tSCS and 5-Azacitidine for Enhanced Motor Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy

Advancing Neurorehabilitation: Evaluating Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation and 5-Azacitidine for Enhanced Motor Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy

This is an intervention study to investigate the impact of spinal stimulation on mobility outcomes in children with Cerebral Palsy. Participants will complete a 16-week training program with weekly sessions of spinal stimulation and walking or activity-based training. Participants will also have the option to participate in a randomized control trial to investigate the impact of 5-Azacitidine combined with the spinal stimulation to further affect mobility outcomes.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Cerebral Palsy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: tSCS; Other: Functional Activity Training; Drug: 5-Azacitidine; Drug: Mannitol

Detailed Description

This project will investigate the impact of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) on gait and activity-based training in children with Cerebral Palsy. Through a 1:1 randomization, a subset of participants will also receive a dose of 5-azacitidine (AZA), an FDA-approved drug for pediatric oncology, or a placebo. Research in muscle fibers as shown that AZA aids in muscle growth and regeneration. The use of AZA in this study is an off-label application, employed together with the tSCS intervention to investigate the impact of targeting both muscular and mechanical deficits related to CP. This project will also collect blood samples of participants to perform genetic and epigenetic profiling in order to test for correlation with the severity and trajectory of musculoskeletal impairments and with responses to the tSCS and AZA interventions.

The study team hypothesizes that personalized tSCS combined with targeted gait or activity based training will improve motor outcomes in children with spastic CP by reducing muscle tone, improving gait symmetry and neuromotor function, and increasing functional mobility. Furthermore, the addition of a repurposed anabolic agent (AZA) will augment these gains compared to tSCS and training alone.

Children with CP across GMFCS levels will participate in a three-phase protocol, including: (1) a two week baseline phase, (2) a sixteen week intervention phase during which participants will receive tSCS and training interventions, and (3) a four-week post-intervention phase to examine long term outcomes. At the midpoint, participants will receive a single dose of AZA or a single dose of a placebo through a 1:1 randomization. Participants will have a blood draw in phase 1 for genetic and pre-intervention epigenetic profiling and will have a second blood draw in phase 3 for post-intervention epigenetic profiling.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Audrey Wiesner, BS; Phone Number: 3122388435; Email: awiesner@sralab.org
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Jacklyn Stoller, PT, DPT; Phone Number: 3122387620; Email: jstoller@sralab.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Recruiting
      • Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
      • Principal Investigator: Arun Jayaraman, PhD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Levels I-V.
• Between 4 and 17 years old at the time of enrollment/consent.
• Diagnosis of spastic CP hemiplegia, diplegia, or quadriplegia.
• Stable medical condition as determined by the investigator.
• Adequate caregiver support to be able to participate in training and assessment sessions for the duration of the study, at the discretion of the Investigator.
• Capable of performing simple cued motor tasks and can follow 2-3 step commands.
• Capable of communicating an accurate yes or no answer to questions according to parent or guardian.
• Able to localize pain/ discomfort.
• Physician approval for participation.
• Parent/ guardian permission.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Concurrent neurological disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Cardiovascular or musculoskeletal disease or injury that would prevent full participation in physical therapy intervention
• Orthopedic dysfunction, injury, or surgery that would impact an individual's ability to use the upper and/or lower extremity
• Unhealed fracture or other musculoskeletal impairment that might interfere with upper or lower extremity rehabilitation or testing activities
• Implanted stimulator (e.g., epidural stimulator, vagus nerve stimulator, pacemaker, cochlear implant) or drug delivery device (e.g., baclofen pump)
• Dependence on an electro-magnetic medical implant (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, implanted drug pump), ventilation support, or another external device.
• History of uncontrolled seizures
• Unexplained presence of persistent complaints of pain of any kind
• Unable to localize pain/discomfort
• Severe cortico-visual impairment
• Active pressure sores
• Active urinary tract infection
• Active cancer or cancer in remission less than 5 years
• Clinically significant depression, psychiatric disorders, or ongoing drug abuse
• Immunodeficiency or hematologic condition
• Allergy to AZA or mannitol
• Plans to receive a vaccine within 30 days of the planned AZA or placebo injection to take place at week 10
• Pregnancy
• Orthopedic surgery completed in the prior 12 months
• Intrathecal medication titration that may affect muscle spasticity
• Botulinum toxin treatment within 3 months preceding enrollment unless given approval by the treating physician
• Current enrollment in a conflicting research study
• Any other health condition or diagnosis not listed above that may put the participant at risk as determined by the investigator or treating physician

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: tSCS + Functional Activity Training; Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation will be paired with training based on Aim. Participants in Aim 1(GMFCS levels 1-3) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of treadmill and overground gait training using tSCS. Participants in Aim 2(GMFCS levels 4-5) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of functional activity based training as appropriate.	Other: tSCS; Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation and activity based training. Stimulation intensity will be based on involuntary motor threshold, determined during a MEPs assessment.; Other Names: Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation; Other: Functional Activity Training; All participants will engage in functional activity training based on Aim. Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation (tSCS) and activity based training. Participants in Aim 1 will complete gait training. Participants in Aim 2 will complete activity-based training.
Experimental: tSCS + Functional Activity Training + 5-Azacitidine; Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation will be paired with training based on Aim. Participants in Aim 1(GMFCS levels 1-3) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of treadmill and overground gait training using tSCS. Participants in Aim 2(GMFCS levels 4-5) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of functional activity based training as appropriate. A subset of opt-in participants will also be randomized to receive either 5-Azacitidine (VIDAZA) or placebo (Mannitol) at midpoint. A registered nurse will deliver a single subcutaneous injection of either AZA or placebo at a dose of 75 mg/m² to the participants lower abdomen or medial thigh.	Other: tSCS; Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation and activity based training. Stimulation intensity will be based on involuntary motor threshold, determined during a MEPs assessment.; Other Names: Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation; Other: Functional Activity Training; All participants will engage in functional activity training based on Aim. Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation (tSCS) and activity based training. Participants in Aim 1 will complete gait training. Participants in Aim 2 will complete activity-based training.; Drug: 5-Azacitidine; A subset of opt-in participants will receive a single subcutaneous injection of 5-Azacitidine at a dose of 75 mg/m²; Other Names: VIDAZA
Active Comparator: tSCS + Functional Activity Training + Mannitol (Placebo); Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation will be paired with training based on Aim. Participants in Aim 1(GMFCS levels 1-3) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of treadmill and overground gait training using tSCS. Participants in Aim 2(GMFCS levels 4-5) will engage in three sessions a week for 16 weeks of functional activity based training as appropriate. A subset of opt-in participants will also be randomized to receive either 5-Azacitidine (VIDAZA) or placebo (Mannitol) at midpoint. A registered nurse will deliver a single subcutaneous injection of either AZA or placebo at a dose of 75 mg/m² to the participants lower abdomen or medial thigh.	Other: tSCS; Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation and activity based training. Stimulation intensity will be based on involuntary motor threshold, determined during a MEPs assessment.; Other Names: Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation; Other: Functional Activity Training; All participants will engage in functional activity training based on Aim. Participants will participate in three 45 minute sessions per week for a total of 16 weeks involving transcutaneous spinal stimulation (tSCS) and activity based training. Participants in Aim 1 will complete gait training. Participants in Aim 2 will complete activity-based training.; Drug: Mannitol; A subset of opt-in participants will receive a single subcutaneous injection of Mannitol (placebo) at a dose of 75 mg/m².; Other Names: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Spatiotemporal Gait Symmetry via Instrumented Gait-Mat	For Aim 1 participants (GMFCS levels 1-3), an instrumented gait-mat will be used to assess spatiotemporal gait symmetry.	Baseline to Follow-Up, approximately 22 weeks
Modified Tardieu Scale	For Aim 2 participants (GMFCS levels 4-5), muscle spasticity will be assessed using the Modified Tardieu Scale.	Baseline to Follow-Up, approximately 22 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Arun Jayaraman, PhD, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 28, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 28, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pediatric; Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Brain Damage, Chronic; Cerebral Palsy; Organic Chemicals; Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides; Carbohydrates; Cytidine; Pyrimidine Nucleosides; Pyrimidines; Alcohols; Aza Compounds; Nucleosides; Ribonucleosides; Sugar Alcohols; Azacitidine; Mannitol
• Other Study ID Numbers: STU00225218

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