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Immunomodulatory Effects of PCSK9 Inhibition

Study Purpose

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the leading cause of death worldwide. While medications, such as statins, significantly reduce atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk by lowering low density lipoprotein levels, they may also have pleiotropic effects on inflammation. The immunomodulatory effects of these medications are relevant to ASCVD risk reduction given that inflammation plays a central role in atherosclerotic plaque formation (atherogenesis) and influences the development of vulnerable plaque morphology. Patients on statins, however, may have residual inflammation contributing to incident ASCVD despite the potent LDL-lowering effects of statins. While new therapies, such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PSCK9) inhibitors, further reduce incident ASCVD and drastically reduce LDL-C below that achieved by statin therapy alone, PCSK9 inhibitors may also have pleiotropic effects on inflammation. Thus, PCSK9 inhibitors may help reduce arterial inflammation to a level closer to that of patients without ASCVD. This study will apply a novel targeted molecular imaging approach, technetium 99m (99mTc)-tilmanocept SPECT/CT, to determine if residual macrophage-specific arterial inflammation is present with statin therapy and the immunomodulatory effects of PSCK9 inhibition. Given the continued high mortality and morbidity attributable to ASCVD, strong imperatives exist to better understand the immunomodulatory effects of lipid lowering therapies and residual inflammatory risk. This understanding, in turn, will inform the development of new ASCVD preventative and treatment strategies as well as elucidate other indications for established therapies.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

 Yes
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

 Observational
Eligible Ages 18 Years - 85 Years
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - 18 to 85 years of age.
  • - CASE PARTICIPANTS ONLY: History of ASCVD (including a history of coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary bypass surgery, carotid endarterectomy, stroke or TIA) - CASE PARTICIPANTS ONLY: High-intensity statin therapy for at least 6 months prior enrollment and without an interruption of >1 month.
  • - CASE PARTICIPANTS ONLY: initiation of PCSK9 inhibition with either evolocumab or alirocumab (and not inclisiran - PSCK9 inhibition through small interfering RNA51)

    Exclusion Criteria:

    - pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • - CONTROL PARTICIPANTS ONLY: No history of ASCVD (including a history of coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary bypass surgery, carotid endarterectomy, stroke or transient ischemic attack [TIA]) - current treatment with prescription, systemic (oral, IV, IM, or intra-articular) steroids or anti-inflammatory/immune suppressant medical therapies (excluding topical therapies, UV therapy, ASA-derivative therapies, or NSAIDS) for autoimmune/inflammatory diseases (psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus), post-transplant care, asthma, or pain syndromes.
  • - use of oral steroids or prescription oral anti-inflammatory/immune suppressant medication for > 7 days within the past 1 month.
  • - use of IV, IM, or intra-articular steroids or IV, IM, or intra-articular anti-inflammatory/immune suppressant medication within the past 3 months.
  • - CONTROL PARTICIPANTS ONLY: use of statin therapy within the past 6 months.
  • - known allergy to dextrans and/or DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetate) and/or radiometals.
  • - eGFR (glomerular filtration rate) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 calculated by chronic kidney disease (CKD)-EPI (epidemiology collaboration) calculator.
  • - known severe allergy to iodinated contrast media.
  • - any of the following contraindications to nitroglycerin: - known narrow angle glaucoma.
  • - chronic hypotension requiring medical therapy.
  • - known severe aortic stenosis.
  • - use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (e.g. sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) AND self-reported inability/refusal to abstain from use of these medications within the 5 days prior to scheduled cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) scan.
  • - significant radiation exposure (>2 CT angiograms) received within the past 12 months.
- concurrent enrollment in another research study judged by the study investigators to interfere with the current study

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

 NCT05720156
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

 Massachusetts General Hospital
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

 N/A
Principal Investigator Affiliation N/A
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

 Other
Overall Status Not yet recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

 Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Diseases, Atherosclerosis, Arterial Inflammation, Vascular Diseases, Vascular Disease, Peripheral, Vascular Calcification, High Cholesterol/Hyperlipidemia, Heart Diseases, Heart Attack, Stroke, Cerebrovascular Accident, Carotid Artery Diseases, Carotid Atherosclerosis, Transient Ischemic Attack
Arms & Interventions

Arms

: Case group: History of ASCVD, on high-intensity statins and initiating PCSK9 inhibitor therapy

History of ASCVD, on high-intensity statins and initiating PCSK9 inhibitor therapy

: Control group: No history of ASCVD, not on statins or initiating PCSK9 inhibitor therapy

No history of ASCVD, not currently on high-intensity statins or initiating PCSK9 inhibitor therapy

Interventions

Other: - Contrast-enhanced CCTA

Allows for non-invasive assessment of atherosclerotic plaque burden and morphology

Other: - 99mTc-tilmanocept SPECT/CT scanning

99mTc-Tilmanocept SPECT/CT allows for visualization of macrophage-specific arterial infiltration

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Status

Address

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114

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