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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04793659

Fasudil fOr redUcing elopemeNt and Spatial Disorientation

Fasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor, is believed to reduce wandering behaviors of elopement and getting lost by improving spatial memory and navigation through improvements in hippocampal blood flow. Fasudil is non-sedating.

The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of oral fasudil in reducing wandering behaviors of elopement and/or getting lost in subjects with dementia. In addition, effects on wandering behaviors of excess movement and pacing, cognition, memory, neuropsychiatric symptomatology, caregiver/nursing staff burden, and the safety and tolerability of fasudil treatment will be assessed.

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Key information

Age range

50 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Modbury Hospital, Modbury, South Australia, Australia

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About this study

The study population will consist of subjects with dementia and wandering behaviors of elopement and/or getting lost. While it is anticipated that most participants will be residing at home (with caregiver support), subjects may live in another setting such as a group home, an assisted living unit, or in a long-term care facility, provided that a caregiver, formal or informal, has sufficient contact with the subject to permit accurate completion of the necessary assessments.

Enrolled subjects will enter the Open-Label Phase and receive treatment with fasudil 90 mg/day (30 mg three times daily [tid]) for 6 weeks in Open-Label Period 1. Responders (i.e., subjects who improve 2 points or more on the GIW) will proceed to the Double-Blind Phase. Subjects in whom fasudil is well-tolerated (i.e. subjects with ≤ 2 drug-related AEs of mild intensity, no drug-related AEs of greater than mild intensity, and creatinine level of < 1.5 mg/dL at all times during the period) and who do not respond will enter Open-Label Period 2, and be dosed with fasudil 180 mg/day (60 mg tid) for 6 weeks. Responders will proceed to the Double-Blind Phase and non-responders will move to the final post-treatment visit. In the Double-Blind Phase, subjects will receive treatment with either placebo or the dose they responded to in the Open-Label Phase (90 mg/day or 180 mg/day) for 6 weeks (Double-Blind Period 1), following which treatment assignment will be crossed over for 6 weeks (Double-Blind Period 2). A final post-treatment visit will occur 14 days after the last dose of study drug. Visits may be performed by qualified healthcare professionals at home or other care setting, or at a doctor's office/clinic. Interviews may be performed by telephone and/or telemedicine as appropriate.

Study Endpoints:

Primary:

  • The Global Impression of Wandering (GIW)

Secondary:

  • Weekly Wandering Report - Community Version (WWR-C)
  • The Revised Algase Wandering Scale - Community Version (RAWS-CV)
  • The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)
  • The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q)
  • The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - Community Version (CMAI-C)
  • The Center for Neurological Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS)
  • The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI)
  • Safety
  • Tolerability

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 50 to 90 years of age (inclusive).
  • Diagnosis of dementia of any etiology.
  • MMSE 9-24 (inclusive).
  • Presence of one or both of the following wandering behaviors that in the opinion of the investigator, in consultation with caregiver, is at least of moderate severity (defined as clearly a wanderer, and this causes some distress or difficulty for both the subject and caregiver):
  • Elopes or attempts to elope AND/OR
  • Gets lost or is unable to locate a specific place.
  • Independently ambulatory with or without assistive devices (such as canes or walkers). Subjects must not require assistance to transfer out of bed or a chair.
  • Subject has a caregiver who has more than 10 hours/week of contact with the subject, is fluent and literate in English and is willing to accept responsibility for supervising the treatment (e.g., administering study drug) and assessing the condition of the subject throughout the study in accordance with all protocol requirements.
  • Consent obtained from the participant/legally authorized representative (LAR) in accordance with local regulations.

Exclusion criteria

  • Expected change in medication that could interfere with the study or free movement of the subject.
  • Serum creatinine ≥ 1.5 mg/dL.
  • ALT and/or alkaline aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 2 X and/or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≥ 1.5 upper limit of normal.
  • Blood pressure < 90/60.
  • On more than one of the following drug classes: long-acting nitrates, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers.
  • Any severe comorbidity that in the opinion of the Investigator would disallow safe participation in the trial.
  • Women of child-bearing potential; females must be postmenopausal or surgically sterilized.
  • Suicidal ideation per the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) that in the opinion of the PI would pose a safety risk or interfere with the appropriate interpretation of study data.
  • Planned change in the current living setting during the study.
  • History within the last year of either two or more falls leading to clinically significant injuries or one or more fall leading to hospitalization, and/or evidence of orthostatic hypotension.
  • Participation in another investigational drug study within 30 days before start of Open-Label period.
  • Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, are not suitable for the study.

Treatment and study plan

Oral Fasudil 90 mg/day

Drug

Oral tablet

Oral Fasudil 180 mg/day

Drug

Oral tablet

oral placebo

Drug

Oral tablet

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Global Impression of Wandering (GIW) after oral Fasudil vs placebo in the Double-Blind Phase

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The GIW is a variant of the 7-point Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale and is used in FOUND specifically to obtain the investigator's overall assessment of severity of the subject's wandering behavior.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Weekly Wandering Report - Community Version (WWR-C)

    Time frame: Weekly during the 12 weeks of the Double-Blind period

    The WWR-C is composed of targeted questions related to excess walking, spontaneous pacing, elopement, and wayfinding; it is designed to be assessed on a weekly basis by caregivers about subjects for whom they care. The WWR-C asks the caregiver to rate the subject's behavior for the previous week.

  2. Change in the Revised Algase Wandering Scale - Community Version (RAWS-CV)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The RAWS-CV is a 40-item tool with 6 subscales to assess wandering behaviors (eloping behaviors, negative outcomes, mealtime impulsivity, persistent walking, repetitive walking, and spatial disorientation), and a total score scale.

  3. Change in Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The MMSE is a 30-point questionnaire that is used to measure cognitive impairment.

  4. Change in Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The NPI-Q provides an assessment of dementia-related emotional behavioral symptomatology in routine clinical practice settings. Caregiver distress is also assessed.

    The NPI-Q asks the assessor to rate the previous 30 days. At the Final Visit, the assessor will rate the NPI-Q for the 2-week period following the final dose. The scale is completed by the caregiver without input from the subject. All reasonable efforts should be made to ensure each NPI-Q for an individual subject is completed by the same caregiver to minimize inter-rater variability.

  5. Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - Community Version (CMAI-C)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The CMAI-C is a 37-item scale to systematically assess agitation.

  6. Center for Neurological Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The CNS-LS is a 7-item questionnaire to assess perceived frequency of pseudobulbar affect episodes.

  7. Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI)

    Time frame: Week 6 and Week 12 of the Double-Blind period

    The ZBI is a 22-item scale to assess caregiver burden.

  8. Adverse Events (AEs)

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  9. Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  10. Change in blood pressure

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  11. Change in blood parameters

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    Hematology: white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count

  12. Change in blood chemistry

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    Blood chemistry: glucose, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, cystatin c

  13. Change in liver function

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    Liver function tests: albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, ALP, AST, ALT, gamma glutamyl transferase, lactate dehydrogenase

  14. Change in urine contents

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    Urinalysis (occult blood, protein)

  15. Change in heart rhythm

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) will be used to obtain a record of cardiac activity

  16. Change in body weight

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  17. Change in body temperature

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  18. Change in respiratory rate

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

  19. Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

    Time frame: Through study completion, up to 26 weeks

    The C-SSRS is an assessment used to identify immediate risk of suicide, and is completed following the patient interview, review of medical record(s) and/or consultation with family members and/or other professionals. While the C-SSRS is a detailed interview, the full interview is needed only if the initial screening questions about suicidal ideation and behavior are positive.

    In subjects with severe cognitive impairment, i.e., so substantial as to interfere with an understanding of the concept of suicide, the C-SSRS may be omitted.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Woolsey Pharmaceuticals

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Phase 2a Combined Open-Label and Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study Assessing the Effectiveness, Safety, and Tolerability of Oral Fasudil in Subjects With Dementia and Wandering Behaviors of Elopement and/or Getting Lost

Acronym: FOUND

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2022
First posted
Mar 11, 2021
Registry last updated
Jul 11, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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