A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2 study to assess safety, tolerability, and efficacy of RT001 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

AbstractBackground and purposeRT001 is a deuterated synthetic homologue of linoleic acid, which makes membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids resistant to lipid peroxidation, a process involved in motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).MethodsWe conducted a randomized, multicenter, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Patients with ALS were randomly allocated to receive either RT001 or placebo for 24 weeks. After the double‐blind period, all patients received RT001 during an open‐label phase for 24 weeks. The primary outcome measures were safety and tolerability. Key efficacy outcomes included the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS‐R), percent predicted slow vital capacity, and plasma neurofilament light chain concentration.ResultsIn total, 43 patients (RT001 = 21; placebo = 22) were randomized. RT001 was well tolerated; one patient required dose reduction due to adverse events (AEs). Numerically, there were more AEs in the RT001 group compared to the placebo group (71% versus 55%, p = 0.35), with gastrointestinal symptoms being the most common (43% in RT001, 27% in placebo, p = 0.35). Two patients in the RT001 group experienced a serious AE, though unrelated to treatment. The least‐squares mean difference in ALSFRS‐R total score at week 24 of treatment was 1.90 (95% confidence interval = −1.39 to 5.19) in favor of RT001 (p = 0.25). The directions of other efficacy outcomes favored RT001 compared to placebo, although no inferential statistics were performed.ConclusionsInitial data indicate that RT001 is safe and well tolerated. Given the exploratory nature of the study, a larger clinical trial is required to evaluate its efficacy.