Simufilam 100 mg for Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease (RETHINK-ALZ)

A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group, 52-week Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Simufilam 100 mg Tablets in Subjects With Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease

A 52-week safety and efficacy study of simufilam (PTI-125) given twice daily to participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) for 52 weeks. Approximately 750 participants will be randomized (1:1) to receive either placebo or 100 mg tablets of simufilam, twice daily, for 52 weeks. Clinic visits will occur 4 weeks after the baseline visit, and then every 12 weeks until the end of the study. The safety of simufilam, and its efficacy in enhancing cognition and slowing cognitive and functional decline will be evaluated.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Alzheimer Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Simufilam

Detailed Description

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of simufilam (PTI-125) in enhancing cognition and slowing cognitive and functional decline following 52-week, repeat-dose oral administration in participants with mild-to-moderate AD. Secondary objectives include the assessment of simufilam's effect on neuropsychiatric symptoms and caregiver burden. A third objective is to investigate the effect of simufilam treatment on plasma biomarkers. A limited number of research sites will be invited to participate in the pharmacokinetic (PK) and plasma biomarker sub-study. Collection of PK samples will enable an exposure-response analysis. Approximately 100 subjects will participate (50 per group). Plasma samples will be collected during the Screening Visit and again at Weeks 28 and 52. Change from Baseline for plasma biomarkers represent additional secondary endpoints.

Safety will be evaluated by adverse event monitoring, vital signs, clinical labs, and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale at every visit. Subjects will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during screening to ensure entry criteria are met (unless recent MRI confirms entry criteria). Resting electrocardiograms will be conducted at Baseline (Study Day 1) and Weeks 4, 28, and 52. A complete physical and neurological examination will be performed at screening, and brief examinations will be performed at all other visits. Weight will be measured during the Screening Period, at Baseline (Study Day 1), and at all other visits.

An independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will meet periodically to review subject safety assessments and determine if dosing may continue. A charter will be developed with specific guidance for the DSMB.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 750
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Study Director; Phone Number: 737-910-1045; Email: ClinicalTrials.gov@cassavasciences.com

Study Locations

• Australia
  • New South Wales
    • Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia, 2113
      • KaRa MINDS
  • Queensland
    • Herston, Queensland, Australia, 4029
      • The University of Queensland
    • Southport, Queensland, Australia, 4215
      • Impact Health Pty Ltd.
  • Victoria
    • Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, 3128
      • Eastern Health
    • Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia, 3146
      • Delmont Private Hospital
    • Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 3084
      • Austin Health
    • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3004
      • The Alfred Hospital
    • Parkville, Victoria, Australia, 3050
      • Royal Melbourne Hospital
  • Western Australia
    • Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia, 8009
      • Australian Alzheimer's Research Foundation
• Canada
  • Québec, Canada, G3K 2P8
    • ALPHA Recherche Clinique
  • Ontario
    • London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5R9
      • LMC Clinical Research - London
    • Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, N7t 4X3
      • Bluewater Clinical Research Group Inc
  • Quebec
    • Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, J1J 2G2
      • Q & T Research
    • Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, J1L0H8
      • Diex Research Sherbrooke Inc.
• United States
  • Arizona
    • Chandler, Arizona, United States, 85286
      • MDFirst Research
    • Gilbert, Arizona, United States, 85297
      • CCT Research - Gilbert Neurology Partners
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85004
      • Xenoscience, Inc.
  • California
    • Anaheim, California, United States, 92805
      • Advanced Research Center, Inc
    • Colton, California, United States, 92324
      • Axiom Research, LLC
    • Costa Mesa, California, United States, 92626
      • ATP Clinical Research, Inc.
    • Imperial, California, United States, 92251
      • Sun Valley Research Center, Inc.
    • Laguna Hills, California, United States, 92653
      • Senior Clinical Trials
    • Riverside, California, United States, 92503
      • Artemis Institute for Clinical Research
    • Santa Ana, California, United States, 92705
      • Syrentis Clinical Research
  • Colorado
    • Basalt, Colorado, United States, 81621
      • Mountain Neurological Research Center
    • Denver, Colorado, United States, 80210
      • Colorado Neurological Research Center, PC
  • Connecticut
    • Cromwell, Connecticut, United States, 06416
      • CT Clinical Research
  • Florida
    • Apopka, Florida, United States, 32703
      • Topaz Clinical Research
    • Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 33428
      • Neurology Offices of South Florida
    • Boynton Beach, Florida, United States, 33437
      • Boynton Beach Medical Research Institute (GMI)
    • Clermont, Florida, United States, 34711
      • K2 Medical Research - Clermont
    • Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, 32117
      • Arrow Clinical Trials
    • Fort Myers, Florida, United States, 33912
      • Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida
    • Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States, 33009
      • Velocity Clinical Research, Hallandale Beach
    • Hialeah, Florida, United States, 33016
      • Galiz Research
    • Hollywood, Florida, United States, 33024
      • Infinity Clinical Research - Sunrise
    • Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 32256
      • CNS Healthcare - Jacksonville
    • Lady Lake, Florida, United States, 32162
      • Charter Research
    • Lauderhill, Florida, United States, 33319
      • Segal Trials - West Broward Outpatient Site
    • Maitland, Florida, United States, 32751
      • ClinCloud
    • Merritt Island, Florida, United States, 32952
      • Merritt Island Medical Research, LLC
    • Miami, Florida, United States, 33165
      • New Horizon Research Center
    • Miami, Florida, United States, 33125
      • Central Miami Medical Institute (GMI)
    • Miami, Florida, United States, 33186
      • Luminous Clinical Research
    • Miami Beach, Florida, United States, 33140
      • Quantam Clinical Trials
    • Miami Springs, Florida, United States, 33166
      • South Florida Research Phase I-IV INC
    • New Port Richey, Florida, United States, 34652
      • Suncoast Clinical Research, Inc.
    • Ocala, Florida, United States, 34470
      • Renstar Medical Research
    • Orlando, Florida, United States, 32807
      • Combined Research Orlando Phase I-IV
    • Port Orange, Florida, United States, 32127
      • Progressive Medical Research
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33613
      • Stedman Clinical Trials
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33603
      • Clinical Research of Brandon, LLC (Tampa)
    • West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, 33407
      • Premier Research Institute at Palm Beach Neurology
    • Winter Park, Florida, United States, 32792
      • Charter Research
  • Idaho
    • Meridian, Idaho, United States, 83642
      • Velocity Clinical Research, Boise
  • Illinois
    • Winfield, Illinois, United States, 60190
      • Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital
  • Kansas
    • Wichita, Kansas, United States, 67214
      • Ascension Via Christi Research
  • Louisiana
    • Alexandria, Louisiana, United States, 71301
      • Neuro Medical Clinic of Central Louisiana, LLC
  • Massachusetts
    • North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States, 02747
      • Boston Neuro Research Center
  • Missouri
    • Chesterfield, Missouri, United States, 63005
      • Clinical Research Professionals
  • Nebraska
    • Papillion, Nebraska, United States, 68046
      • CCT Research - Papillion Research Center
  • New Jersey
    • West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, 07764
      • Advanced Clinical Institute, Inc
  • New Mexico
    • Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87109
      • Albuquerque Neuroscience, Inc
  • New York
    • Amherst, New York, United States, 14226
      • Dent Neurologic Institute
    • New Hyde Park, New York, United States, 11040-1433
      • Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehabilitation
    • New Windsor, New York, United States, 12553
      • Mid Hudson Medical Research
    • New York, New York, United States, 10003
      • NY Neurology Associates
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14620
      • University of Rochester Medical Center - Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research and Education Program
    • Woodmere, New York, United States, 11598
      • Five Town Neuroscience Research
  • North Carolina
    • Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, 27410
      • Triad Clinical Trials, LLC
    • Matthew, North Carolina, United States, 28105
      • Alzheimer's Memory Center
  • Ohio
    • Beachwood, Ohio, United States, 44122
      • Insight Clinical Trials LLC
    • Canton, Ohio, United States, 44718
      • NeuroScience Research Center, LLC
    • Centerville, Ohio, United States, 45459
      • Dayton Center for Neurological Disorders
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97210
      • Summit Research Network, LLC
  • Pennsylvania
    • Malvern, Pennsylvania, United States, 19355
      • Brian Abaluck, LLC
    • Moosic, Pennsylvania, United States, 18507
      • Global Medical Institutes/Scranton Medical Institute - Moosic Division
  • Rhode Island
    • East Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02914
      • Rhode Island Mood & Memory Research Institute
  • South Carolina
    • Summerville, South Carolina, United States, 29485
      • Palmetto Clinical Research
  • Texas
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78731
      • FutureSearch Trials of Neurology
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78757
      • Senior Adults Specialty Research, Inc
    • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75206
      • Texas Neurology, PA
    • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75231
      • Baylor Scott & White Research Institute
    • Katy, Texas, United States, 77450
      • Mt. Olympus Medical Research, LLC
    • Wichita Falls, Texas, United States, 76309
      • Grayline Research Center
  • Vermont
    • Rutland, Vermont, United States, 05701
      • Green Mountain Research Institute, Inc.
  • Virginia
    • Fairfax, Virginia, United States, 22031
      • Re:Cognition Health
  • Washington
    • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98104
      • Memory and Brain Wellness Center at Harborview

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years to 87 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Key Inclusion Criteria:

1. Meets National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association Research Framework criteria for individuals in clinical Stage 4 or 5 of the Alzheimer's continuum.
2. Evidence for AD pathophysiology, confirmed either prior to or during screening.
3. MMSE score ≥ 16 and ≤ 27 at screening.
4. Clinical Dementia Rating - Global Score must be 0.5, 1 or 2.
5. If receiving background AD medications, the dosing regimen must be stable for at least 12 weeks prior to randomization. Chronic medications for conditions other than AD (such as depression) must be prescribed at a stable dose for at least 4 weeks prior to screening.
6. The subject has not been a cigarette smoker or chewed tobacco for at least 3 years.
7. Availability of a study partner.
8. Individuals who have participated in a clinical study with an investigational drug targeting the underlying AD process may be permitted to participate in this study.
9. Completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series ("fully vaccinated") at least 2 weeks prior to randomization or had an unambiguous COVID-19 infection diagnosed more than 3 months before the start of the Screening Period.

Key Exclusion Criteria:

1. A neurologic condition other than AD that significantly contributes to the subject's dementia.
2. Any current primary psychiatric diagnosis other than AD if it is likely to confound cognitive assessment or ability to comply with study procedures.
3. Geriatric Depression Scale (15-item) score > 8. (Note - a subject with a score > 8 may continue in screening if, in the judgment of the Investigator, the elevated score is not attributed to a major depressive episode).
4. Suicidal ideation during the past 3 months or suicidal behavior during the past 12 months.
5. Alcohol or substance use disorder within 2 years of screening.
6. MRI presence of cerebral vascular or other significant pathology.
7. History of transient ischemic attack or stroke within 12 months of screening
8. Seizure within 12 months of screening.
9. Severe head trauma or head trauma considered likely to be contributing to the subject's cognitive impairment.
10. Sleep apnea that is considered likely to be contributing to the subject's cognitive impairment.
11. Insufficiently controlled diabetes mellitus or hypertension.
12. Body mass index < 18.5 or > 37.5.
13. History or diagnosis of clinically significant cardiac disease
14. Currently or previously prescribed/administered aducanumab, lecanemab, or any anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody, more than 2 doses.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Matching placebo, supplied by Cassava as coated tablets, and taken twice daily (b.i.d.) for 52 weeks	Drug: Placebo; Matching placebo given b.i.d. for 52 weeks.
Experimental: Simufilam 100 mg; Simufilam 100 mg, supplied by Cassava as coated tablets, and taken b.i.d. for 52 weeks	Drug: Simufilam; Simufilam is a novel drug candidate designed to treat and slow the progression of AD. Simufilam binds with femtomolar affinity to an altered conformation of filamin A that is present in the brain of patients with AD and critical to the toxicity of Aβ42. In this study, simufilam will be given b.i.d. for 52 weeks at a dose of 100 mg.; Other Names: PTI-125

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in the 12-item Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog12)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the ADAS-Cog12, a psychometrician-administered battery comprised of several cognitive domains including memory, comprehension, praxis, orientation, and spontaneous speech. Scores range from 0 (best) to 80 (worst).	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Change from baseline in the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study - Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the ADCS-ADL, a 23-item study partner questionnaire that covers both basic activities of daily living (ADL) and more complex ADL or instrumental ADL. Scores range from 0 to 78, with a lower score indicating greater severity of functional loss.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in the integrated Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (iADRS)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the iADRS, where scores range from 0 to 146 with lower scores indicating worse performance.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Change from baseline in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the NPI, a 12-item study partner interview, which records the frequency and severity of common neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia, as well as the level of study partner distress due to each of the neuropsychiatric problems. Scores range from 0 to 144, with higher scores indicating more frequent and severe symptoms, and greater levels of partner distress.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Change from baseline in the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the CDR-SB, which characterizes 6 domains of cognitive and functional performance applicable to AD and related dementias: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. Higher scores indicate more severe impairment.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Change from baseline in the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the ZBI, a 22-item study partner questionnaire designed to assess the stress or burden experienced by caregivers of people with dementia, with a higher score indicating greater stress or burden.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Changes from baseline in the plasma SavaDx biomarker	Change from baseline in SavaDx, a novel plasma biomarker	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Change from baseline in the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)	The change from baseline to Week 52 in the MMSE, a set of standardized questions covering several target areas: orientation, registration, attention and calculation, short-term verbal recall, naming, repetition, 3-step command, reading, writing, and visuospatial cognitive assessment. Lower scores indicate more severe impairment.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52
Changes from baseline in plasma phospho-tau181 (P-tau181) and/or phospho-tau217 (P-tau217), and neurofilament light chain.	Change from baseline in plasma biomarkers of AD pathology, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation.	Baseline (Study Day 1) to Week 52

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cassava Sciences, Inc.
• Collaborators: Premier Research Group plc
• Investigators: Study Chair: Jim Kupiec, MD, Cassava Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 3, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 29, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): August 6, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 26, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2024
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dementia; Tauopathies; Alzheimer Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: PTI-125-07

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No