Effect of Insulin Sensitizer Metformin on AD Biomarkers

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions. It is the most common cause of dementia in older adults, affecting approximately 18 million people worldwide, including almost 500,000 in the Philadelphia tri-state area. After age 65, the incidence of AD rises exponentially, doubling every five years. By age 85, almost half of us will have AD. In 2030, as many as 7.7 million Americans could have AD, and by 2050 this number could rise to 11-16 million people. The annual cost of AD in the United States is about $200 billion. AD-related medical complications are among the most common causes of death in the elderly population. Despite these alarming statistics, a "cure" for AD may not be essential since delaying the onset of AD by just 5 years could have a profound impact on this disorder by reducing the incidence and cost of AD by 50% between now and 2050. AD is difficult to recognize in its earliest stages, in which the principal complaint is typically an increase in episodes of forgetfulness. This stage is now commonly referred to as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Neuroimaging and CSF biomarkers have demonstrated good accuracy in predicting which MCI patients later "convert" to AD and which tend to remain stable or revert to more normal cognition. The diagnosis of AD itself is made when increased loss of memory and other cognitive abilities (eg, language, praxis, and executive function) affect daily functioning. As the symptoms of dementia inevitably worsen, patients may become incapable of even basic activities such as feeding and dressing themselves. The disease course often spans more than a decade, creating a vast social and financial burden on society and extracting an immeasurable emotional toll on family members. Clinical and preclinical evidence is accumulating that brain insulin resistance may play a role in the pathogenesis and/or progression of Alzheimer's disease and that ameliorating insulin action in the brain may benefit cognition symptomatically and modify disease pathology.
ConditionAlzheimer's Disease
Vascular Dementia
Dementia
Memory Impairment
InterventionDrug: Metformin
PhasePhase 2
SponsorUniversity of Pennsylvania
Responsible PartyUniversity of Pennsylvania
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01965756
First ReceivedOctober 16, 2013
Last UpdatedOctober 16, 2013
Last verifiedAugust 2012

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateOctober 16, 2013
Last Updated DateOctober 16, 2013
Start DateJanuary 2013
Estimated Primary Completion DateDecember 2016
Current Primary Outcome MeasuresCognitive Biomarker Outcomes [Time Frame: 8 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: No]Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale- Cognitive Sub scale (ADAS-COG)
Current Secondary Outcome MeasuresNeurophysiological Biomarker Outcome [Time Frame: 8 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: No]Cogstate Computerized Psychometric Battery Dementia Severity Rating Scale

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleEffect of Insulin Sensitizer Metformin on AD Biomarkers
Official TitleA Phase II Trial to Study the Effect of Metformin on AD Biomarkers: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Crossover Pilot Study of Metformin Effects on Cognitive, Physiological and Biochemical Biomarkers of MCI and Dementia Due to AD
Brief Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss
of memory and other cognitive functions. It is the most common cause of dementia in older
adults, affecting approximately 18 million people worldwide, including almost 500,000 in the
Philadelphia tri-state area. After age 65, the incidence of AD rises exponentially, doubling
every five years. By age 85, almost half of us will have AD. In 2030, as many as 7.7 million
Americans could have AD, and by 2050 this number could rise to 11-16 million people. The
annual cost of AD in the United States is about $200 billion. AD-related medical
complications are among the most common causes of death in the elderly population. Despite
these alarming statistics, a "cure" for AD may not be essential since delaying the onset of
AD by just 5 years could have a profound impact on this disorder by reducing the incidence
and cost of AD by 50% between now and 2050.

AD is difficult to recognize in its earliest stages, in which the principal complaint is
typically an increase in episodes of forgetfulness. This stage is now commonly referred to
as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Neuroimaging and CSF biomarkers have demonstrated good
accuracy in predicting which MCI patients later "convert" to AD and which tend to remain
stable or revert to more normal cognition. The diagnosis of AD itself is made when increased
loss of memory and other cognitive abilities (eg, language, praxis, and executive function)
affect daily functioning. As the symptoms of dementia inevitably worsen, patients may become
incapable of even basic activities such as feeding and dressing themselves. The disease
course often spans more than a decade, creating a vast social and financial burden on
society and extracting an immeasurable emotional toll on family members.

Clinical and preclinical evidence is accumulating that brain insulin resistance may play a
role in the pathogenesis and/or progression of Alzheimer's disease and that ameliorating
insulin action in the brain may benefit cognition symptomatically and modify disease
pathology.
Detailed DescriptionNot Provided
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhasePhase 2
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment
Condition
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Vascular Dementia
  • Dementia
  • Memory Impairment
InterventionDrug: Metformin
Study Arm (s)
  • Active Comparator: Metformin
    dosage will change during the course of the study. Baseline - 500 mg 1 daily Week 1 - 1000mg 1 2x daily Week 3 - 1500mg 2 daily Week 4 - 2000mg 1 2x daily
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo
    This is a pilot study using a standard 2X2 randomized, placebo controlled crossover clinical trial to determine the effects of metformin on cognitive, neurophysiological and biochemical biomarkers of AD.

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusRecruiting
Estimated Enrollment30
Estimated Completion DateDecember 2016
Estimated Primary Completion DateDecember 2015
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- • Ages 55-80.

- 2 Sex distribution: male and female

- Diagnosis of MCI due to AD127 or early dementia due to AD128 with: a) age 55 -
80, b) complaint of cognitive decline, c) abnormal performance on the Logical
Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale, d) MMSE > 21, e) CDR 0.5-1, f)
positive topographic (MRI, FDG-PET) or molecular (CSF, amyloid imaging)
biomarker consistent with AD, and g) no history of diabetes or other exclusions.

- Fluent in English or Spanish

- Education >5, literate, and/or good working history that precludes consideration
of mental retardation

- Visual and auditory acuity sufficient for neuropsychological testing and
auditory evoked potential EEG

- Geriatric Depression Scale < 6

- Modified Hachinski Ischemic Score < 4

- No major health issues or diseases expected to interfere with the study

- Willing to complete all baseline assessments and study procedures

- Stable on all permitted medications for 8 weeks

- Not pregnant, lactating or of child-bearing potential (women must be >2 years
post-menopausal or surgically sterile)

- No history of diabetes

- Fasting blood glucose <126 and/or HgbA1c < 6.4

- Study partner with frequent contact with patient willing to accompany patient to
visits and complete partner study forms

- No contraindication to metformin

Exclusion Criteria:

- • Any CNS disease other than suspected incipient AD, such as clinical stroke, brain
tumor, normal pressure hydrocephalus, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, significant
head trauma with persistent neurological of cognitive deficits or complaints,
Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, or other neurodegenerative diseases

- Screening/baseline MRI scans with evidence of infarction or other focal lesions
in critical memory structures that may be related to cognitive dysfunction

- Major active psychiatric illness (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive
compulsive disorder, schizophrenia) within the previous year

- History of alcohol or other substance abuse or dependence within the past two
years

- Pacemakers, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, ear implants, metal
fragments or foreign objects in the eyes, skin or body or claustrophobia that
would preclude MRI scanning

- History of past or current diabetes, pancreatic or liver disease, renal disease

- Any significant systemic illness or unstable medical condition that could affect
compliance with study

- Laboratory abnormalities in B12, TFTs, RPR, Lyme or other common lab parameters
that might contribute to cognition or participation in study

- Coagulopathy or anti-coagulant therapy (such as coumadin) increasing the risk
for LP resulting in PT/PTT and INR within 1.5 standard deviations over the upper
normal limit.

- Compromised renal function at screening as determined by creatinine clearance
<30mL/min based on Cockcroft-Gault calculation

- Liver dysfunction at screening as evidenced by alanine transaminase (ALT/SGPT)
values > 2X upper limit of normal or aspartate transaminase (AST/SGOT) values >
3X or total bilirubin > 2X.

- Has received acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and/or memantine and/or any other
medicine that affects the central nervous system for less than 4 months or has
less than 2 months stable therapy on these treatments by baseline visit.

- Current use of specified medications with psychoactive properties that
deleteriously affect cognition (e.g., certain antidepressants, anticholinergics,
anti-histamines, antipsychotics, sedative hypnotics, anxiolytics)

- Use of investigational agents one month prior to entry and for the duration of
the trial

- Exceptions to these guidelines may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the
discretion of the protocol director.
GenderBoth
Ages55 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsContact: Martha Combs, MA
215-615-3084
martha.combs@uphs.upenn.edu
Location CountriesUnited States

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT01965756
Other Study ID NumbersUPenn-AHAF_A2012116
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeYes
Information Provided ByUniversity of Pennsylvania
Study SponsorUniversity of Pennsylvania
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Principal Investigator: Steven E Arnold, MD University of Pennsylvania
Verification DateAugust 2012

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

University of Pennsylvania, Penn Memory Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
Contact: Patricai Martinez | 215-746-2557 | patricia.martinez@uphs.upenn.edu
Principal Investigator: Steven E Arnold, MD
Recruiting