Is [18F]-DPA-714 PET a Good Marker of Neuroinflammation in Autoimmune Encephalitis? (EAI-714)

May 6, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Toulouse
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of [18F]-DPA-714 PET imaging in detecting neuroimmune activity in patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE). The primary objective is to compare [18F]-DPA-714 binding in AE patients to healthy controls.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) constitutes a heterogeneous group of rare diseases affecting the central nervous system. They are distinguished by the presence of different antibody types and clinical manifestations. The diagnosis is inherently challenging due to the heterogeneity of symptoms, yet it is of paramount importance for the expeditious initiation of treatment. The current diagnostic criteria, established in 2016, define AIS as follows: possible, definite and seronegative. However, these criteria have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, the diagnostic tools that are typically employed to detect inflammatory abnormalities in the central nervous system (brain MRI and analysis of CSF) are frequently inadequate in this condition. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging targeting the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is emerging as a promising approach for the in vivo assessment of neuro-immune activity in EAI.

The objective of the proposed research project is to examine neuro-immune activity on PET imaging at the onset of EAI. The procedure involves a 60-minute dynamic PET scan immediately after [18F]-DPA-714 injection. Patients will undergo clinical evaluation, MRI, and lumbar puncture as part of their standard care. Follow-up will include analysis of PET images, comparison with healthy controls, and comparison between PET results and conventional biomarkers (MRI, CSF analysis).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

40

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • France
      • Toulouse, France
        • Recruiting
        • University Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Marie rafiq, MD

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-80 years;
  • meeting clinical criteria for "possible" AE with identified antibodies;
  • newly diagnosed with symptoms <6 months;
  • no second-line immunosuppressive treatment;
  • high or mixed TSPO binding affinity phenotype.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women;
  • contraindications to MRI;
  • known allergic reaction to [18F]-DPA-714; legal protection measure;
  • paraneoplastic syndrome following immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

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: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: patients with Autoimmune encephalitis
Other: TEP with radioligand EAI 714
60-minutes [18F]-DPA-714 PET imaging
Experimental: control
Other: TEP with radioligand EAI 714
60-minutes [18F]-DPA-714 PET imaging

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
binding potential (BP) in AE patients
Time Frame: Baseline
Whole-brain [18F]-DPA-714 binding potential (BP) in AE patients compared to healthy controls.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University Hospital, Toulouse

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)

March 31, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 10, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 18, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 6, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • RC31/24/0569
  • 2025-522768-33-00 (Ctis)

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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