Heart drug digoxin tested as potential ALS treatment
NCT ID NCT07047209
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether digoxin, a heart medication, is safe and tolerable for people with ALS. It also looks at whether digoxin can slow nerve damage. About 40 adults with early-stage ALS will take digoxin for 24 weeks. The goal is to find a new way to manage this disease.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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41 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2025
- Finished
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May 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Ability to provide written informed consent. 2. Adults \>18 years of age with a diagnosis of symptomatic ALS as determined by an ALS neurologist, and meets either the revised El Escorial Criteria (clinically possible, probable, probable lab-supported, or definite) or the Gold Coast Criteria. 3. Available or pending CLIA certified ALS genetic panel report. 4. Less than or equal to 24-months since onset of weakness attributed to ALS. 5. Vital capacity (VC) of \> 65% predicted value for gender, height and age at screening. 6. Clinically unremarkable Complete Blood Counts, including but not limited to Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL, Platelets ≥ 150 x 109 cells/L. 7. No clinically significant abnormalities in the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel per site/sub-investigator's judgment, including but not limited to: 1. Serum alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase \< 3× upper limit of normal, or serum total bilirubin \<1.5× upper limit of normal 2. Estimated GFR (eGFR) of \> 30 mL/min/1.73m2 3. Other clinically significant electrolyte and metabolic abnormalities 8. Ability and willingness to complete all study procedures per the Site Investigator's clinical assessment. 9. Negative pregnancy test within 7 days prior to first dose for women of child-bearing potential (WOCB), defined as a sexually mature woman who has not undergone a hysterectomy or who has not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 24 consecutive months (i.e., who has had menses any time in the preceding 24 consecutive months). 10. Individuals enrolling in the C9orf72 cohort of the trial must have CLIA certified ALS gene panel demonstrating \>31 repeats of C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion, deemed pathologic. Exclusion Criteria: * 1\. Clinically significant unstable medical or surgical condition that would pose a risk to the participant's trial procedural participation or interfere with data collection, according to the Site Investigator's judgment (e.g., active infection requiring antibiotics). 2\. Presence of cognitive or mental health disorders impairing ability to provide informed consent for the study per Site investigator assessment. 3\. Active cancer or history of cancer, unless it was successfully treated for durable remission or cure more than 3 years ago. (Note that basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma in situ, cervical carcinoma in situ, prostatic carcinoma in situ, or other malignancies that have been curatively excised at any time previously and with no evidence of disease recurrence for at least 3 years are not exclusionary.) 4. Prior solid organ transplantation. 5. Concomitant use of investigational treatments for ALS within 5 half-lives or 30 days, whichever longer. 6\. Screening 12-lead ECG showing QT interval corrected for rate (QTcF) \> 470 msec for women and \> 450 msec for men, absence of second degree or higher AV block or other clinically significant cardiac arrythmias. 7\. If female, breastfeeding, pregnant, or of child-bearing potential and unwilling to use effective contraception for duration of the trial and after discontinuing treatment. 8\. Serious cardiac condition within the last 6 months, such as uncontrolled arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or heart disease defined by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or Class IV or hereditary long QT syndrome. 9\. Exclusion criteria for Lumbar Punctures: active bleeding tendencies OR inability to withhold antiplatelets or anticoagulants safely as per institutional guidelines around LPs OR anatomical spine considerations making it unsafe or challenging for serial LPs OR allergy to local anesthesia used for procedure. 10\. Clinically active cardiac disorders including sinus bradycardia (HR \<40 bpm) or sinus tachycardia (HR\>140 bpm), cardiac arrythmias \[first-degree, second-degree (Wenckebach), or third-degree heart block; atrial tachycardia with block; AV dissociation; accelerated junctional (nodal) rhythm; unifocal or multiform ventricular premature contractions (especially bigeminy or trigeminy); ventricular tachycardia; and ventricular arrythmias\]; Persistent or chronic atrial fibrillation that is not controlled using standard medications 11. Concomitant treatment with amiodarone at any dose or quinidine at a dose greater than 20 mg/day
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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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MGH
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Northwestern Universsity
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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Nova Southeastern University
Davie, Florida, 33314, United States
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