Can two arthritis drugs stop deadly brain seizures? major trial launches
NCT ID NCT07281027
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This Phase 3 trial tests two existing anti-inflammatory drugs, anakinra and tocilizumab, in 438 patients with NORSE, a rare condition causing continuous seizures that don't respond to standard treatments. Patients are randomly assigned to one drug within 7 days of illness, and researchers track recovery over a year. The goal is to find which drug works better and when to give it.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- anakinra and tocilizumab
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could show which existing drug works better for NORSE, potentially improving recovery and reducing disability or death from this rare brain condition.
- What could go wrong
- This is a Phase 3 trial, but NORSE is rare and hard to diagnose early. The study may not enroll enough patients or find a clear difference between the two drugs. Both medications have known side effects like infection risk.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Barrow Institute
Phoenix, Arizona, 85013, United States
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Baylor/Texas Children's
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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Beth Israel Deaconess
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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Children's Hospital Philadelphia (CHOP)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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Children's National (DC)
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States
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Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States
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Columbia University
New York, New York, 10027, United States
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Great Ormond Street Hospital
London, United Kingdom
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Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Canada
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Karolinska Institute
Stockholm, Sweden
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King's College
London, United Kingdom
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Mass General (MGH)
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
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Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States
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Mount Sinai (NY)
New York, New York, 10029, United States
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New York University
New York, New York, 10012, United States
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois, 60208, United States
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Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States
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Salpêtrière
Paris, France
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Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States
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Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul, South Korea
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UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States
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University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45221, United States
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, 32611, United States
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University of Modena
Modena, Italy
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University of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
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University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States
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Western University
London, Canada
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Yale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, United States