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Exenatide Once-weekly as a Treatment for Multiple System Atrophy

An Open Label, Single Site, 48 Week, Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Exenatide Once-weekly in the Treatment of Patients With Multiple System Atrophy

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04431713
Acronym
MSA
Enrollment
50
Registered
2020-06-16
Start date
2020-09-16
Completion date
2024-03-22
Last updated
2025-06-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Multiple System Atrophy

Brief summary

Fifty patients with early stage Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) will be recruited and randomised to receive Exenatide injections, or to act as controls in this open label trial. For half of the patients, Exenatide will be given as a once weekly subcutaneous injection in addition to participant's regular medication. All patients will continue to receive standard of care treatment for MSA. Detailed assessments will be made of all patients at baseline and periodically for a total of 48 weeks. The primary endpoint will be the difference in total Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) score (Parts I and II) at 48 weeks comparing Exenatide treated to best medically treated patients (controls). Secondary measures will include adverse event reports, self-completed questionnaires, and blood test results. Aside from these assessments, all patients will continue any regular MSA medications throughout the trial with adjustments made only according to clinical need. Standard of care treatment for patients on non IMP arm will be dependant on the patients individual symptoms - there is no broad standard treatment for every patient.

Detailed description

Fifty patients with early stage MSA will be recruited and randomised to receive Exenatide injections, or to act as controls in this open label trial. Once a potential participant has been identified they will receive a patient information leaflet, and will be given a minimum of 24 hours to read this before being recruited on to the trial. Patients will need to be eligible for the trial by meeting the inclusion criteria. During pre-treatment there will be a screening visit and a baseline visit. Pre-treatment assessments will include: demographics, medical history, family history, any previous genetic tests recorded, previous drug compliance issues recorded, physical examination, neurological examination, 12-lead ECG, routine bloods (FBC, U&E, LFT, glucose, amylase, HbA1c, PT and APTT), height, weight, vital signs, serum or urine pregnancy tests (for women of childbearing potential), MoCA, BDI-II and Concomitant medications. Patients will then wear a sensor attached to their lower back for a week. They will then return for their baseline visit. At the baseline visit assessments will include: physical exam, neurological exam, lumbar puncture for CSF collection, serum collection, fasting blood tests, vital signs, UMSARS, COMPASS Select, COMPASS Change scale, timed motor tests, The Unified Dystonia Rating Scale, MoCA, BDI-II, Concomitant medication review and adverse event review. Participants will then be randomised to both control arm or trial drug arm and receive the according treatment. The baseline visit will also include a training session for self-administration of IMP. Patients randomised to receive the trial drug will receive 2mg Exenatide once a week for 48 weeks via subcutaneous injection. Follow up visits will be every 12 weeks and patients will be given a sufficient supply to last them till their next follow up appointment (can be stored in fridge at home). They will also be given a dosing diary to record the time and day of injection administration. Patients will continue to attend their normal neurology appointments as well as trial specific appointments. Patients will have a telephone call with the research nurse at week 4. Thereafter detailed assessments including Physical and Neurological exam, ECG's, Movement tests Including the Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (videotaped), concomitant medications review, adverse event review, and blood sampling at baseline and every 12 weeks for a total of 48 weeks. Each patient will also have a Lumbar Puncture at baseline and at their final visit. The primary endpoint will be the difference in total Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) score (Parts I and II) at 48 weeks comparing Exenatide to best medically treated patients. Secondary measures will include adverse event reports, self-completed questionnaires, and blood test results. Aside from these assessments, all patients will continue any regular MSA medications throughout the trial with adjustments made only according to clinical need.

Interventions

DRUGExenatide Pen Injector [Bydureon]

Exenatide is a treatment licensed for use in Type 2 diabetes.

Sponsors

University College, London
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
30 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Participants aged 30-80 years old with a diagnosis of Possible or Probable MSA of the parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P) or cerebellar subtype (MSA-C) according to The Gilman Criteria (Gilman et al. 2008). * Participants who are less than five years from the time of documented MSA diagnosis or from the time of documented parkinsonian / ataxic neurological condition that later turns out to be MSA. * Participants who are able to walk at least 10 metres with or without assistance. Participants with an anticipated survival of at least three years in the opinion of the investigator. * Participants that are willing to adhere to the study drug regimen. * Participants that are willing and able to perform all protocol-specified assessments and comply with the study visit schedule. * Females of childbearing potential and male participants with partners of childbearing potential must agree to use an effective method of contraception from the time consent is signed until 10 weeks after treatment discontinuation. Females of childbearing potential have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days prior to being randomised. * Willing and able to provide written informed consent. * Subjects who are not able to write may give verbal consent in the presence of at least one witness, and the witness should sign the informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

* Females who are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding. * Women of child-bearing potential who do not practice an acceptable method of birth control. Subjects who meet any of the following criteria which tend to suggest advance disease: 1. Speech impairment as assessed by a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS question 1 2. Swallowing impairment as assessed by a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS question 2 3. Impairment in ambulation as assessed by a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS question 7 4. Falling more frequently than once per week as assessed by a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS question 8. Participants with a clinically significant or unstable medical or surgical condition, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude safe completion of the study. * Participants with active malignant neoplasms or history of malignant neoplasm in the last 5 years. Participants with movement disorders other than MSA. * Concurrent dementia defined by a score lower than 21 on the MoCA. * Concurrent severe depression defined by a score of ≥30 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II. * History of deep brain stimulation surgery. * Participants who have taken any investigational products within 90 days prior to baseline. * Participants with a BMI \< 18.5. * Participants with diabetes, end stage renal disease or severely impaired renal function. * History of clinically significant cardiac disease, pancreatitis and/or alcoholism. * Participants with severe gastrointestinal disease including gastroparesis. * Ongoing treatment with sulphonylurea. * Known allergies to the IMP and excipients of IMP.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in UMSARS Score (Parts I+II) From BaselineBaseline and 48 weeksThe primary endpoint is the total Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) score (Parts I and II), exploring the change from baseline overtime (evaluated at 48-weeks). Part I is a 12-item historical interview (max score 48) and Part II is a 14-item clinical examination (max score 56). Part I and II are added together to give a total score, which can range from 0 to 104. Higher scores indicate worse disease severity.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Multiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) Scale48 weeksThe Multiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) scale measured health-related quality of life across three subscales (motor, nonmotor, and emotional/social functioning). Each item (40 in total) has five increasing levels of impairment (0 to 4), with 0 representing no impairment and 4 representing extreme impairment. Scores for the three subscales were generated by summing items and transformed to a range of 0 to 100 (100 × \[(observed score minus min possible score)/(max possible score minus min possible score)\]).
Number of Falls48 weeksNumber of falls reported by the participant at 48-weeks.
Milestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)48 weeksThe UMSARS Part 1 is 12-item sub-scale which comprises a historic review of disease-related impairments. A single score using a 0 (no impairment) to 4 (severe impairment) was generated for each item (max score 48 points). We examined the proportion of participants reaching a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS item 1 (speech), item 2 (swallowing) and item 8 (falling) by 48 weeks.
Loss of Independent Ambulation48 weeksProportion of participants with loss of independent ambulation, defined by a score of 4 on the UMSARS-I Item 7 (walking) at 48 weeks.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)48 weeksThe MoCA is a brief cognitive scale (scored out of 0-30 points). A score of 26 or more reflects normal cognitive abilities, whereas lower scores indicate cognitive impairment. The difference between groups (total score out of 30) was explored at 48 weeks.
UMSARS Part IVScore at 48 WeeksThe UMSARS Part 4 measures global disability (1 item) scored from 1 (completely independent) to 5 (totally dependent and helpless. Bedridden).
Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)48 weeksThe BDI-II is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the severity of depression symptomatology (scored out of 0-63 points). A score of 13 or less indicated minimal, 14-19 indicated mild, 20-28 indicated moderate and 29-63 indicated severe depression. The difference between groups was explored at 48 weeks.
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale48 weeksThe CGI evaluates the change from the initiation of treatment on a seven-point scale (1 = =very much improved to 7 = very much worse since the initiation of treatment). A single score at 48 weeks was recorded.

Countries

United Kingdom

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Exenatide
Participants randomised to receive exenatide.
25
Standard of Care
Participants randomised to receive standard care only.
25
Total50

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyDeath22
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject20

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicStandard of CareTotalExenatide
Age, Continuous62.4 Age in years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.3
63.3 Age in years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.9
63.3 Age in years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.4
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
25 Participants50 Participants25 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
MSA Sub-type
MSA-C
11 Participants22 Participants11 Participants
MSA Sub-type
MSA-P
14 Participants28 Participants14 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
13 Participants26 Participants13 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants24 Participants12 Participants
UMSARS (Part 1+2)42.6 Points
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.2
44.9 Points
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.8
46.0 Points
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.1

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
2 / 252 / 25
other
Total, other adverse events
6 / 251 / 25
serious
Total, serious adverse events
10 / 2510 / 25

Outcome results

Primary

Change in UMSARS Score (Parts I+II) From Baseline

The primary endpoint is the total Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) score (Parts I and II), exploring the change from baseline overtime (evaluated at 48-weeks). Part I is a 12-item historical interview (max score 48) and Part II is a 14-item clinical examination (max score 56). Part I and II are added together to give a total score, which can range from 0 to 104. Higher scores indicate worse disease severity.

Time frame: Baseline and 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
ExenatideChange in UMSARS Score (Parts I+II) From Baseline6.1 score on a scale
Standard of CareChange in UMSARS Score (Parts I+II) From Baseline13.3 score on a scale
Secondary

Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)

The BDI-II is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the severity of depression symptomatology (scored out of 0-63 points). A score of 13 or less indicated minimal, 14-19 indicated mild, 20-28 indicated moderate and 29-63 indicated severe depression. The difference between groups was explored at 48 weeks.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideBeck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)14.3 Score on a scaleStandard Deviation 8.8
Standard of CareBeck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)15.2 Score on a scaleStandard Deviation 8
Secondary

Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale

The CGI evaluates the change from the initiation of treatment on a seven-point scale (1 = =very much improved to 7 = very much worse since the initiation of treatment). A single score at 48 weeks was recorded.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideClinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale3.1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1
Standard of CareClinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale2.4 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.8
Secondary

Loss of Independent Ambulation

Proportion of participants with loss of independent ambulation, defined by a score of 4 on the UMSARS-I Item 7 (walking) at 48 weeks.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
ExenatideLoss of Independent Ambulation2 Participants
Standard of CareLoss of Independent Ambulation2 Participants
Secondary

Milestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)

The UMSARS Part 1 is 12-item sub-scale which comprises a historic review of disease-related impairments. A single score using a 0 (no impairment) to 4 (severe impairment) was generated for each item (max score 48 points). We examined the proportion of participants reaching a score of ≥ 3 on UMSARS item 1 (speech), item 2 (swallowing) and item 8 (falling) by 48 weeks.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
ExenatideMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 1 (Speech)3 Participants
ExenatideMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 2 (Swallowing)2 Participants
ExenatideMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 8 (Falling)3 Participants
Standard of CareMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 1 (Speech)7 Participants
Standard of CareMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 2 (Swallowing)8 Participants
Standard of CareMilestones on UMSARS Part 1 (Speech, Swallow and Falling)UMSARS Part 1 Item 8 (Falling)6 Participants
Secondary

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

The MoCA is a brief cognitive scale (scored out of 0-30 points). A score of 26 or more reflects normal cognitive abilities, whereas lower scores indicate cognitive impairment. The difference between groups (total score out of 30) was explored at 48 weeks.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideMontreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)26.0 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.7
Standard of CareMontreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)27.2 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.5
Secondary

Multiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) Scale

The Multiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) scale measured health-related quality of life across three subscales (motor, nonmotor, and emotional/social functioning). Each item (40 in total) has five increasing levels of impairment (0 to 4), with 0 representing no impairment and 4 representing extreme impairment. Scores for the three subscales were generated by summing items and transformed to a range of 0 to 100 (100 × \[(observed score minus min possible score)/(max possible score minus min possible score)\]).

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Motor Domain)53.1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 19.8
ExenatideMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Non-motor Domain)37.4 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 17.8
ExenatideMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Emotional/Social Functioning Domain)33.3 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 22.8
Standard of CareMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Motor Domain)53.7 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 23.7
Standard of CareMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Non-motor Domain)39.3 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 15.4
Standard of CareMultiple System Atrophy Quality of Life (MSA-QoL) ScaleMSA QoL (Emotional/Social Functioning Domain)43.1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 23.9
Secondary

Number of Falls

Number of falls reported by the participant at 48-weeks.

Time frame: 48 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideNumber of Falls1.7 Number of fallsStandard Deviation 2.9
Standard of CareNumber of Falls3.0 Number of fallsStandard Deviation 6.8
Secondary

UMSARS Part IV

The UMSARS Part 4 measures global disability (1 item) scored from 1 (completely independent) to 5 (totally dependent and helpless. Bedridden).

Time frame: Score at 48 Weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ExenatideUMSARS Part IV2.8 Score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.1
Standard of CareUMSARS Part IV3.0 Score on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.9

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026