NCT04856982Active, not recruitingPhase 3
Study to Learn If Tofersen (BIIB067) Can Delay ALS Symptoms and About Its Safety in Adults With a SOD1 Gene Mutation Who Have Not Yet Developed ALS Symptoms
A Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Longitudinal Natural History Run-In and Open-Label Extension to Evaluate BIIB067 Initiated in Clinically Presymptomatic Adults With a Confirmed Superoxide Dismutase 1 Mutation
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 20 Oct 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
In this study, researchers will learn more about the effects of a drug called tofersen, also known as BIIB067 and QALSODY®, in adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have a superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene mutation. One of the causes of ALS is a change (or mutation) in the SOD1 gene, which causes abnormal SOD1 protein to be made. This abnormal protein can cause the motor neurons in people with ALS to break down and die. When neurons are damaged, they release a protein called neurofilament light chain, also known as NfL. Previous studies have shown that NfL levels are higher in people with SOD1-ALS, even before any ALS symptoms appear. In this study, researchers will look at the effect of tofersen treatment in the earlier stages of the disease, even before ALS symptoms appear. Researchers believe that giving tofersen to patients as early as possible may slow the onset of ALS symptoms and the progression of the disease. This study will have 4 parts. In Part A, participants will have their health monitored and NfL levels tested on a monthly basis, but they will not receive any study drug. Tofersen or placebo will be given to participants in Parts B, while all participants will receive tofersen in Parts C and D. The main question that researchers want to answer is: • How long does it take for ALS symptoms to appear? Researchers will also learn more about: * How many participants develop ALS symptoms within 24 months of the start of Part B * Changes in participants' ability to perform their daily activities * Changes in participants' ability to breathe * How many participants die or need long-term breathing support * Changes in NfL levels in the blood * Changes in SOD1 protein levels in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord * How many participants have adverse events or serious adverse events. Adverse events are health problems that may or may not be caused by the study drug. The study will be done as follows: * Participants will first be screened to check if they can join the study. The screening period will be up to 6 weeks. Participants will join the study only after reading and signing an informed consent form, also known as an ICF. * In Part A, participants with presymptomatic ALS will not get any study drugs. Researchers will check the levels of NfL in their blood. Participants will be closely checked for any signs or symptoms of ALS. * Once a participant's NfL levels rise to a certain amount, they will move onto Part B. * In Part B, participants will be randomly assigned to get either tofersen or a placebo. Neither participants nor researchers will know who gets tofersen or the placebo during Part B. A placebo looks like the study drug but contains no medicine. * Participants will get the first 3 doses of tofersen once every 14 days. Afterwards, they will continue getting maintenance doses every 28 days. * All doses will be given through an intrathecal (IT) injection done through a lumbar puncture procedure. This involves injecting the drug into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord in the lower back. * Participants who develop ALS symptoms during Part B will move to Part C to receive tofersen. * Participants who develop ALS symptoms during Part A will move to Part D to receive tofersen. * In both Parts C and D, participants will know they are receiving tofersen. * Throughout the study, doctors will measure any changes to the participants' function and quality of life using different questionnaires. Doctors will also take blood and urine samples. They will also check the participants' overall health and ask how they are feeling. * Participants will have a follow-up visit 28 days after their last dose of study drug. * Participants will be in this study for up to about 6.5 years.
- Status (registry)
- Active, not recruiting
- Phase (registry)
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 158 (actual)
- First submitted
- 20 Apr 2021
- Start date
- 17 May 2021
- Primary completion date
- 7 Aug 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Biogen
- Diseases
- ALS (motor neurone disease)
- NCT number
- NCT04856982
- EU CT number
- 2023-505641-12-00
- EudraCT number
- 2020-004590-51
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional · Phase 3
- Participants enrolled: 158
- From 17 May 2021 to the primary completion date, 7 Aug 2027
- 30 sites in 14 countries
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Criteria the registry did not label
- Key Part A Inclusion Criteria:
- Participants should have a protocol-defined rapidly progressive SOD1 mutation, confirmed by a central reader, or a SOD1 mutation that is approved for inclusion by an external mutation adjudication committee.
- Participants with plasma NfL level less than the protocol-defined threshold.
- Participants who are clinically presymptomatic for ALS (i.e., must not have clinically manifest ALS).
- Key Part A Exclusion Criteria:
- History or positive test result at screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The requirement for testing at Screening may be omitted if it is not permitted by local regulations.
- Current hepatitis C infection \[defined as positive Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibody and detectable HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA)\]. Participants with positive HCV antibody and undetectable HCV RNA are eligible to participate in the study (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- Current hepatitis B infection (defined as positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or anti-Hepatitis B Core antibody (HBc)). Participants with immunity to hepatitis B from previous natural infection (defined as negative HBsAg, positive anti-HBc, and positive anti-hepatitis B surface antibody (HBs) or vaccination (defined as negative HBsAg, negative anti-HBc, and positive anti- HBs) are eligible to participate in the study.
- History of systemic hypersensitivity reaction to tofersen, the excipients contained in the formulation, and if appropriate, any diagnostic agents to be administered during the study.
- History of confounding neuromuscular or neurological disorder that is expected to have a progressive (i.e., worsening) course during the study, and/or is expected to be associated with elevations in NF, in the opinion of the Investigator.
- Presence of risk for increased or uncontrolled bleeding and/or risk of bleeding that if not managed optimally could place a participant at an increased risk for intraoperative or postoperative bleeding.
- Significant cognitive impairment, clinical dementia, or unstable psychiatric illness, including psychosis, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, or untreated major depression
- ≤ 90 days of screening, which in the opinion of the Investigator would interfere with the study procedures.
- Treatment with riluzole, edaravone, and/or sodium phenylbutyrate/taurursodiol (also known as ursodoxicoltaurine). If the participant has been on riluzole, edaravone, and/or sodium phenylbutyrate/taurursodiol, the medication(s) must be discontinued for at least 5 half-lives prior to Screening.
- Use of off-label treatments for ALS.
- Treatment with another investigational drug (including investigational drugs for ALS through compassionate use programs), biological agent, or device within 1 month or 5 half-lives of study agent, whichever is longer. Specifically, no prior treatment with small interfering RNA, stem cell therapy, or gene therapy is allowed.
- Anticipated need, in the opinion of the Investigator, for administration of any antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication (e.g., clopidogrel) that cannot be safely continued or held for a Lumbar Puncture (LP) procedure, if necessary, according to local or institutional guidelines and/or Investigator determination.
- Current enrollment or a plan to enroll in any interventional clinical study in which an investigational treatment, biological agent, device, or approved therapy for investigational use. Participation in a noninterventional study focused on ALS natural history may be allowed at the discretion of the Investigator.
- NOTE: Other protocol defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria will apply.
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (30)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macquarie University Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Macquarie Park | Australia | Unknown status |
| UZ Leuven Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Leuven | Belgium | Unknown status |
| Hospital Sao Paulo Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | São Paulo | Brazil | Unknown status |
| PSEG Centro de Pesquisa Clinica Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | São Paulo | Brazil | Unknown status |
| University Of Calgary Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Calgary | Canada | Unknown status |
| Genge Partners Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Montreal | Canada | Unknown status |
| Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Toronto | Canada | Unknown status |
| Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Hanover | Germany | Active, not recruiting |
| Universitaetsklinikum Ulm AoR Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Ulm | Germany | Active, not recruiting |
| Hospital Universitario Y Politecnico La Fe Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Valencia | Spain | Active, not recruiting |
| Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Paris Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Paris Cedex 13 | France | Completed |
| University of Sheffield Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Sheffield | United Kingdom | Unknown status |
| Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Citta Della Salute E Della Scienza Di Torino Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Turin | Italy | Completed |
| University of Tokyo Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Bunkyō City | Japan | Unknown status |
| Kagoshima University Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Kagoshima | Japan | Unknown status |
| Hanyang University Seoul Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Seoul | South Korea | Unknown status |
| Centrum Medyczne NeuroProtect Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Warsaw | Poland | Completed |
| University Hospital Of Northern Sweden Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Umeaa | Sweden | Completed |
| The Emory Clinic Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Atlanta | United States | Unknown status |
| Austin Neuromuscular Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Austin | United States | Unknown status |
| Johns Hopkins Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Baltimore | United States | Unknown status |
| Massachusetts General Hospital, MA Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Charlestown | United States | Unknown status |
| Northwestern Medicine Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Chicago | United States | Unknown status |
| Holy Cross Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Fort Lauderdale | United States | Unknown status |
| University of California San Diego Medical Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | La Jolla | United States | Unknown status |
| University of Miami School of Medicine Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Miami | United States | Unknown status |
| Columbia University Medical Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | New York | United States | Unknown status |
| California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | San Francisco | United States | Unknown status |
| HonorHealth Neurology Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Scottsdale | United States | Unknown status |
| Washington University School of Medicine Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | St Louis | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.