach that employs the coupling of auditory cues with movement. Walking with RAS has been shown to benefit walking rhythmicity, quality, and speed. These walking benefits make RAS advantageous in promoting regular moderate-intensity walking activity -- an important health objective in the management of PD. However, there is limited research investigating the effects of RAS on walking quality and how improvements in walking speed are achieved. This study will enroll 30 individuals with mild to moderate PD where each participant will be asked to complete two six-minute walk tests, one standard test (baseline) and the other using an optimized metronome-based auditory cueing RAS intervention. The investigators hypothesize that individuals with PD will either walk farther or with more automaticity (i.e., reduced stride time variability) in the RAS condition compared to the baseline condition. Moreover, these walking improvements will be accompanied by improvements in gait mechanics and metabolic cost of walking.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2023

open study

Scleroderma (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis (or collagen deposition) of the skin and internal organs. The extent of skin fibrosis is an important predictor of internal organ complications and increased mortality. Currently imprecise and subjective methods that varies amongst different doctors for the same patient are available to quantify skin fibrosis in patients, by "pinching" their skin and assessing how thick it is; this is the method used to determine the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). Skin thickness and the amount of fibrosis can change over time due to disease progression or in response to therapy. In this research, longitudinal measurements will be taken to determine if spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) can detect changes in skin thickness that occur over time in response to therapy or from disease progression in scleroderma patients. This study will compare SFDI with other clinical outcome assessments of skin thickness and fibrosis in scleroderma patients including mRSS, skin biopsy histology, scleroderma skin patient reported outcome (SSPRO), ultrasound, and durometry (durometer measures skin hardness). SFDI information will also be compared with capillaroscopy (allows for non-invasive imaging of the nailfold capillaries) if available from the electronic medical record. If SFDI correlates well with other clinical outcome assessments, it may be used in the future as a rapid, non-invasive tool for monitoring disease activity in scleroderma patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to determine the effects of an adapted family-centered autism transition intervention called Transitioning Together/Juntos en la Transición on meaningful outcomes for families. The study will occur in a safety net hospital setting. The adapted version of this multi-family group psychoeducation intervention is delivered across one individual family joining session and four 2.5 hour multi-family group sessions. The parent and youth groups are held in separately, at the same time.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

This pilot randomized double blind controlled crossover study aims to determine the impact of two wrist cooling devices on symptom control of hot flashes in adult men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer experiencing hot flashes. The participants will record during the first two weeks of the study all of their hot flashes and severity of their hot flashes in a diary. The participants will be randomly assigned to wear one of the two wrist cooling devices that have an identical appearance at different times in the study. They will wear the first assigned device for weeks 3 and 4. They will record in their diary the severity of their hot flashes while using the device. For weeks 5 and 6 they will be ask to use a second device and record in their diary the severity of their hot flashes with the use of the device. The devices will be attached to the wrist like a watch. When activated, one device will turn on a cooling fan with the cooling plate being active for up to 5 minutes, and the other device will turn on a cooling fan only for up to 5 minutes without the cooling plate being active.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This is a parallel-arm mixed-methods randomized controlled trial to investigate the feasibility of telehealth delivered mindful exercise vs. usual exercise interventions for people with knee osteoarthritis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study

Brief Summary: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant and costly public health problem that affects one-third of the U.S. population in their lifetime. Specifically, unhealthy alcohol use is common among persons living with HIV (PLWH) and increases the risk of developing negative outcomes. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has shown increasing life expectancy and decreased HIV-related deaths, leading to a growing older adult HIV population. Yet, HIV accelerates the aging process and increases the risk for numerous chronic health conditions that compromise physical and mental health functioning and quality of life. Thus, PLWH continue to have shorter life expectancies relative to the general population and these multimorbidities explain this increased risk. In this context, unhealthy alcohol use among PLWH can further increase the risk for negative outcomes. Physical activity (PA) interventions can be used as an effective way to address unhealthy alcohol use among PLWH. Previous PA interventions have shown low generalizability and high loss to follow-up. Therefore, an intervention that is home-based, including lifestyle physical activity (LPA) with mobile health-delivered components is designed following the physical activity (PA) paradigm. Participants in this randomized controlled trial will be assigned to one of two study arms -- either the LPA or Fitbit Only intervention - both lasting 12-weeks. Both study arms will utilize a Fitbit to track daily step counts. In addition to utilizing a Fitbit, the LPA arm will receive 7 LPA sessions with a trained interventionist to assist in adding LPA to the participant's routine. The Fitbit only arm will receive only brief check-in phone calls and only related to assisting with any Fitbit functioning issues. Follow-up assessments will take place at 3 and 6 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

Regular, habitual exercise is a critical component of the long-term management of Parkinson disease (PD). However, PD-specific motor (e.g. slow and diminished movements, variable step timing) and non-motor (e.g. depression, apathy) problems collectively hinder physical activity. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) is a rehabilitation technique that employs coupling of auditory cues with movement. Walking with RAS has been shown to benefit walking rhythmicity, quality, and speed. These walking benefits make RAS advantageous in promoting moderate intensity walking activity -- an important health-objective in the management of PD. However, the therapeutic potential of RAS in self-directed walking programs has not been examined. In this pilot, we will utilize a breakthrough digital therapeutic that delivers music-adaptive RAS to alleviate PD-specific problems by regulating stepping patterns. Using music as a substrate for cue delivery, this digital therapeutic leverages gait benefits from RAS along with enjoyment of music listening, thus making it a viable and engaging modality that will yield habits of regular walking. Habits are automatically recurring psychological dispositions that emerge from repeated behaviors. The investigators posit that music cues provide recurring contextual cues that automatically evoke habitual response of exercise, thus has the potential to prompt regular physical activity. This study will enroll 44 individuals with mild-to-moderate PD. The experimental intervention, "Amped-PD", is a 6-week, user-managed community-based walking program that utilizes music-adaptive RAS that progressively increases walking intensities. This study will examine if Amped-PD (Experimental Intervention) is more effective than a standard-of-care walking program (Active-Control Intervention) in improving physical activity based on moderate intensity walking, and in improving motor deficits related to quality of walking in individuals with mild-to-moderate PD. This study will also examine whether the resultant habits formed from each intervention matter in relation to training-related changes in physical activity.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

In this study, researchers will learn more about a study drug called BIIB122 in participants with early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study: - Participants will take 225 milligrams (mg) of BIIB122 or a placebo as tablets by mouth. A placebo looks like the study drug but has no real medicine in it. - Participants will take BIIB122 or placebo 1 time a day for up to a minimum of 48 weeks and a maximum of 144 weeks. - Certain medications for PD will be allowed at enrollment for a subset of participants. - The majority of clinic visits will be every 12 weeks. The main question researchers are trying to answer is if taking BIIB122 slows the worsening of symptoms more than placebo in the early stages of PD. To help answer this question, researchers will use a questionnaire called the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, also known as the MDS-UPDRS. Researchers will use the MDS-UPDRS to learn about participant PD symptoms and how they affect their daily life. Researchers will also learn more about the safety of BIIB122.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2022

open study

For this retrospective study, the investigators will collect and analyze data of patients who presented with posterior artery occlusion and underwent mechanical thrombectomy (the type of endovascular stroke treatment) and intravenous thrombolysis (the type of non-endovascular stroke treatment). The electronic health records will be queried for the demographic, medical history, and outcomes data of all patients with posterior cerebral artery occlusion who underwent mechanical thrombectomy, intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), or medical management.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2022

open study

Poor glycemic control is recognized as a risk factor for postoperative infection. For the neurosurgical patient, postoperative infection can lead to devastating complications such as meningitis, encephalitis and death. Neurosurgical patients often receive high doses of medications that increase blood glucose levels such as steroids, placing them at a potentially higher risk for postoperative infection. The purpose of this multisite observational study is to assess the impact of severe intraoperative hyperglycemia as a risk factor for postoperative infection in the neurosurgical patient.

Type: Observational

Start Date: May 2021

open study

The proposed research will test the efficacy of group conversation treatment for people with aphasia and explore whether the effects of treatment differ as a result of the following factors: 1. Group size: Do large groups of 6-8 people with aphasia or dyads of 2 people with aphasia demonstrate different levels of improvement with this treatment? 2. Group composition: Do effects of conversation group treatment differ if the groups include members with similar or different types of aphasia? 3. Aphasia severity: Do effects of conversation group treatment differ if the individuals within the group have mild-moderate or moderate-severe profiles of aphasia? Treatment sessions will occur in groups of 6-8 people with aphasia or with 2 people with aphasia. During treatment sessions, discourse will be facilitated on a focused set of every day topics, such as current events or travel. Linguistic and multi modal cueing hierarchies will be tailored to individual client goals and used to maximize communication success. The prediction is that conversation treatment is an effective method for improving communication in people with aphasia, but that specific benefits may differ based on variables such as group size, group composition, and aphasia severity. The results will help inform best practices for aphasia treatment and refine a hypothesized model about the mechanisms underlying conversation treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2022

open study

The investigators will implement a 24-month fractional factorial design study (Aim 1). The investigators will recruit 510 patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) at three City of Cape Town ART clinics. Each patient will have adherence monitored using the Wisepill® electronic adherence monitoring device (EAM). After eligibility has been confirmed, each participant will be randomized to one of 16 experimental conditions. Each condition includes a unique combination of five adherence intervention components. Three of these components focus on identifying individuals with poor adherence, with increasing degrees of sophistication, with immediate linkage to adherence support. Two components focus on supporting good adherence. They both supplement the existing adherence support program delivered at the study clinics operated by City of Cape Town (standard of care component). Based on Self-Determination Theory, the investigators postulate these intervention components will: 1) enhance feelings of autonomy support, social support, and knowledge; 2) improve motivation and self-competence; and 3) increase ART retention, adherence, and viral suppression. A subset of the participants, as well as clinic staff, will be invited to in-depth interviews to explore mediating factors (Aim 1) and the implementation process (Aim 2); and the data collected in Aims 1 and 2 will be used to explore cost effectiveness (Aim 3).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

This study aims to address barriers to psychosocial care for siblings of children with cancer by piloting a group-based telehealth program for adolescent siblings of youth with cancer. The pilot trial will be preceded by a treatment development stage during which study staff will interview English- and Spanish-speaking families and psychosocial providers to assess preferences for program content, format, timing, and cultural feasibility and acceptability, while considering ideas to minimize participation barriers. Information from interviews will inform any revisions to the proposed pilot program. Then, the new SibACCESS program will be tested with a small group of families located in Massachusetts, Delaware, or Rhode Island using video-teleconferencing technology. Families will complete exit interviews to assess program acceptability and perceived benefits.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study