Rolipram to Treat Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trial

Official title: Safety, Tolerability & Effects of Rolipram on Inflammatory Activity in the Central Nervous System in Multiple Sclerosis. A Phase II, Open Label Crossover Trial Using MRI as an Outcome Measure

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effect of the drug Rolipram on multiple sclerosis (MS). It will examine whether Rolipram can dampen the part of the immune response believed to lead to MS and reduce disease activity.

Patient with multiple sclerosis who are between the ages of 18 and 65 may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a complete neurological and medical evaluation. Participants will complete three study phases-baseline, treatment and follow-up, as follows:

Baseline (3 months) - Approximately four magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans will be obtained to assess MS activity. Participants with MS activity above a certain level will continue with the treatment phase.

Treatment (8 months) - Patients will take Rolipram tablets in increasing doses every 2 to 3 days for the first month of this phase until their individual maximum tolerated dose is established. Dosing will continue at that level for the rest of the treatment phase. Dosing is in the morning, midday and evening. Patients will be seen monthly in the clinic for examination and MRI scans.

Follow-up - Participants will have monthly exams and MRIs for 3 months following the treatment phase, after which their participation in the study ends.

Patients' monthly visits during treatment and follow-up include a neurological examination to assess disease status; MRI to assess brain changes; and blood and urine collection to monitor liver, kidney and other functions. In addition, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is done during the last month of the baseline phase and one month after treatment ends to study changes in the spinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and leukapheresis is done once during the last month of the baseline phase and once during the last month of treatment to collect white blood cells for study. These procedures involve the following:

MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of X-rays to produce images showing structural and chemical changes in tissues. The patient lies on a table in a narrow cylinder (the scanner) containing a magnetic field and images are taken. A contrast agent called gadolinium is injected into a vein during the last set of images to help identify new lesions. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which is similar to MRI, is also done once during the baseline phase, at 4 months and at 8 months to measure brain chemicals. For the spinal tap, a local anesthetic is given and a needle is inserted in the space between the bones (vertebrae) in the lower back. About 2 tablespoons of fluid is collected through the needle. For leukapheresis, whole blood is collected through a needle placed in an arm vein. The blood circulates through a machine that separates it into its components. The white cells are removed and the red cells, platelets and plasma are returned to the body through a second needle placed in the other arm.

Patients may also have studies to measure levels of Rolipram in the blood. These are done on study days 1 and 29 and at months 2, 4, and 6. For days 1 and 29, a catheter is placed in an arm vein and 4 ml. of blood is drawn immediately before the morning dose and at several intervals from 20 minutes to 6 hours after the dose. For the other tests, a single 4-ml sample is collected before the noon dose.

Clinical Trial Description

Rolipram is a phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 4 inhibitor that has originally been developed by Schering AG, Berlin, Germany, as an antidepressant, before others and our laboratory documented the immunomodulatory properties of the drug. In the current trial, Rolipram will for the first time be tested as a novel immunomodulatory therapy in multiple sclerosis patients. The protocol involves a stage I for finding the highest individually well-tolerated drug dose, before stage II, and 8 months treatment period with this individually well-tolerated dose, will be conducted. The trial shall document the safety, tolerability an efficacy with respect to inhibition of central nervous inflammation in multiple sclerosis patients. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical examinations will be used to study the above parameters, and immunological studies that will be conducted in parallel to the trial, will address the mechanism of action of Rolipram in MS. ;

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Sclerosis

• NCT number: NCT00011375
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: February 2001
• Completion date: April 2004