Swallowed capsule probes small intestine for Parkinson's clues

NCT ID NCT06003608

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early This study
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Oct 20, 2026 · Last updated Oct 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are studying whether people with Parkinson's disease have different microbes and metabolic markers in their small intestine and blood compared with healthy adults of similar age. Participants swallow a small capsule that collects fluid from the small intestine and is later recovered from stool. The study also takes blood samples and gives a single dose of levodopa-carbidopa to people with Parkinson's. The goal is to identify patterns that might one day help diagnose or track the disease.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A swallowable capsule that samples fluid from the small intestine, plus a single dose of levodopa-carbidopa
What this could lead to
If researchers find distinct microbial or metabolic patterns in the small intestine of people with Parkinson's, it could point to new ways to diagnose or monitor the disease.
What could go wrong
This is a small observational study with 51 participants, so any patterns it finds may not hold up in larger groups or may not be specific to Parkinson's. The capsule sampling is experimental and may not capture the full picture.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

51 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2024

Finished

Jan 2025

Lead sponsor

A company

The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Eligibility will be determined based on information reported by the subject and the results of the screening assessments (physical exam, etc). Prospective approval of protocol deviations to recruitment and enrollment criteria, also known as protocol waivers or exemptions, is not permitted.

Ages

50 to 85 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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 Subjects are eligible to be included in the study only if all of the following criteria apply: 1. Males and females aged 50-85 years old at time of on-site visit 2. Signed Informed consent 3. Willing \& able to comply with study procedures (including SIMBA capsule ingestion) and have study assessments performed 4. Able to swallow a size-00 capsule (23mm length) in OFF state Additional inclusion criteria for PD patients only 5. Diagnosis of idiopathic PD (Clinically Probable PD), including documented levodopa responsiveness 6. Treatment with an immediate release levodopa formulation during the day at a stable dose for at least 2 months prior to enrollment Exclusion Criteria Subjects are excluded from the study if any of the following criteria apply: 1. Any risk of capsule non-excretion, including, e.g., prior gastrointestinal disease, surgery, or radiation treatment which, in the Investigator's opinion, would lead to intestinal structuring or obstruction, achalasia, eosinophilic esophagitis, any inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer diagnosis or treatment within the past year, or previous esophageal, gastric, small intestinal, or colonic surgery; appendectomy or cholecystectomy more than 3 months prior to on-site study visit are acceptable, 2. Use of any medications in the week prior to the on-site study visit, unless part of regular treatment, that could substantially alter gastrointestinal motor function (e.g., opioids, prokinetics, anticholinergics); laxative use is allowed provided that it is kept unchanged in the week prior to the study visit. PPIs are allowed provided a wash-out period of 48 hours is respected before swallowing the SIMBA capsules and PPI treatment is resumed only 4 hours thereafter, 3. Any contraindication for using domperidone, including a long QT interval, concomitant use of QT prolonging drugs, any risk of significant electrolyte abnormality, known hypersensitivity, known liver impairment or significant (e.g. unstable) cardiac disease (see label) putting the subject at significant risk according to the investigator's clinical judgement 4. History of oropharyngeal dysphagia, or other swallowing disorder with a risk of capsule aspiration, e.g. SDQ score \> 4, 5. Any concomitant PD treatment, including any dopamine agonist and MAO-B inhibitor, except (for PD patients only) an immediate release levodopa formulation during the day (required per inclusion criterion), the concomitant use of a decarboxylase inhibitor and the use of a controlled release levodopa formulation at bedtime, 6. Major genital and/or rectum prolapse, 7. Any concomitant or previous treatment (\<2 months from on-site study visit) with significant anti-inflammatory or immune suppressant medication, e.g. DMARDs, biologicals or systemic corticosteroids, except non-chronic PRN use of an NSAID and/or 5-ASA (mesalazine) treatment, 8. Active cancer, including any prolactinoma, within 5 years (allowed: uncomplicated basal cell carcinoma and successfully removed carcinoma in situ), 9. Clinically significant immune deficiency (according to Investigator's judgement), 10. Documented HIV infection, or any clinically significant systemic infection, 11. Antibiotic use (except for local use), use of prebiotics, or probiotics ≤12 weeks prior to on-site study visit, or Fecal Microbiota Transplantation anytime in medical history 12. Dementia in medical history or identified by a MMSE \<24, 13. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 14. Current Psychosis episode by clinical judgement based on anamnesis 15. Active significant impulse control disorder (by clinical judgement and based on interview and medical records) 16. Pregnancy 17. Alcohol or drug abuse 18. Deep brain stimulation or Duodopa/Lecigon treatment. 19. Subject, according to investigator assessment, not expected to be able to comply with study procedures including SIMBA capsule recovery and SIBO breath test execution with - or without help (when home).

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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

  • University of Calgary

    Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada

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