6 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The study is designed as a Pilot/Phase 1 trial of reduced intensity Haploidentical HSCT in patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia. The purpose of the study is to assess the safety and toxicity of reduced intensity conditioning haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder. The disease affects the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen; this in turn can injure organs including the heart, lungs, and kidneys. SCD can lead to serious illness and death. Treatments such as bone marrow transplants and gene therapies can cure SCD, but they are not widely available. Current drug treatments for SCD are not always effective. This natural history study will examine how a study drug (mitapivat) affects red blood cells in people with SCD. Objective: To learn how mitapivat affects red blood cells in people with SCD. Eligibility: People with SCD who are enrolled in the parent study, NIH protocol IRB001565-H. Design: Procedures for this study will be done during visits already scheduled for the parent study. Participants will have additional blood drawn during study visits. The additional amount will be about 3.5 teaspoons. Participants will undergo a test called near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) up to 9 times. Probes will be placed on their skin. A blood pressure cuff will be placed on their arm. The cuff will be filled with air for up to 5 minutes and then released. Participants may be asked to breathe at a certain rate or to hold their breath during these measurements. NIRS measures oxygen levels, blood flow, and the makeup of skin and muscle. Researchers will draw additional information for this study from participants medical records.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a rare disease occurring in an estimated 100,000 individuals, often poor and underserved, in the US. Silent and overt strokes contribute significantly to morbidity in adults with SCD, resulting in functional impairment, challenges with school and job performance, and premature death. Five NIH-funded randomized controlled trials have identified therapies to prevent silent and overt strokes in children with SCD, including monthly blood transfusion therapy (for preventing initial and recurrent strokes) and hydroxyurea (for preventing initial strokes). Despite the observation that at least 99% of children with SCD in high-income countries reach adulthood, and approximately 60% of adults will experience one or more strokes (\~50% with silent strokes and \~10% with overt strokes), no stroke trials have established therapeutic approaches for adults with SCD. For adults with SCD, inadequate evidence-based guidelines exist for secondary stroke prevention strategies. Applying stroke prevention strategies in children may not be effective for stroke prevention in adults with SCD, particularly given the high rate of co-morbidities. Identifying subgroups of adults with SCD and higher incidence coupled with the contribution of established stroke risk factors in the general population (smoking, diabetes, obesity, renal disease) will provide the requisite data required for the first-ever phase III clinical trials focused on secondary stroke prevention in adults.
The primary goal of the study is to determine the safety and tolerability of ambrisentan. It is also expected that ambrisentan will improve blood flow in the lungs, decrease inflammation, and reduce pain in sickle cell patients. An additional goal is to evaluate the use of select biomarkers in evaluating sickle nephropathy.
The goal of this clinical research study is to find out about the safety and effects of a drug called panobinostat when given to adults with sickle cell disease. Panobinostat is a pan histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. HDAC inhibitors have been shown to significantly increase hemoglobin F induction, which is well documented to improve outcomes in sickle cell disease. HDAC inhibitors are also known to potently inhibit cell-specific inflammation, which is a primary contributor to the debilitating effects of sickle cell disease. Given the relevance of these mechanisms of action in SCD, panobinostat may prove to contribute significantly to the management of SCD patients, a population in critical need of further effective treatment options.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common genetic disorder characterized by episodes of pain, yet programs to assist SCD adolescents with better identification and communication about pain are lacking. Research shows that interactive gaming technology can enhance adolescents' learning, and can be especially effective in delivering health-related messages and tools to improve self-care. Pinpoint is an interactive gaming app that will be tested in a Phase II project to determine whether the app assists SCD teens with improving their communication and identification skills for pain self-report.