Could a common drug help kids with rare leigh syndrome?

NCT ID NCT06843811

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 This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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
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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests the drug sirolimus (rapamycin) in 15 people aged 6 months to 55 years with genetically confirmed Leigh syndrome, a rare and serious mitochondrial disease. The goal is to see if the drug is safe and can help with symptoms like muscle weakness and developmental delays. Participants take sirolimus twice daily, and researchers monitor side effects, infections, and changes in muscle function over time.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
sirolimus (also called rapamycin)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a treatment that slows or stabilizes Leigh syndrome symptoms.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early-phase trial with only 15 participants. It may not show clear benefit, and sirolimus can cause side effects like infections and abnormal lab values.

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.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 15 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Feb 2025

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

6 months to 55 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Genetically-confirmed diagnosis of Leigh syndrome with neurodevelopmental manifestations, which include documented developmental delay, developmental regression, or abnormal neurologic exam findings including but not limited to hypotonia, hypertonia, dystonia, chorea, nystagmus, ataxia, dysmetria, tremor or muscle weakness. 2. Age 6 months to 55 years at the time of enrollment. 3. Weight ≥ 5 kg at the time of enrollment. 4. Adequate liver function as evidenced by total bilirubin \< 1.5x upper limit of normal (ULN) and liver function tests, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), \< 3x ULN. 5. Adequate renal function as evidenced by glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \> 60 mL/min/1.73m2 (cystatin C for pediatric population). 6. Normal hematologic parameters as defined as: 1. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.0 x 109/L 2. Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm3 (100 x 109/L) 3. Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL 7. Non-fasting serum triglycerides and cholesterol \< 300 mg/dL. 8. Serum amylase and lipase \< 2x ULN. 9. Adequate immunoglobulin levels as outlined below that, in the opinion of the investigator, will not place the patient at increased risk of infection. 1. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) ≥ 200 mg/dL 2. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) ≥ 30 mg/dL 3. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) ≥ 10 mg/dL 10. All sexually active participants must agree to use effective contraception: 1. Females of child-bearing potential must agree to use effective contraception without interruption from 28 days prior to starting Investigational Product (IP) throughout 3 months after last dose of IP and have a negative urine pregnancy test result at screening and agree to ongoing pregnancy testing during the course of the study. 2. Male patients must practice abstinence or agree to use a condom during sexual contact with a pregnant female or a female of childbearing potential while participating in the study and throughout 3 months after the last dose of investigational drug. 11. The patient or parent(s)/legal guardian(s) is/are willing and able to comply with the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements, in the opinion of the investigator. 12. The patient or the patient's parent(s)/legal guardian(s) understand(s) and voluntarily sign(s) the informed consent documents(s) prior to any study-related assessments/procedures being conducted. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Cardiac ejection fraction ≤ 50 %, shortening fraction ≤ 25% on cardiac echocardiogram within one year of screening and/or severe end-organ hypo-perfusion syndrome (secondary to cardiac failure) resulting in lactic acidosis. 2. Patients with implanted cardiac assist/medical devices (including pacemakers), unless device was implanted prophylactically, and the patient is clinically asymptomatic. 3. In the opinion of the investigator, clinically significant ECG and/or echocardiogram alterations at the time of screening. 4. Myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to enrollment. 5. Symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF), unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension, or unstable coronary artery disease. 6. Prior history of hypersensitivity to sirolimus or other mTOR (Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin inhibitors). 7. Prior history of angioedema requiring treatment or cessation of a presumed causative agent. 8. Planned surgical procedure during the study period. 9. Confirmed or highly suspected immunodeficiency disorder(s), including but not limited to, common variable immune deficiency (CVID), complement deficiency, etc. 10. Clinically significant proteinuria that requires ongoing medical therapy. 11. Any uncontrolled psychiatric or medical condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the patient's participation in the study. 12. Patients who are breastfeeding or are pregnant. 13. History of solid organ transplant (kidney, liver, heart, lung) or bone marrow transplant. 14. Treatment with any investigational drug (i.e., a drug for which there is no approved indication), including an investigational drug for mitochondrial disease within 1 month prior to receiving the first dose of study drug (or within 3 months for a trial with an investigational biologic). 15. Patients with confirmed or suspected increased intracranial pressure, pseudotumor cerebri (PTC)/idiopathic intracranial hypertension, and or papilledema. 16. Currently active malignancy (other than adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancers \[i.e., squamous cell and/or basal cell carcinoma\], carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other adequately treated carcinoma in situ) and/or ongoing treatment for malignancy are ineligible. Patients are not considered to have a currently active malignancy if they have completed therapy and are free of disease for ≥ 1 year. 17. Recent infection requiring systemic anti-infective treatment that was completed ≤ 14 days prior to enrollment. 18. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, as defined by HbA1c \> 8%, despite adequate therapy. 19. History of interstitial lung disease and/or pneumonitis. 20. Use of strong inhibitors and/or inducers of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 (CYP3A4) and/or p-glycoprotein (p-GP) within the 14 days prior to receiving the first dose of study drug. Additionally, use of any known CYP3A4 substrates with a narrow therapeutic window (e.g., fentanyl, alfentanil, astemizole, cisapride, dihydroergotamine, pimozide, quinidine, terfenadine) within the 14 days prior to receiving the first dose of study drug. 21. Use of medications with a high risk of angioedema 22. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), active hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection(s).

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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.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, United States

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