Mass General - Division of Clinical Research

This research study is a Phase I clinical trial. Phase I clinical trials test the safety of an investigational intervention. Phase I studies also try to define the appropriate dose of the investigational therapy to use for further studies. "Investigational" means that the intervention is still being studied and that research doctors are trying to find out more about it. Retroperitoneal sarcomas are soft tissue tumors located at the far back of the abdomen. Typically, patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas either have surgery for the removal of their tumors alone, or have their tumors removed, followed by standard radiation therapy, or have pre-operative radiation followed by surgery. When conventional radiation therapy is delivered after surgery, it can damage normal tissue. In this study, you will undergo proton beam radiation therapy or IMRT before undergoing surgery for the removal of your tumor. Proton radiation and IMRT are FDA approved radiation delivery systems. Protons are tiny particles with positive charge that can be controlled to travel a certain distance and stop inside the body. In theory, this allows better control of where the radiation dose is delivered as compared to photons. Since proton radiation is more targeted, it may help to reduce unwanted side effects from radiation. In this study, a standard dose of radiation will be given to the majority of the tumor, while a simultaneously integrated boost of additional radiation will be given to certain areas of the tumor identified as higher risk. This means that a higher radiation dose will be given to the higher risk areas of the tumor. The purpose of this study is to determine the highest dose of radiation therapy with protons or IMRT that can be delivered safely in patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas and the effectiveness of proton beam radiation therapy as an intervention for patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2012

open study

Without an explanation for severe and sometimes life-threatening symptoms, patients and their families are left in a state of unknown. Many individuals find themselves being passed from physician to physician, undergoing countless and often repetitive tests in the hopes of finding answers and insight about what the future may hold. This long and arduous journey to find a diagnosis does not end for many patients- the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR) notes that 6% of individuals seeking their assistance have an undiagnosed disorder. In 2008, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) was established with the goal of providing care and answers for these individuals with mysterious conditions who have long eluded diagnosis. The NIH UDP is a joint venture of the NIH ORDR, the National Human Genome Research Institute Intramural Research Program (NHGRI-IRP), and the NIH Clinical Research Center (CRC) (1-3). The goals of the NIH UDP are to: (1) provide answers for patients with undiagnosed diseases; (2) generate new knowledge about disease mechanisms; (3) assess the application of new approaches to phenotyping and the use of genomic technologies; and (4) identify potential therapeutic targets, if possible. To date, the UDP has evaluated 3300 medical records and admitted 750 individuals with rare and undiagnosed conditions to the NIH Clinical Center. The NIH UDP has identified more than 70 rare disease diagnoses and several new conditions. The success of the NIH UDP prompted the NIH Common Fund to support the establishment of a network of medical research centers, the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN), for fiscal years 2013-2020. The clinical sites will perform extensive phenotyping, genetic analyses, and functional studies of potential disease-causing variants. The testing performed on patients involves medically indicated studies intended to help reach a diagnosis, as well as research investigations that include a skin biopsy, blood draws, and DNA analysis. In addition, the UDN will further the goals of the UDP by permitting the sharing of personally identifiable phenotypic and genotypic information within the network. By sharing participant information and encouraging collaboration, the UDN hopes to improve the understanding of rare conditions and advance the diagnostic process and care for individuals with undiagnosed diseases.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2015

open study

This early phase, open label, single arm clinical trial will determine the intraindividual safety, tolerability and effects of NPC1 (parthenolide and ipriflavone) on blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology among adults with subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer's disease and objective indicators of seeding AD pathology

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2026

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of immunotherapy (IO) with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to IO alone in treating patients with liver cancer (hepatocellular cancer) that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). The usual approach is treatment with IO-based drug combinations, such as atezolizumab and bevacizumab, durvalumab and tremelimumab, or ipilimumab and nivolumab. IO with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, tremelimumab, atezolizumab, nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Bevacizumab is in a class of medications called antiangiogenic agents. It works by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumor. This may slow the growth and spread of tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. SBRT is a type of external radiation therapy that uses special equipment to position a patient and precisely deliver radiation to tumors in the body (except the brain). The total dose of radiation is divided into smaller doses given over several days. This type of radiation therapy helps spare normal tissue. Giving IO with SBRT may be more effective than IO alone in helping patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer live longer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2026

open study

This is a parallel-group, Phase 3, double-blind, 2-arm study to investigate the efficacy, safety, PK and PD of oral rilzabrutinib in achieving durable Hb response (DHR) compared with placebo in approximately 90 male and female participants ≥ 18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of primary wAIHA. Following a 4-week screening period, eligible participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive rilzabrutinib or placebo in primary analysis period (PAP) for a duration of up to 24 weeks. All participants who completed PAP will then continue in open-label period (OLP) to receive rilzabrutinib for a duration of 28 weeks. Upon the completion of OLP, only participants who demonstrate Hb increase during the last 8 weeks of OLP per specified criteria in the protocol will be eligible to continue in long-term extension (LTE) of the study. The duration of the LTE period will be from the first-participant-in (FPI)-LTE until the last participant completes 52 weeks in LTE. The safety follow-up period of this study following treatment completion or discontinuation will be 2 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to measure the safety and efficacy of LY4175408 in participants with selected advanced cancer. In addition, this study will evaluate how much LY4175408 gets into the bloodstream, how it is broken down, and how long it takes the body to get rid of it. Participation could last up to 4 years.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

This is a multinational, open label, single arm study that will evaluate the impact of early multi-immune modulation with rilzabrutinib in adult ITP patients who failed first-line treatment. The study includes a screening period (up to 8 weeks), a primary analysis period (up to 28 weeks), a long-term extension period for selected participants (28 weeks) and a 24-week follow-up period only for eligible participants.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2025

open study

This is an open-label, single-institution study to assess the safety and the efficacy of the Sip-Tego regimen for the induction of donor-specific immunologic unresponsiveness to a renal allograft. The investigators propose to treat 6 adult subjects in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who do not demonstrate evidence of prior sensitization.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

This is a Phase 2 study of the study drug, ivosidenib (a mutant IDH1 inhibitor), compared to placebo, given to patients with IDH1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2026

open study

First in human study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of BBO-10203, a PI3Kα:RAS breaker, alone and in combination with other anti-cancer agents in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bilateral stimulation of the subcallosal cingulate white matter (SCCwm) using Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) as an adjunctive treatment of non-psychotic unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

To learn if the drug combination of adagrasib, cetuximab, and cemiplimab can help to control metastatic CRC with KRAS G12C mutations.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2024

open study

This research study aims to develop a brief group-based treatment called Resilience Training for Teens, then to test how well it protects high school students with mild symptoms of depression, anxiety, or having unusual feelings from developing mental illnesses.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

The project is a placebo-controlled study that aims to use closed-loop transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to study patients with symptoms of mild cognitive impairment which is likely due to Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia (AD-MCI). Patients will undergo an EEG and complete some questionnaires and computer tasks during each study visit. The project has the following aims and hypotheses: 1.) To determine the impact of closed-loop 40 Hz tACS on the entrainment of natural gamma rhythms in patients with AD-MCI, 2.) To determine the impact of closed-loop 40 Hz tACS on cognitive performance in patients with AD-MCI, and 3.) To assess the relationship between baseline neurodegenerative burden and impact of tACS. [exploratory]

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by significant memory loss, toxic protein deposits (amyloid and tau) in the brain, and changes in the gamma frequency band on EEG. Gamma waves are important for memory, and in patients with AD, there are fewer gamma waves in the brain. The Tsai lab found that boosting gamma waves in AD mouse models using light and sound stimulation at 40Hz not only reduced amyloid and tau in the brain, but also improved memory. A light and sound device was developed for humans that stimulates the brain at 40Hz that can be used safely at home. The goal of this study is to see if using this device can prevent dementia in people who are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

This is a placebo-controlled, multi-arm phase II platform screening trial designed to test the safety, pain responses, and pharmacodynamic activity of multiple experimental therapies simultaneously in participants with moderate-to-severe pain due to schwannomatosis (SWN). This Master Study is being conducted as a platform that may allow participants with pain associated with schwannomatosis to receive a novel intervention throughout this study. Embedded within the Master Study are individual drug sub-studies: - Investigational Drug Sub-Study A: Siltuximab - Investigation Drug Sub-Study B: Erenumab-Aooe

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2023

open study

The objective of this Master Protocol is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of plixorafenib in participants with BRAF altered (BRAF V600E or BRAF fusions) locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors, or recurrent or progressive primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors, including rare BRAF V600E-mutated solid tumors, including anaplastic thyroid, ovarian, cholangiocarcinoma or other rare cancers.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

This phase II trial tests whether the addition of radiation to the primary tumor, typically given with stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR), in combination with standard of care immunotherapy improves outcomes in patients with renal cell cancer that is not recommended for surgery and has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). Radiation therapy uses high energy photons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Stereotactic body radiation therapy uses special equipment to position a patient and deliver radiation to tumors with high precision. This method may kill tumor cells with fewer doses of radiation over a shorter period and cause less damage to normal tissue. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, ipilimumab, avelumab, and pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Axitinib, cabozantinib, and lenvatinib are in a class of medications called antiangiogenic agents. They work by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumor. This may slow the growth and spread of tumor. Giving SABR in combination with standard of care immunotherapy may help shrink or stabilize the cancer in patients with renal cell cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

Glioblastoma (GBM) adaptive, global, innovative learning environment (GBM AGILE) is an international, seamless Phase II/III response adaptive randomization platform trial designed to evaluate multiple therapies in newly diagnosed (ND) and recurrent GBM. All institutions are enrolling Newly Diagnosed participants. Institutions also enrolling Recurrent participants are marked with an asterisk (*).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2019

open study

This phase III trial studies whether inotuzumab ozogamicin added to post-induction chemotherapy and immunotherapy (chemo-immunotherapy) for patients with High-Risk B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) improves outcomes. Inotuzumab ozogamicin is a monoclonal antibody, which is a type of protein that can bind to certain targets on the surface of cells. Inotuzumab ozogamicin is a monoclonal antibody that is linked to a type of chemotherapy called calicheamicin. Inotuzumab attaches to cancer cells by binding to the CD22 protein on the surface of the cancer cell and delivering calicheamicin inside the cells to kill them. Other drugs used in the chemotherapy regimen, such as cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dexamethasone, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, methotrexate, leucovorin, mercaptopurine, prednisone, thioguanine, vincristine, and pegaspargase or calaspargase pegol work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Blinatumomab is a specialized type of monoclonal antibody known as a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE). It works by simultaneously binding to CD19 on cancer cells and CD3 on normal immune cells, bringing them together to destroy leukemia cells. Blinatumomab is a standard part of chemo-immunotherapy treatment for B-ALL. This trial also studies the outcomes of patients with mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL), and B-lymphoblastic lymphoma (B-LLy) when treated with ALL therapy without inotuzumab ozogamicin or blinatumomab. The overall goal of this study is to understand if adding inotuzumab ozogamicin to standard of care chemo-immunotherapy maintains or improves outcomes in High Risk B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (HR B-ALL). The first part of the study includes the first phase of therapy: Induction. This part will collect information on the leukemia, as well as the effects of the initial treatment, to classify patients into post-induction treatment groups. On the second part of this study, patients with HR B-ALL will receive the remainder of the chemotherapy cycles (consolidation, blinatumomab block 1, interim maintenance 1, blinatumomab block 2, delayed intensification, interim maintenance 2, maintenance), with some patients randomized to receive inotuzumab. The patients that receive inotuzumab will not receive part of consolidation or part of delayed intensification. Other aims of this study include evaluating 1) side effects of treatment using patient-reported outcomes and health-related quality of life, 2) the best ways to help patients adhere to oral chemotherapy regimens, 3) the relationship between levels of inotuzumab ozogamicin in the blood and side effects, 4) the impact of chemo-immunotherapy on the immune system and risk of infection, and 5) the impact of social determinants of health on outcomes. Finally, this study will be the first to track the outcomes of subjects with disseminated B-cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-LLy) or Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia (MPAL) when treated with B-ALL chemotherapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2019

open study

Objectives of this study are to determine whether active VNS Therapy treatment is superior to a no stimulation control in producing a reduction in baseline depressive symptom severity, based on multiple depression scale assessment tools at 12 months from randomization.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2019

open study

This research study is studying a combination of targeted therapies as a possible treatment for estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) endometrial cancer. The drugs involved in this study are: - Abemaciclib (also known as Verzenio™) - Letrozole (also known as Femara®) - Metformin (also known as Glucophage®) - Gedatolisib (also known as PF-05212384)

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2018

open study

This is a 2-part study evaluating ATV-1601 in participants with moderate to severe HHT. Part 1 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating 3 dosing regimens of ATV-1601. Patients completing Part 1 may participate in the Part 2 open-label extension to receive ATV-1601.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2026

open study

This study will test the hypotheses that adolescent with repetitive negative thinking who at at-risk for serious mental illness will show greater default mode network (DMN) connectivity than healthy controls, at-risk adolescents will show greater changes in DMN connectivity than healthy controls, and that a longer session of mindfulness based neurofeedback will lead to greater reduction in DMN connectivity. To do so, 50 adolescents with elevated repetitive negative thinking and 50 matched healthy control participants will be enrolled into a double-blind randomized clinical trial of a session of mindfulness training with either active mindfulness-basde neurofeedback or sham mindfulness-based neurofeedback.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn the formation and recovery rate of methemoglobin (MetHb) in severely sick patients with pneumonia who receive high doses of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) therapy at 250 parts per million (ppm), not exceeding 300 ppm. Meanwhile, the benefits of the therapy to treat severely sick patients with pneumonia will be explored. Patients who are 18 years or older, newly diagnosed with pneumonia, and severely sick with requirement of a breathing machine could be included. The main questions it aims to answer are: How does methemoglobin change through the iNO treatment? Does iNO therapy increase the number of patients recovering from pneumonia? Researchers will compare iNO treatment to placebo, which means using the same device as the treatment group without delivering the study drug. Participants will: - Receive iNO treatment starting at 250 ppm, not exceeding 300 ppm, 40 min, every 6 hours, from day 1 to day 5 - Be followed up for 60 days

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2026

open study