Trial Readiness and Endpoint Assessment in Pediatric Myotonic Dystrophy Extension (TREAT-EXT)

July 28, 2025 updated by: Virginia Commonwealth University
This is a natural history study to improve the types of assessments and biological samples that will be used in clinical drug trials in both congenital myotonic dystrophy and childhood myotonic dystrophy.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy (CDM) is a multi-systemic, dominantly inherited disorder caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion (CTGn) in the DMPK gene. Children with CDM present at birth with respiratory insufficiency, talipes equiovarus, feeding difficulties and hypotonia. There is a 30% mortality rate in the first year of life. As children grow, they are at risk for intellectual impairment, autistic features, gastrointestinal symptoms, and motor delay. Childhood onset myotonic dystrophy (ChDM) is similarly multisystem and is classified as onset after birth but before 10 years of age. It likely represents a less severe form of CDM.

Currently, there is an ongoing therapeutic trial in adults with DM1 using an antisense oligonucleotide to target the destruction of the CTG repeat. The ability to conduct this trial in children is directly limited by the lack of available data regarding appropriate clinical endpoints and biomarkers. Although the underlying mechanism is the same in adult DM1 and CDM, there are specific challenges to directly transferring outcome measures into the CDM population. First, our cross-sectional data demonstrates age-related improvement in several functional outcome measures, such as the 6-minute walk. Second, in the adult DM1 clinical trial, RNA splicing changes in the tibialis anterior muscle are a primary endpoint because they correlate with functional measures. However, our pilot data with described splicing changes does not clearly correlate with the adult clinical phenotype.

This study is designed to establish valid and reliable clinical outcome assessments for children with congenital and childhood myotonic dystrophy, and to develop biomarkers for the condition.

This study will enroll up to 200 children with CDM and ChDM at participating sites. No treatment will be administered as part of this study. Patients will receive standard of care as determined by their treating physician. Study visits will occur at Baseline, Month 12, and Month 24.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

200

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 Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will enroll up to 200 children with CDM and ChDM.

Description

Inclusion Criteria (Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Group):

  • Age 5-17 years, 11 months at enrollment. Lower age limit not applicable for participants who have completed ASPIRE-DM1 protocol. Upper age limit not applicable for participants who previously participated in TREAT-01-001 (TREAT-CDM) study
  • A diagnosis of CDM, defined as: children having symptoms of myotonic dystrophy in the newborn period (<30 days), such as hypotonia, feeding or respiratory difficulty, requiring hospitalization to a ward or to the neonatal intensive care unit for more than 72 hours; and a genetic test confirming an expanded trinucleotide (CTG) repeat in the DMPK gene in the child or mother. An expanded CTG repeat size in the child is considered greater than 200 repeats or E1-E4 classification (E1= 200-500, E2=500-1,000, E3=1,000-1,500, E4>1,500).
  • Written, voluntary informed consent must be obtained before any study related procedures are conducted.

Inclusion Criteria (Childhood Myotonic Dystrophy Group):

  • Age 3-17 years, 11 months at enrollment. Upper age limit not applicable for participants who previously participated in TREAT-01-001 (TREAT-CDM) study.
  • A diagnosis of ChDM, defined as: children having cognitive deficits, muscle weakness, myotonia that developed after age 1 and prior to age 10 and a genetic test confirming an expanded trinucleotide (CTG) repeat in the DMPK gene in the child or mother. An expanded CTG repeat size in the child is considered greater than 200 repeats or E1-E4 classification (E1= 200-500, E2=500-1,000, E3=1,000-1,500, E4>1,500).
  • Written, voluntary informed consent must be obtained before any study related procedures are conducted.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any other non-DM1 illness that would interfere with the ability to undergo safe testing or would affect the interpretation of the results, in the opinion of the site investigator
  • Significant trauma within the past month
  • Internal metal or devices (exclusion for DEXA component)
  • Use of anticoagulants, such as warfarin or a direct oral anticoagulant (e.g., dabigatran) due to the increased risk of bleeding with biopsy
  • Platelet count <50,000
  • History of a bleeding disorder
  • Participation in a clinical trial involving an investigational product
  • History of adverse reaction to lidocaine (if participating in muscle biopsy)

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM)
Children with congenital myotonic dystrophy. No intervention will be administered to either group.
Childhood Myotonic Dystrophy
Children with childhood myotonic dystrophy. No intervention will be administered to either group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in ambulation over 24 months as measured by the 10-Meter Walk/Run Test (10M WRT)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The participant will be timed walking or running along a 10-meter course. It is scored by recording the total time taken to ambulate 6 meters (m) is recorded to the nearest hundredth of a second. 6 m is then divided by the total time (in seconds) taken to ambulate and recorded in m/s.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Change in mobility (100-meter timed test)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Mobility will be measured using the 100 Meter Timed Test (100m) in which the participant is asked to complete 2 laps around 2 cones set 25 meters apart as quickly as safely possible, running if able. The total time in seconds is recorded from when the participant starts walking until they break the plane of the 100 meter mark (i.e., when any part of the body passes the 100 meter mark).
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Change in Time to Stand (SUPINE TO STAND test)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Participant will be timed transitioning from a supine position to standing. The participant will complete one trial of this test. The test measures the participant's ability to quickly rise from a supine position on the floor with arms at their sides, to full upright posture with arms at their sides. This should be performed without external support from another person, a device, or furniture. Results will be reported in seconds.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Change in Gross Motor Function (GMFM-88)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) is an assessment tool originally designed and evaluated to measure changes in gross motor function over time or with intervention in children with cerebral palsy. The GMFM assesses functional abilities including; lying/rolling, sitting, crawling/kneeling, standing, and walking/running/jumping. A four-point ordinal scale of measurement is used to assess each item, higher scores denote better performance. A score of 4 on an item indicates a consistently normal response, a score > 4 indicates persistent hypertonus, and a score < 4 indicates various degrees of hypotonus.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Change in Handheld Dynamometry and Grip HAND-HELD DYNAMOMETRY (HHD)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Maximum hand and grip strength will be assessed using a myometer. The participant will be asked to squeeze a handheld tool. When performing a hand-held dynamometry (HHD) test, you generally want a high score as it indicates greater muscle strength in the tested area; a higher number signifies a stronger muscle contraction.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
9-HOLE PEGBOARD TEST (9HPT)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) is a standardized, quantitative assessment used to measure finger dexterity. Test is measured in seconds.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
VIDEO HAND OPENING TIME (vHOT)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
. The participant will squeeze the hand for three seconds then open the hand as quickly as possible. A video recording of the procedure will be obtained showing the forearm and hand but not the face. Recordings will later be assessed by a blinded reviewer to determine the hand opening time. The time is recorded in seconds.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
IOWA PERFORMANCE INSTRUMENT (IOPI)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The IOPI consists of a pressure bulb attached to a manometer. The pressure bulb will be placed on the participant's tongue. Participants are asked to push the bulb against the hard palate on the alveolar ridge just behind the upper central incisors for 3-5 seconds. This test should be repeated 3 times with a 30-second interval between trials. The maximum pressure is recorded.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
CLINICAL EVALUATION OF LANGUAGE FUNDAMENTALS, 5th edition (CELF-5)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The mean score is 100, with a standard deviation of 15, meaning that standard scores between 85-115 are within the normal range. You can calculate the level of severity for delayed skills according to how many deviations below the mean a client's score is: Mild: 70-85, Moderate 55-70 , Severe: 55 and lower.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
TIMED WATER SWALLOW TEST (TWST)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Participants will be given 3 ounces (90 mL) of water to drink from a clear cup. Safety of completing this test will be determined by the site PI with input from the parents/caregivers. Participants will be asked to drink the water as they normally would, without interruption. Straws may be used, if that is preferred. Participants will be asked to say aloud "I'm done" when they feel they've completed the task with a written cue provided as a reminder.26,27 Testing will be recorded for later quantification of time needed for test, volume ingested, volume/swallow, time/swallow, and swallow capacity (mL/swallow).
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
DOMAIN DELTA QUESTIONNAIRE
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
A "domain delta questionnaire" is a patient-reported questionnaire used in clinical research to assess how much a patient perceives their health status has changed across specific domains (like mobility, overall health, or upper limb function) between two points in time, essentially asking them if they feel they have gotten better, worse, or stayed the same in each area compared to a baseline measurement; it's a way to measure perceived change in health related quality of life over time.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
INTELLIGIBILITY IN CONTEXT SCALE (ICS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The ICS is a brief, 7-question, caregiver proxy instrument that rates relative intelligibility of a child with a variety of familiar and unfamiliar communication partners. It uses a 5-point Likert scale to rate the approximate level of intelligibility. ICS scores indicate a child's level of functional intelligibility, ranging from a score of 1.00 (low intelligibility) to a score of 5.00 (high intelligibility). If a child achieves an average score of 3.5, then it may be appropriate to indicate that the child is usually to sometimes understood.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
PEDIATRIC QUALITY OF LIFE (PEDS QL) - GENERIC CORE SCALES
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The PedsQL evaluates a child's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with respect to social, emotional, physical, and school functioning. he PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales consist of four scales measuring HRQoL in four domains: Physical, Emotional, Social, and School functioning. Scores of 81 or higher on the PedsQL™ SCD pain scales should be considered good HRQL functioning. These children likely have had less pain that was less severe than children with lower scores and/or are managing their symptoms well.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
PEDIATRIC DAYTIME SLEEPINESS SCALE (PDSS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
SS is an 8-item scale that assesses daytime sleepiness in children as a PRO that has been used in sleep disordered breathing and epilepsy studies. 5 points Likert scale (0-4) for 8 questions concerning to sleepiness. Higher scores on PDSS were associated with reduced total sleep time, poorer school achievement, poorer anger control, and frequent illness.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
BEHAVIOR RATING INVENTORY OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION -2 (BRIEF2)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The BRIEF2 gives you the information you need to help children and adolescents with executive dysfunction. It digs deeper than similar measures and pinpoints exactly where and why children struggle, so therapists and schools can make informed and impactful intervention and accommodation recommendations. For all BRIEF2 clinical scales and indexes, T scores from 60 to 64 are considered mildly elevated, and T scores from 65 to 69 are considered potentially clinically elevated. T scores at or above 70 are considered clinically elevated.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
VINELAND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR SCALES THIRD EDITION (VINELAND-3)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales 3rd Edition is a leading instrument for diagnosing intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing valuable information for educational and treatment plans. Higher Internalizing and Externalizing v-scale scores indicate more problem behavior. If qualitative descriptors are desired, scores of 1 to 17 may be considered Average, 18 to 20 Elevated, and 21 to 24 Clinically Significant.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN (WISC-V)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) is an intelligence test that measures a child's intellectual ability and 5 cognitive domains that impact performance. Low Average: 80-89. Students who test in this range may struggle to keep up in school, but are not generally eligible for special education or assistance. Average: 90-109. Students who test in this range are average and may or may not struggle to keep up in school.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
AUTISM SPECTRUM SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE (ASSQ)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
Results consist of a total score between 0 and 54, where higher scores indicate that many characteristics of ASD were reported. A score of 13 and above indicates ASD is probable, with a true positive rate of 90% and a false positive rate of 22%.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR SCALE - REVISED (RBS-R)
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits
The RBS-R is a questionnaire that focuses exclusively on RRBs. It includes 43 items rated on a four-point Likert scale: 0=behavior does not occur; 1=behavior occurs and is a mild problem; 2=behavior occurs and is a moderate problem; and 3=behavior occurs and is a severe problem.
Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 visits

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Virginia Commonwealth University

Collaborators

University of California, San Diego
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
University of Kansas Medical Center
University of Minnesota
University of Glasgow
Roseman University of Health Sciences
SUNY Research Foundation

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Nicholas Johnson, MD, MSCI, FAAN, Virginia Commonwealth University

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

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)

June 6, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 13, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 20, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

December 24, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 30, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 28, 2025

Last Verified

July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TREAT-01-002
  • R01NS104010-07A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Aggregated and deidentified data will be shared with qualified investigators upon majority approval of the DMCRN investigators.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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