The LUCINDA Trial: LeUprolide Plus Cholinesterase Inhibition to Reduce Neurological Decline in Alzheimer's (LUCINDA)

July 29, 2025 updated by: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
The LUCINDA Trial is a three-site, phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of leuprolide acetate (Eligard) in women with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer's Disease taking a stable dose of a cholinesterase inhibitor medication like donepezil. Its objective is to assess the efficacy of a 48-week regimen of leuprolide (22.5 mg per 12 weeks) compared to placebo on cognitive function, global function and plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This project aims to re-purpose the safe and well-tolerated gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue Leuprolide Acetate for use in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Leuprolide Acetate is currently used in adults for prostate cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids and in preparation for in-vitro fertilization, and in children for central precocious puberty. The purpose of this study to confirm and extend results from a prior phase II study (Bowen et al, 2015) which demonstrated that Leuprolide halted cognitive and functional decline in a subgroup of women with mild-moderate AD who were also taking the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. Objectives are to replicate, in the same subgroup, Leuprolide's clinical EFFICACY in this prior trial and to add neuroimaging and plasma BIOMARKERS that will help elucidate Leuprolide's likely multiple mechanisms of action in AD. These mechanisms include decreasing levels of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) based on extensive preclinical evidence that decreasing LH preserves cognition and decreases amyloid deposition and tau phosphorylation in animal models of AD, as well as new evidence that GnRH analogues may have anti-inflammatory effects.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
180

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 33433
        • University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10021
        • Weill Medical College of Cornell University
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53792
        • University of Wisconsin - Madison

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

65 years to 120 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female, post-menopausal
  • Probable AD or MCI due to AD according to NIA-AA criteria
  • Taking a stable dose of a cholinesterase inhibitor such as donepezil/Aricept and dosage likely to remain stable throughout the trial
  • MOCA > 11 or blind MOCA > 8 (inclusive) at screening visit
  • Hachinski score <5 supporting clinical judgment that dementia is not of vascular origin
  • Fluent in English
  • has a study partner / caregiver who interacts with the subject for at least 5 hours per week on average and can participate in evaluations

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence based on exam, history or MRI of significant brain disease other than AD such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease or large territory stroke
  • Current substance abuse in accord with DSM V criteria
  • Significantly depressed (Geriatric Depression Scale > 10)
  • Physical or psychological MRI contraindications, or likely unable to tolerate neuroimaging
  • Taking other medications known to affect serum sex hormone or gonadotropin concentrations such as estrogen and/or progesterone for hormone replacement therapy, goserelin or danazol
  • Presence of significant systemic illness likely to interfere with participation in or completion of the study or to affect study results such as cancer within 5 years (other than non-melanoma skin cancer), autoimmune disease, recent myocardial infarction, signs/symptoms of organ failure based on history, ECG, screening laboratory and/or physical exams
  • Receiving other investigational drugs within 30 days or 5 half-lives prior to randomization, whichever is longer

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
0.25 ml of sterile normal saline administered subcutaneously / 12 weeks
Drug: Placebo
Placebo (0.25 ml normal saline) will be administered subcutaneously once every twelve weeks for 48 weeks.
Experimental: Leuprolide
Eligard 22.5mg administered subcutaneously / 12 weeks
Drug: Eligard 22.5Mg Suspension for Injection
Eligard 22.5Mg Suspension for Injection will be administered subcutaneously, in accord with manufacturer's direction, once every twelve weeks for 48 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percent change in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-cog-11)
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The ADAS-cog-11 consists of 11 tasks measuring the disturbances of memory, language, praxis, attention and other cognitive abilities which are often referred to as the core symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.
Baseline, 48 Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percent change in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-in Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study - Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL)
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The ADCS-ADL assesses a subject's ability to perform activities of daily living such as eating, walking and bathing.
Baseline, 48 Weeks
Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC+)
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The ADCS-CGIC+ uses structured interviews with the subject and his or her caregiver to determine whether there has been a change in the subject's overall level of functioning.
Baseline, 48 Weeks
Percent change in Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The RBANS is a set of tests that measures thinking abilities including memory, language and attention.
Baseline, 48 Weeks
Percent change in Burden Inventory
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The Burden Inventory is a questionnaire that assesses how people sometimes feel when they are taking care of another person.
Baseline, 48 Weeks
Percent change in Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
The NPI measures behavioral and emotional symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.
Baseline, 48 Weeks
Change in Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) biomarkers
Time Frame: Baseline, 48 Weeks
Percent change in volume of AD-related brain regions (hippocampi, ventricles) and hippocampal perfusion measured with Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) will be assessed.
Baseline, 48 Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Tolmar Pharmaceuticals

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Tracy A Butler, MD, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
  • Principal Investigator: James E Galvin, MD, University of Miami
  • Principal Investigator: Craig S Atwood, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 27, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 22, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 22, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 28, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 1, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 29, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 19-05020209
  • R01AG057681-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The data and resources sharing plan for this project is in accordance with both Weill Cornell and NIH Data Sharing Policies. All raw clinical, genetic, and imaging data from this project will be available upon written request. Deidentified neuroimaging data may be uploaded to one or more of several available data sharing sites designed for this purpose. The final data will be available in acceptable formats such as presentations and publications.

Research data and results that document and support the study aims will be available after the final results are accepted for publication. The data to be shared will be anonymized and there will be no fees or other restrictions.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Research data and results that document and support the study aims will be available after the final results are accepted for publication.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Approval from PI

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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