iMagemHTT

Terminated

LEARN MORE

SPONSOR

CHDI Foundation, Inc.

PARTICIPANTS

84

The main purpose of this study is to identify whether so-called radioligands (small radioactive particles) can detect mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) in the brain. This imaging study is done on humans and uses PET scans (images) of the brain to see if the presence of radioligands corresponds with the expression of mutant huntingtin in brain cells. The objective of the study is to use PET scans of radioligands to measure the presence of mHTT in brain cells. If proven valid and to be an effective way to measure mHTT, it can be used to measure if huntingtin lowering therapies actually lower mHTT in the brain. This study is important and needs volunteers because we still don’t have any methods to measure whether the huntingtin lowering therapies actually gets into the brain tissue where it’s needed and whether the mHTT levels are lowered.

Ages Eligible
for Study:

20 Years to 65 Years

(Adult, Older Adult)

Sexes Eligible
for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Pre-manifest Huntington’s disease gene-expansion carriers, gene carriers with Stage I Huntington’s disease, gene carriers with Stage II Huntington’s disease and healthy control participants:

  • Female and male adults, age 20-65 years old, inclusive.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) between 19 and 35 inclusive.
  • Capacity to give full informed consent in writing, and have read and signed the informed consent form (ICF).
  • Are capable of complying with study procedures, including fasting and blood sampling
  • Able and willing to travel to imaging PET center in Leuven, Belgium.
  • Willing to comply with the use of adequate contraceptive measures.

Pre-manifest Huntington’s disease gene-expansion carriers:

  • Do not have clinical diagnostic motor features of HD, defined as Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Diagnostic Confidence Score < 4; and
  • Have CAG expansion ≥ 40; and
  • Have a CAP score > 70 (as calculated with CAP formula: AGE * (CAG – 30) / 6.49).

Gene carriers with Stage I Huntington’s disease:

  • Have clinical diagnostic motor features of HD, defined as UHDRS Diagnostic Confidence Score = 4; and
  • Have CAG expansion ≥ 40; and
  • Have Stage I HD, defined as UHDRS Total Functional Capacity (TFC) scores between 11 and 13 inclusive.

Gene carriers with Stage II Huntington’s disease:

  • Have clinical diagnostic motor features of HD, defined as UHDRS Diagnostic Confidence Score = 4; and
  • Have CAG expansion ≥ 40; and Have Stage II HD, defined as UHDRS Total Functional Capacity (TFC) scores between 7 and 10 inclusive.

Healthy control participants:

  • Have no known family history of HD; or
  • Have known family history of HD but have been tested for the huntingtin gene glutamine codon (CAG) expansion and are not at genetic risk for HD (CAG < 36).
  • Matched by age +/- 5 years.
  • (Phase 1 only) under 35 years of age.

Pre-manifest Huntington’s disease gene-expansion carriers, gene carriers with Stage I Huntington’s disease, gene carriers with Stage II Huntington’s disease and healthy control participants:

  • Currently participating in or less than 30 days after completing participation in other therapeutic or imaging studies.
  • Previous participation in PET imaging study that, cumulatively with the current study, will exceed annual regulatory limits for radiation exposure.
  • Any disease, condition, or concomitant medication that significantly compromises the function of the body systems and that in the opinion of the Investigator, might interfere with the conduct of the study or its interpretation.
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding females.
  • Concomitant medication (ConMed) use of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy (inclusive of acetylsalicylic acid). (See full ConMed list attached.)
  • Needle phobia.

Huntington’s disease gene-expansion carriers participants:

  • If using any antidepressant, psychoactive, psychotropic or other medications or nutraceuticals used to treat HD, the use of inappropriate (e.g., non-therapeutically high) or unstable dose within 30 days prior to participation.

Healthy control participants:

  • Family history of Huntington’s disease (unless genetic test confirming negative results).

For participants in optional CSF sample collection:

  • Frequent headache, significant lower spinal deformity or major surgery; or
  • Bleeding disorder.

COUNTRIES

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Phase

Clinical trial phases are different stages of research that assess the safety and effectiveness of a new medical treatment or intervention in humans.

Each phase has a specific goal and involves a different number of participants. Generally, there are 4 phases (I-IV), with Phase I focusing on safety and dosage, Phase II on efficacy and side effects, Phase III on comparing the new treatment with standard treatments, and Phase IV on long-term safety monitoring. 

 
 
new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

SNP-single nucleotide polymorphisms

a single-letter spelling difference in a gene. SNPs, pronounced ‘snips’, are common and most don’t change the function of the gene.

 
new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

at risk

You do not know if you carry the genetic mutation for HD gene 

 
new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

TFC-total functional capacity

A standardized rating scale for function in HD, used to assess capacity to work, handle finances, perform domestic chores and self-care tasks.
Scores range from 0 to 13, with higher scores indicating better functional capacity. 

 
new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Double-blinded

 means that neither the participant nor the clinical trial doctor can choose or know the group the participant is in until the trial is over. This approach helps to prevent bias.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Open label

A trial in which the patient and doctor know what drug is being used. Open label trials are susceptible to bias through placebo effects.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Gene therapy

a technique that aims to treat or prevent diseases by modifying a person’s genes. It involves introducing, removing, or changing genetic material (DNA or RNA) within a patient’s cells.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

UHDRS- Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale

A standardized neurological examination that aims to provide a uniform assessment of the clinical features of HD

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

CAG repeat

The stretch of DNA at the beginning of the HD gene, which contains the sequence CAG repeated many times, and is abnormally long in people who will develop HD

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Wild-type

the opposite of ‘mutant’. Wild-type huntingtin, for example, is the ‘normal’, ‘healthy’ protein

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Tolerabilty

How well a person can handle a treatment without having serious or uncomfortable side effects.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Striatum

Part of the brain that  coordinates multiple aspects of cognition, including both motor and action planning, decision-making, motivation, reinforcement, and reward system.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Randomized allocation

A type of allocation strategy in which participants are assigned to the arms of a clinical trial by chance.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Radioligand

a radioactive substance that binds to a specific target in the body, allowing visualization of that target’s distribution and activity

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Protein

Protein builds, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. The building blocks of life.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Premanifest / Prodromal

Prior to onset or diagnosis of movement symptoms.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Placebo

A placebo is a dummy medicine containing no active ingredients. The placebo effect is a psychological effect that causes people to feel better even if they’re taking a pill that doesn’t work.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

PK - Pharmacokinetics

The movement of drugs through the body

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

PD - Pharmacodynamics

The body’s biological response to drugs

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

PET scan

Positron emission tomography which produces detailed 3-dimensional images of the inside of the body.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Neuron

Brain cells that store and transmit information

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

MRI

Magentic resonance imaging: A technique using powerful magnetic fields to produce detailed images and visualizes the structure of organs, tissues, and bones 

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

mHTT

Mutant huntingtin protein. The protein produced by the faulty HD gene.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Manifest

after HD diagnosis, or when symptoms are already showing

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Longitudinal study

A study where each participant is looked at several times over a time period – unlike a cross-sectional study, where each participant is looked at only once

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

HTT

one abbreviation for the gene that causes Huntington’s disease. The same gene is also called HD and IT-15

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

fMRI

functional MRI:As with MRI, a technique using powerful magnetic fields  but focusing on brain function by measuring and mapping changes in blood flow, revealing which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks or cognitive processes

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

CSF - cerebrospinal fluid

A clear fluid produced by the brain, which surrounds and supports the brain and spinal cord.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Efficacy

A measure of whether a treatment works or not

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

ASO(Antisense oligonucleotides)

A type of gene silencing treatment in which specially designed DNA molecules are used to switch off a gene

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Biomarker

a test of any kind – including blood tests, thinking tests and brain scans – that can measure or predict the progression of a disease like HD. Biomarkers may make clinical trials of new drugs quicker and more reliable

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

BDNF

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: a growth factor that may be able to protect neurons in HD.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Allele

one of the two copies of a gene

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Plasma

Liquid component of the blood.

new FB feed (19)

dictionary:

Gene

The basic unit of heredity passed from parent to child. Genes are made up of sequences of DNA and are arranged, one after another, at specific locations on chromosomes in the nucleus of cells.