Recipient organisationNIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
NIHR supportRecorded as supported by this research centre
PeriodApr 2025 — Ongoing
In plain English
AI plain-English summary
A drug called XBD173 is being tested to see if it can restore healthy blood flow in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. In a healthy brain, blood flow increases to active regions on demand. In Alzheimer’s, this process fails, starving active neurons of oxygen and fuel. The problem lies in the cells lining the brain’s blood vessels, whose function is controlled in part by a protein called TSPO. The drug XBD173 binds to TSPO and may improve how these cells respond to neural activity. The study will give 90 mg of XBD173 twice daily for four weeks to Alzheimer’s patients, then measure brain blood flow with MRI during a cognitive task. A placebo-controlled crossover phase will confirm whether the effect is real. Healthy volunteers will provide baseline data but will not receive the drug. If XBD173 improves blood flow regulation, it would offer a new way to treat Alzheimer’s by targeting the brain’s blood supply rather than amyloid plaques or tau tangles. This could slow cognitive decline and improve quality of life. The work is funded by the Uren Foundation and recruits from Imperial College London.
View original technical description
Background: In healthy people, blood flow to particular areas in the brain increases when an area becomes more active. This is important to ensure that the brain gets enough blood at the right place, at the right time. But in people with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), this process is disrupted, and the increase in blood flow in response to activity is decreased or absent. The aim of this study is to find out whether blood flow in AD can be made more responsive to activity by altering the function of a protein called TSPO. We will do this by using a drug called XBD173, which binds to TSPO. Study design: This is a double-blind, randomised, cross-over study. Alzheimer’s disease patients will be invited to participate from memory clinicals at the Imperial College Healthcare Trust. These patients will undergo a screening to provide consent and determine eligibility. If enrolled in the study, the first six participants will receive XBD173 (90 mg, twice daily, 28 days) on an open-label basis. A spacing of 48 hours between each participant commencing dosing will be used for all 6 subjects. These participants will undergo clinical assessments 1 and 2 (days 0 and 28) including an MRI scan, a cognitive task, and a venous blood test. Safety visit 1 (day 14) will involve clinical assessment and a blood test. The Independent Data Monitoring Committee will meet after the 6th subject has finished the dosing period to decide whether to approve the blinded crossover phase. In the blinded crossover phase, participants will be randomised to receive XBD173 (90mg, BD, oral, 4 weeks) or matched placebo to start on Assessment 1 (day 0) following completion of all assessments and continue until Assessment 2 (day 28). After a 6-week washout (days 29-71), they will be switched to receive the other intervention. They will undergo safety visit 2 (day 85) and identical assessments 3 and 4 (days 72 and 100) to the previous assessments 1 and 2. Healthy volunteers will be identified from the NIHR ICRF HV database or from posters displayed at ICL. Potential participants will be invited to the NIHR ICRF. If they provide informed consent, they will undergo screening which will include a medical history and an examination. If they meet eligibility criteria they will be enrolled in the study. They will attend the NIHR ICRF for a single MRI scan, which will involve a cognitive task and blood test. They will not receive XBD173. Who is funding the research: Uren FoundationWhere will recruitment take place: Imperial College London
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know