Can an Immune-Modulating drug clear Alzheimer's brain plaques?
NCT ID NCT06862960
First seen Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial investigates whether ozanimod, an oral drug that regulates the immune system, can reduce brain amyloid plaques and inflammation in people with moderate Alzheimer's disease. Forty participants aged 55 to 80 will receive either ozanimod or standard Alzheimer's medications for 27 weeks. The study uses brain scans and blood tests to measure changes in amyloid burden and neuroinflammation, comparing the two groups.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ozanimod, an oral drug that modulates the immune system by targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment approach for Alzheimer's disease that targets inflammation and amyloid buildup in the brain.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early proof-of-concept study with only 40 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Ozanimod is already approved for other conditions, but its effects on Alzheimer's are unknown, and side effects like heart rate changes or infections are possible.
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
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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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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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55 to 80 years
- 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. Must meet the 2024 diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD) published by the Alzheimer's Association (AA), and be in the moderate stage of AD. 2. The Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score must be between 9.5 and 15.5. 3. Aged 55-80 years. 4. Must be receiving treatment with stable doses of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, or both for at least 3 months prior to the screening visit. 5. Have a study partner who will provide written informed consent to participate, is in frequent contact with the participant (defined as at least 10 hours per week), and will accompany the participant to study visits or be available by telephone at designated times. 6. Have adequate literacy, vision, and hearing for neuropsychological testing in the opinion of the investigator at the time of screening. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Has diagnosis of a clinically relevant central nervous system (CNS) disease other than AD dementia or other condition that negatively impacts cognition or cognitive status chronically. 2. Contraindications to MRI (e.g., metal implants) or inability to tolerate/comply with the scanning procedure. 3. Prior exposure to ozanimod or any other sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor regulators for AD before starting treatment with ozanimod subject of this study 4. Participants must not have clinically relevant hepatic, neurological, pulmonary, ophthalmological, endocrine, renal, infectious diseases, or other major systemic disease making implementation of the protocol or interpretation of the study results difficult or that would put the participant at risk by participating in the study in the opinion of the Investigator. 5. Specific cardiac conditions are excluded, including history or presence of: i) Recent (within the past 6 months) occurrence of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack, decompensated heart failure requiring hospitalization, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III/IV heart failure, or severe untreated sleep apnea. ii) Resting heart rate \<55 beats per minute, second-degree (Mobitz type II) atrioventricular (AV) block, third-degree AV block, sick sinus syndrome, or sino-atrial block unless participants have a pacemaker in place. iii) Prolonged corrected QT interval by Fredericia's formula (QTcF; \> 450 msec males and \> 470 msec females), or participants at additional risk for QT prolongation. 6. Participants must not receive a live vaccine or a live-attenuated vaccine within 4 weeks prior to first dose or planning to receive a live vaccine or a live-attenuated vaccine during the study or within 90 days after discontinuation from study intervention. 7. Participants must not have a history of any significant drug allergy (such as anaphylaxis or hepatotoxicity).
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Fujian Medical University Union Hospital
RECRUITINGFuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
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