Acamprosate in C9orf72 Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansion Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ACALS)
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disorder that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, and loss of movement. The symptoms grow worse over time. Half of all people with ALS live only 3 to 5 years after diagnosis. Current drug treatments can slow the progress of the disease, but they cannot stop or reverse it.
Objective: To test a study drug (acamprosate) in people with ALS with a mutation in the C9orf72 gene.
Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older with ALS. They must have a mutation in the C9orf72 gene.
Design: Participants will have 13 visits over 32 weeks. Five visits will be at the clinic, and 8 visits will be by phone. Participants will have a baseline visit of up to 3 days. They will have a physical exam with blood tests. They will have imaging scans and tests of their breathing ability. Their memory, thinking, and behavior will be assessed. They will have a neurologic exam to check their reflexes, strength, balance, eyes, and coordination. They will complete questionnaires about their daily life. They will have a lumbar puncture to collect fluid from the area around the spinal cord. Acamprosate is a pill taken by mouth. Participants will take 2 pills by mouth 3 times a day with meals for 24 weeks. They will record their doses and any missed doses in a diary. Baseline tests will be repeated during follow-up clinic visits. These tests may be spread out over 3 days. During phone visits, participants will talk about how they are doing. They will review their diary with researchers.
‣ In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following inclusion criteria:
• Aged 18 years or older at the time of the screening visit.
• Able to provide informed consent and comply with study procedures and availability for the duration of the study. If a participant lacks capacity to give consent, a Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) will be authorized to give consent on behalf of the individual.
• Diagnosis of ALS (possible, probable, or definite according to the World Federation of Neurology El Escorial revised criteria or the Gold Coast Criteria) with or without mild cognitive impairment, mild behavioral impairment, or frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
• CLIA-certified genetic testing showing a pathogenic hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene.
• Symptom duration less than 2 years, or if greater than 2 years, disease progression at a rate that, in the judgement of the investigator, would allow for completion of the study.
• If taking riluzole, edaravone, or phenylbutyrate/TUDCA, the participant must be on a stable dose for at least 30 days prior to the screening visit, or have stopped taking riluzole, edaravone, or phenylbutyrate/TUDCA at least 30 days prior to the baseline visit.
• Participant must be competent to self-administer the medication as deemed by study team. Alternatively, participant must have a competent caregiver who can and will be responsible for administering the study drug. If there is no caregiver, another qualified individual must be available to administer the study drug.
• Participant has established care with a neurologist and will maintain this clinical care throughout the study.
• For females of reproductive potential: use of effective or highly effective contraception for at least one month prior to screening and agreement to use such a method during study participation and for an additional 8 weeks after the end of acamprosate administration. Participants of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at screening.
⁃ For males of reproductive potential: use of condoms or other methods to ensure effective contraception with partner.