UAB - Center for Clinical and Translational Science

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

The WeDecide study is a large observational study comparing the long-term effects of matched related donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (MRD HCT) and non-transplant disease-modifying therapies (NT-DMT) for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The study aims to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL), cognitive function, risks, and benefits of both treatments, including survival rates, chronic complications, and organ damage prevention. With 160 children in the MRD HCT group and 320 in the NT-DMT group, aged 3-20.9 years, the study will follow participants for three years, examining factors like disease severity, treatment history, and social determinants of health. By providing a comprehensive comparison, the study seeks to inform clinical decisions and improve understanding of SCD treatment outcomes, ultimately supporting families and healthcare providers in choosing the best treatment options.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

This project will compare the health effects of public housing renovation, neighborhood built and social environment improvements, and indoor air purification, alone and in combination, as well as the cost effectiveness of each approach. STUDY 1: The study will assess the effects of public housing and neighborhood environment (built and social) improvements on health-related behaviors, psychosocial and physiologic stress, and self-reported and physiological markers of lung health and chronic disease. STUDY 2: The study will determine whether indoor air purification can positively impact lung health in public housing sites not undergoing housing renovation, comparing a site near industrial pollution vs one less contaminated.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to find out what combination of components, if any, offers the best support for keeping weight off after someone loses weight. Long term weight loss maintenance is a challenge for many people who lose weight. There are many strategies, or components, people may use to avoid regain, but investigators do not know if there is a best, or optimal, combination of such components that can be done without adding a lot of cost or other burdens for people. - The primary goal of this clinical trial is to identify the optimal package that maximizes weight loss maintenance. - The study also wants to understand the reasons why these components may work and if certain components help specific sub-groups of people. Participants will engage in a 16-week Phase 1 Weight Loss Program. Participants who lose 5% or more of their weight during that program will continue to Phase 2 Extended Care and be randomly assigned to 0, 1, 2, 3, or all of four methods of weight loss maintenance. They will use their assigned package for 12 months. Researchers will compare 16 different possible combinations of components and learn which of the 16 packages offers the best support for keeping weight off. The four components participants could be assigned to in Phase 2 are: 1. Reduced Food Variety: Limiting the variety of foods participants eat by having them choose a few high-calorie, low nutrient foods to eat regularly 2. Home-based Resistance Training: Engaging in exercises that build strength from the comfort of the participant's own home 3. Buddy Training and Support: Having a friend or "buddy" get trained to support the participant 4. Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) Workshops: Having participants learn skills to handle tough thoughts and feelings about weight control in a healthy way Participants will have their weight measured and complete surveys 4 times if they complete both Phase 1 and Phase 2. During Phase 1, participants will attend weekly group sessions and be in touch with a study staff member investigators call a Wellness Coach. During Phase 2, participants will stay in touch with their Wellness Coach, use their assigned package, and answer questions about their experience periodically.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well JNJ-89495120 works (anti-depressant effects) and how well it is tolerated as compared to placebo on reducing the symptoms of depression in participants with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effect of breast-pumping frequency on breast milk supply/ volume in mothers of preterm infants. The main question it aims to answer is: - What effect does pumping frequency have on breast milk supply. Researchers will compare breastmilk supply of mothers who pump every 2 hours to the supply of those who pump every 3 hours to see if there is a difference in the amount of breastmilk they produce. Participants will be assigned to either pump every 2 hours or every 3 hours and record how many milliliters of breastmilk they produce daily for the first 28 days of their baby's life.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2025

open study

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a known side effect of the treatment with fruquintinib. Current research does not provide a clear answer whether minority groups such as Black/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have a bigger risk of higher blood pressure after treatment with fruquintinib. The main aim of this study is to learn how often adults of a minority group experience hypertension after they have been treated with fruquintinib for refractory mCRC. Other aims are to learn how safe fruquintinib is and how well it is tolerated by participants. Participants will receive fruquintinib in 4-week treatment cycles until their condition worsens, they do no longer tolerate the treatment or stop the treatment for other reasons. After the last treatment, participants will be checked upon every 3 months until study completion.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

The trial will be an open label, single arm, phase 2 study in 20 participants. The study will assess the tolerability and efficacy of HLX-1502 in participants with NF1 16 years of age or older with progressive and/or symptomatic PN.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

This study is being done to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a time-restricted eating intervention among postpartum women with overweight/obesity.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Arlocabtagene Autoleucel (BMS-986393) in participants with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

This is a parallel group, Phase 3, multinational, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm study for treatment of participants diagnosed with moderate-to-severe AD on background TCS who have had inadequate response to prior biologic or oral JAKi therapy. The purpose of this study is to measure the efficacy and safety of treatment with amlitelimab solution for subcutaneous (SC) injection compared with placebo in participants with moderate-to-severe AD aged 12 years and older on background TCS and have had an inadequate response to prior biologic or an oral JAKi therapy. Study details include: At the end of the treatment period, participants will have the option to enter the Long-Term Safety Study LTS17367 (RIVER-AD). The study duration will be up to 56 weeks for participants not entering the long-term safety study (LTS17367 [RIVER-AD]) including a 2 to 4-week screening, a 36-week randomized double-blind period, and a 16-week safety follow-up. The study duration will be up to 40 weeks for participants entering the long-term safety study (LTS17367 [RIVER-AD]) including a 2 to 4-week screening and a 36-week randomized double-blind period. The total treatment duration will be up to 36 weeks. The total number of visits will be up to 13 visits (or 12 visits for those entering the long-term safety study LTS17367 [RIVER-AD] study).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2024

open study

The purpose of each study is to independently measure the annualized relapse rate (ARR) with administration of frexalimab compared to a daily oral dose of teriflunomide in male and female participants with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (aged 18 to 55 years at the time of enrollment). People diagnosed with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis are eligible for enrollment as long as they meet all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria. Study details include: - This event-driven study will have variable duration of approximately 40 months for the first participant being randomized and approximately 20 months for the last participant randomized. - The study intervention duration will vary ranging from approximately 12 to 40 months. - The assessment of scheduled visits will include 1 common end of study [EOS] visit and 3 follow-up visits) with a visit frequency of every 4 weeks for the first 6 months and then every 3 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

This is a first-in-human Phase I, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, pharmacodynamic, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of RO7566802 as a single agent and in combination with atezolizumab in participants with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic incurable solid tumor malignancies. Participants will be enrolled in 2 stages: dose escalation and expansion.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BMS-986278 in Participants with Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of sefaxersen (RO7434656), a novel Antisense Oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in participants with primary IgA nephropathy (IgAN) who are at high risk of progressive kidney disease despite optimized supportive care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2023

open study

The main purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of vixarelimab compared with placebo on lung function in participants with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and in participants with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Participants who complete 52-weeks of treatment in the Double-blind Treatment (DBT) period can choose to enroll in the optional Open-label Extension (OLE) period to receive treatment with vixarelimab for another 52 weeks. Cohort 1 has completed enrollment and has been closed for further enrollment. Cohort 2 is enrolling participants.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2023

open study

The goal of this follow-up study is to learn about long-term patient survival and graft function in highly sensitized patients who have received desensitization treatment with imlifidase or standard of care (SoC) in order to enable kidney transplantation in clinical study ConfIdeS (20-HMedIdeS-17, NCT04935177).

Type: Observational

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

This is a Phase 3, open-label, randomized, clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of gedatolisib plus fulvestrant with or without palbociclib for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer following progression on or after CDK4/6 and aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

A randomized trial to determine whether simultaneous treatment with spectacles and patching has an equivalent VA outcome compared with sequential treatment, first with spectacles alone followed by patching (if needed), for previously untreated amblyopia in children 3 to <13 years of age.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of olaparib for one year versus two years, with or without bevacizumab, for the treatment of BRCA 1/2 mutated or homologous recombination deficient stage III or IV ovarian cancer. Olaparib is a polyadenosine 5'-diphosphoribose polymerase (PARP) enzyme inhibitor and may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. 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. Giving olaparib for one year with or without bevacizumab may be effective in treating patients with BRCA 1/2 mutated or homologous recombination deficient stage III or IV ovarian cancer, when compared to two years of olaparib.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to establish the efficacy, safety and tolerability of barzolvolimab in adult participants with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) inadequately controlled by non-sedating second generation H1-antihistamines in comparison to placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) once predominantly affected older individuals, but in recent years has witnessed a progressive increase in incidence among young adults. Once rare, early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC, that is, a CRC diagnosed before the age of 50) now constitutes 10-15% of all newly diagnosed CRC cases and it stands as the first cause of cancer-related death in young men and the second for young women. This study aims to detect EOCRC with a non-invasive test, using a blood-based molecular assay based on microRNA (ribonucleic acid)

Type: Observational

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

This study is to investigate the efficacy of siplizumab in the treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of a 10-week online coach-guided EEWP on psychosocial health among adults with SCI.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

This phase III trial compares the addition of an immunotherapy drug (durvalumab) to usual chemotherapy versus usual chemotherapy alone in treating patients with MammaPrint High 2 Risk (MP2) stage II-III hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative breast cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. There is some evidence from previous clinical trials that people who have a MammaPrint High 2 Risk result may be more likely to respond to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Adding durvalumab to usual chemotherapy may be able to prevent the cancer from returning for patients with MP2 stage II-III hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative breast cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study