Hope for mitochondrial disease: new drug targets debilitating fatigue
NCT ID NCT06451757
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether the drug sonlicromanol can reduce fatigue and improve physical abilities like balance and leg strength in adults with a specific genetic form of mitochondrial disease. About 220 participants will take either the drug or a placebo twice daily for 52 weeks. The main outcomes are changes in fatigue scores and a sit-to-stand test.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- sonlicromanol
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a treatment to ease fatigue and improve daily physical abilities for people with mitochondrial disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a Phase 3 trial, but it's still experimental. The drug may not prove better than placebo, and side effects are possible. Results may not apply to all mitochondrial disease types.
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 3
Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.
- Participants
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About 220 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
- 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. Signed Informed Consent 2. Males and females aged ≥18 years with a multi-system primary mitochondrial disease. 3. A confirmed mitochondrial DNA tRNALeu(UUR) m.3243A\>G mutation (m.3243A\>G PMD) plus an age adjusted heteroplasmy percentage ≥ 20% in white blood cells \[=blood heteroplasmy/0.977(age+12)\]. Or in urine (urinary epithelial cells), or buccal smear or skeletal muscle (results (obtained per local guidance) ≥ 20% must be available prior to the subject being randomized). 4. Presence of chronic fatigue (not attributable to other etiologies than PMD): 1. Patient self-reported chronic fatigue for at least 3 months prior to the Screening Visit and recorded in the clinical patient files; AND 2. Presence of fatigue (raw total score \>22), assessed by Neuro-QoL SFv1-F at Screening. 5. Presence of mitochondrial myopathy defined as: 5xSST at Screening and Baseline should be ≥ 11 seconds and participant must demonstrate the ability to complete the test at baseline (i.e., complete the test within 30 seconds). 6\. Other Inclusion criteria per protocol. Exclusion criteria 1. Treatment with any IMP within 3 months (or 5 times the half-life of the IMP, whichever is longer) prior to screening or plans to use an IMP (other than the study intervention) during the study. 2. Bone deformities, motor abnormalities or chronic ulcers that in the opinion of the PI may interfere with and/or confound the interpretation of the subject's performance during the 5 times sit to stand test (5XSST). 3. Surgery of gastrointestinal tract that might interfere with drug absorption. Or severe GI dysmotility, chronic vomiting, diarrhea, bouts of pseudo-obstruction which will impair appropriate IMP absorption in the opinion of the investigator. 4. Clinically significant respiratory disease and/or cardiac disease (medical history or current clinical findings) in the opinion of the investigator. 5. Prior interventional cardiac procedure (e.g., cardiac catheterization, angioplasty/percutaneous coronary intervention, balloon valvuloplasty, etc.) within 3 months prior to screening. 6. QTcF \> 450 msec (men) or QTcF \> 470 msec (women). 7. Structural heart disease based on cardiac MRI or Echocardiography (e.g., clinically significant valve disease; i.e., aortic or mitral valve stenosis or regurgitation) and/or abnormal conduction (QRS \>120 msec, PR \< 120 msec), and/or repolarization (QTcF \> 450 msec (men) or QTcF \> 470 msec (women)). Myocardial function (LVEF \<52% in men and \< 54% in women), symptomatic ischemic heart disease (inducible ischemia or coronary obstruction), and/or pathologic hypertrophy (e.g. \> 15mm septal or posterior wall thickness), that is not well controlled under current specialized care. Subjects with congestive heart failure class II and above should also be excluded. 8. Family history of unexplained/uninvestigated syncope or congenital long and short QT syndrome or sudden death (under the age of 60). ECG evidence of acute or recent ischemia, acute or Recent Myocardial Infraction, atrial fibrillation, high grade AV Blocks (Second Degree AV Block Type II or Third-degree AV Block), complete Heart Block or active conduction system abnormalities with the exception of any of the following: 1. First degree atrioventricular (AV)-block 2. Second degree AV-block Type 1 (Mobitz Type 1/Wenckebach type) 3. Right bundle branch block. 9. History of acute heart failure (within the last 3 months). 10. Higher degree of AV-blocks (AVB II° or III°). 11. Other exclusion criteria per protocol
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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
10 sites in 7 countries. 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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CHU de Bordeaux - Hôpital Pellegrin Service Gynecologie Obstetrique
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBordeaux, Gironde, 33000, France
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Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute Mellen Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGCleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States
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Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta
RECRUITINGMilan, 20133, Italy
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Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere - Charles-Foix Clinical Investigation Center Paris-Est
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGParis, Paris, 75013, France
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Klinikum der Universität München Friedrich-Baur-Institut
RECRUITINGMünchen, 80336, Germany
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Massachusetts General Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Radboud University Medical Center
RECRUITINGNijmegen, Gelderland, 6525, Netherlands
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Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGKopenhagen, Region Sjælland, DK2100, Denmark
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77030, United States
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University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
RECRUITINGLondon, Greater London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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