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Are you a researcher who needs help with recruiting?
From time to time, local researchers seek subjects for their MS studies. When these opportunities arise, the Chapter makes this information available to you. See below for the most current local opportunities. Are you a person with MS who may be interested in participating in a clinical trial? Local Clinical Trials Recruiting PatientsTo participate in some of these studies, you may have to reside near the facility, as treatment and follow-up visits will be necessary throughout the course of the study. Also, please keep in mind that clinical trials often have strict criteria for enrollment, specifying the type of people (disease type, duration, age, etc.) they are seeking to participate. These help to ensure that the results will be as reliable and as effective as possible. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial we encourage you to discuss the possibility with your personal physicians.
Phase II/III Study of RPC1063 Administered Orally to Relapsing MS Patients
Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a potential new oral treatment for relapsing-remitting MS Compensation: Participants will be compensated for travel time. Validation of the Fatigue Symptom and Impacts Questionnaire -- Relapsing MS
Purpose: To devise a new fatigue scale to be used in clinical trials; no medication is involved. Compensation: Participants will be compensated for travel time. Differential Hippocampal Vulnerability as a Mechanism for Major Depression in MS
Methodology: We will recruit and study a total of 120 individuals over a three year period. There will be four groups, each with 30 subjects: major depressive disorder (MDD) alone, MS alone, MS+MDD, and health controls. The study includes three visits and subjects will undergo the following procedures: medical screening (medical history, neurological exam, and questionnaire), cognitive/neuropsychological testing, MRI scanning and provide saliva samples.
No drugs or intervention are used in this study. Exercise as a strategy to improve cognitive dysfunction in persons with MS Also informally known as “CogEx”Study
Multiple Sclerosis in the Hispanic Population
Methodology: We will recruit 300 individuals of Hispanic/Latino background. Participants will be asked about their ancestry and clinical characteristics via in-person questionnaire. A single blood sample for gene typing will also be obtained and sent for analysis. Participation is usually a single visit. This is an observational study. NO drugs or interventions are used in this study. Compensation: Study is voluntary and parking will be waived. Call for details. A Phase II Randomized, Double Blind, Parallel Group, Placebo Controlled, Multi-center Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Abatacept in Adults with Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis Short Title: Abatacept in Adults with RRMS
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to find out if the experimental drug, Abatacept can help improve RRMS as shown by better MRI results in subjects treated with Abatacept. Another purpose of the study is to find out if Abatacept is safe to use in subjects with RRMS. This study uses Abatacept and a placebo. Methodology: This study is “double blinded”. That means neither the subject nor the research staff, including the study doctor, will know what treatment subjects are receiving. Subjects will be randomized at a 2:1 ratio to either the experimental treatment group or the placebo group. All subjects will undergo the following procedures throughout the study; medical history, demographics, physical exam, vital signs, review of current medications, chest X-ray, EKG, blood tests for HIV and hepatitis, skin tests for tuberculosis and Candida, blood test for pregnancy, other screening blood tests, urine test, neurological exam (EDSS) , neurological test (MSFC), brain MRI. Note that a 4 week washout period will be required prior to screening for subjects who are currently receiving systemic steroids, interferon, copaxone, mycophenolate or other immunosuppressive medications. Subjects should not stop current therapy until they have discussed participation and eligibility with the study doctor. The study has two (2) study periods lasting a total of about 64 weeks (16 months). Core Period: Subjects in the Abatacept group will receive IV on weeks 0, 2, and 4, and every 4 weeks thereafter, for a total of 24 weeks. Subjects in the control group will receive placebo on weeks 0, 2, and 4, and every 4 weeks thereafter, for a total of 24 weeks. If subjects have to stop taking study medication during this period, they will be asked to continue all study visits for the core period so that the study can collect data about the subject and their condition. Extension Period: Beginning at week 28, subjects in the control group will be switched to Abatacept IV on weeks 28, 30, and 32, and every 4 weeks until week 52. Beginning on week 28, subjects in the Abatacept group will be switched to placebo until week 52. Subjects in both groups will have an extra 12 weeks of observation until week 64. There will be a total of 19 visits for the core and extension period. The study will last 64 weeks. Compensation: Parking validations will be available for completed visits. No other compensation is available for participation, loss of wages and travel. This study is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (a part of the National Institutes of Health) and the non-profit Immune Tolerance Network. Do you need help recruiting participants for an MS research study? The Southern California & Nevada Chapter may be able to assist PhD and/or MD-level researchers recruit people with MS and/or family members for appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research/clinical trial studies. If you are the primary investigator and would like the chapter’s assistance to recruit participants for your MS research, please submit a letter of request to the chapter. Please include the following information:
Once approved, research recruitment will be posted at the chapter website and in the chapter newsletter as space allows. Targeted mailings to chapter members for the purpose of recruiting study participants will be considered only if staff resources are available and funding for the mailing is provided. The chapter does not assist in the recruitment of participants for market research studies. The chapter reserves the right to decline participation in the recruitment process for any research study for any reason.
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