Mass General - Division of Clinical Research

This study will compare the effect of three transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM) doses (high, middle, and low irradiance) to sham t-PBM on PFC CBF as assessed with fMRI (BOLD) in this multi-center, phase I, double-blinded, dose-ranging, controlled, crossover study of 30 subjects with MDD. All eligible participants will undergo four sessions of t-PBM during fMRI so that they experience irradiances of 50, 300 and 700 mW/cm2 as well as sham. The order of dose administration will be randomized and t-PBM will be administered with the LightForce® EXPi Deep Tissue Laser TherapyTM System, Transcranial PhotoBioModulation-1000 (tPBM-2.0).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2020

open study

Since its launch in 2004, the overarching aim of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) has been realized in informing the design of therapeutic trials in AD. ADNI3 continues the previously funded ADNI-1, ADNI-GO, and ADNI-2 studies that have been combined public/private collaborations between academia and industry to determine the relationships between the clinical, cognitive, imaging, genetic and biochemical biomarker characteristics of the entire spectrum of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The overall goal of the study is to continue to discover, optimize, standardize, and validate clinical trial measures and biomarkers used in AD research.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2016

open study

This is a multi-site, randomized, open-label, effectiveness trial comparing three treatment arms for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients with TRD who are currently on ongoing, stable and adequate antidepressant therapy (ADT). Adequate ADT is defined as a therapeutically sufficient dose for a sufficient treatment period, which would be expected to be effective as listed in the MGH Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (ATRQ). Patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1 fashion to one of three open-label treatment arms: a) aripiprazole augmentation, b) rTMS augmentation, and c) switching to venlafaxine XR or Duloxetine.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2017

open study

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the pre-supplementary motor area as a treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder. Additionally, this study aims to identify the mechanisms of action of TMS and potential biomarkers and predictors of treatment response.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2015

open study

This study will investigate if metformin can help people with obesity and high pressures inside their lung blood vessels. Metformin is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat diabetes, but metformin is not approved by the FDA to treat pulmonary hypertension. This study will examine whether Metformin will improve the high pressure inside lung blood vessels in people who are obese. The study will help understand the effect of metformin on pressures inside lung blood vessels.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2017

open study

This study is a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in participants 1 to less than 56 years of age who are allergic to peanut and at least two other foods (including milk, egg, wheat, cashew, hazelnut, or walnut). While each participant may be allergic to more than two other foods, the primary endpoint/outcome in this study will only be assessed in peanut and two other foods for each participant. The primary objective of the study is to compare the ability to consume foods without dose-limiting symptoms during a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), after treatment with either omalizumab or placebo for omalizumab.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2019

open study

The objective of the RADIANCE II Pivotal study is to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of the Paradise System in subjects with Stage 2 hypertension on 0-2 medications at the time of consent. Prior to randomization, subjects will be hypertensive in the absence of hypertension medication.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2018

open study

This is the third study in a series of 3 studies to develop a smartphone app to support nondaily smokers in quitting smoking, as funded by the American Cancer Society grant #RSG CPPB - 130323 (project dates: 07/01/2017 - 6/30/2021). Study 1 (2017P001106) demonstrated feasibility and acceptability when smokers were onboarded in person. Study 2 (2018P002699) demonstrated feasibility and acceptability when smokers were onboarded remotely, nationwide. The present study is Study 3. It is a 3-group proof-of-concept RCT, in which we seek to test if our app (i.e., Version 3 of our developed smartphone app, called 'Smiling instead of Smoking' (SiS)) is superior to treatment as usual (i.e., TAU) and superior to a control app (i.e., the National Cancer Institute's smartphone app "QuitGuide" (QG).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2021

open study

This trial aims at understanding the mechanisms of optimized transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (16 tDCS sessions combined with exercise)] on pain control. Optimized tDCS can lead to stronger engagement of the endogenous pain regulatory system that will ultimately lead to increased pain relief in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Therefore, the investigators designed a 2x2 factorial mechanistic trial [tDCS (active and sham) and aerobic exercise (AE) (active and control)] to evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of tDCS coupled with exercise on the endogenous pain regulatory system assessed by conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and central sensitization as assessed by temporal slow pain summation (TSPS), and compared to either intervention alone and to no intervention.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2019

open study

HIV-infected individuals treated with antiretroviral medications are living longer, but have an increased risk of heart disease when compared to non-HIV-infected individuals. A hormone called aldosterone, which regulates blood pressure and sodium balance, is elevated in the HIV population in association with with increased belly fat and altered glucose metabolism. Elevations in aldosterone hormone may also be associated with abnormal blood flow, inflammation, and coronary plaque in the heart. This study is being conducted to evaluate whether therapies to reduce the actions of aldosterone may decrease the burden and progression of heart disease in the HIV population.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2017

open study

Globally, over 1 million babies are born to mothers with HIV each year. With the advent of prenatal antiretroviral therapy, up to 98% of these individuals may be HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU). A growing literature suggests that in utero HIV exposure - even in the absence of subsequent infection - may be associated with adverse health outcomes in infancy and childhood. However, there is little information about the long-term health implications of in utero HIV exposure later in life, such as into adulthood. In this study, for the first time, we seek to prospectively evaluate metabolic and immune indices among HEU young adults as compared to well-matched HIV-unexposed uninfected controls. This study serves as a necessary first step toward optimizing clinical care for this expanding and aging HEU population, including the implementation of novel screening and prevention strategies.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2019

open study

This study is a large, prospective, pragmatic, controlled comparison of patient-centric outcomes [quality of life (QOL), toxicity, and disease control] between parallel cohorts of men with prostate cancer treated simultaneously at proton therapy facilities and at geographically similar conventional (photon-based) radiation facilities using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2018

open study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of treating opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnant women with extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR), compared to sublingual buprenorphine (BUP-SL), on mother and infant outcomes. The primary hypothesis is that the BUP-XR group will not have greater illicit opioid use than the BUP-SL group during pregnancy (non-inferiority).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether night time eating that coincides with elevated endogenous melatonin impairs glucose tolerance, particularly in carriers of the MTNR1B risk allele.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2017

open study

In the current study, the investigators aim to understand the role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in improving executive function across neuropsychiatric populations known to have deficits in this cognitive domain.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2014

open study

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of tDCS in combination with TUS for the treatment of pain and functional limitations in subjects with NSCLBP. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a decrease in pain levels with active stimulation, when compared to sham stimulation.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2016

open study

This project is part of a competitive revision to accelerate COVID-19 testing in underserved populations. The overall aim is to implement strategies to expand COVID testing in hotspot communities in MA, through 6 community health center (CHC)-community partnerships. A base strategy will be implemented at all sites. A tailored strategy unique to local populations will be added and tested in a stepped wedge design.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

The primary aim of this observational registry is to study the outcomes of patients with hemorrhagic shock transported by Boston MedFlight receiving blood products during transport.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Nov 2019

open study

This study will assess the safety and tolerability of multiple dose levels of PC14586 in participants with advanced solid tumors containing a p53 Y220C mutation.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2020

open study

This is a multi-center Phase 3 study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational study drug (called CTP-543) in adults (18 years and older) who have 50% or greater scalp hair loss. The study is placebo-controlled, meaning that some patients entering the study will not receive active study drug but will receive tablets with no active ingredients (a placebo). It is double-blinded, meaning that the Sponsor, the study doctors, the staff, and the patients will not know whether a patient is on active study drug (or the dose) or placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2020

open study

This BVD-523-ABC study builds on the safety and clinical activity experience of previous studies that have evaluated ulixertinib as a novel targeted cancer treatment in cohorts of patients with specific genetic alterations and tumor histologies that result in aberrant MAPK pathway signaling. Early clinical data have demonstrated anti-tumor activity with ulixertinib treatment and have identified specific groups of patients for whom additional development is warranted.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2020

open study

The Parkinson Progression Marker Initiative 2.0 (PPMI 2.0) is a longitudinal, observational, multi-center natural history study to assess progression of clinical features, digital outcomes, and imaging, biologic and genetic markers of Parkinson's disease (PD) progression in study participants with manifest PD, prodromal PD, and healthy controls The overall goal of PPMI 2.0 is to identify markers of disease progression for use in clinical trials of therapies to reduce progression of PD disability.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study

This study will identify the sex-dependent impact of expiratory-gated transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) on the modulation of the stress response circuitry and associated physiology in major depressive disorder (MDD). We will evaluate a sample of 80 adults with recurrent MDD randomized to receive active or sham expiratory-gated tVNS during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session, with simultaneous mood and physiological assessments. We hypothesize that expiratory-gated tVNS will effectively modulate, in a sex-dependent manner, specific brainstem-cortical pathways of the stress circuitry and attenuate physiological deficits in MDD.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2021

open study

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in combination with concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by either pembrolizumab with olaparib placebo (Arm 1) or with olaparib (Arm 2) compared to concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by durvalumab (Arm 3) in participants with unresectable, locally advanced NSCLC. Arms 1 and 2 will be studied in a double-blind design and Arm 3 will be open-label. The primary hypotheses are: 1. Pembrolizumab with concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by pembrolizumab with olaparib is superior to concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by durvalumab with respect to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) 2. pembrolizumab with concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by pembrolizumab is superior to concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by durvalumab with respect to PFS and OS

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study

This is a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, open-label study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab given in combination with cabozantinib versus cabozantinib alone in participants with inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who experienced radiographic tumor progression during or after Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) treatment in the metastatic setting.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study