NCT03845582

Phase 2/3 Study of ALK-001 in Geographic Atrophy

A Phase 2/3 Multicenter, Randomized, Double-masked, Parallel-group, Placebo-controlled Study to Investigate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Tolerability, and Efficacy of ALK-001 in Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2 / Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (actual)
• Sponsor: Alkeus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Industry
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a double-masked, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, evaluating the efficacy and safety of ALK-001 in participants with Geographic Atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Up to 200 participants will receive ALK-001 while up to 100 participants will receive a placebo.

Detailed description

There is no oral treatment available for Geographic Atrophy secondary to AMD. AMD is characterized by an age-related degeneration of the retina. The root cause for this degeneration or why some people develop AMD while others do not, is unknown. Over 20 years ago, it was hypothesized that the dimerization of vitamin A may be a significant contributor to the etiology of AMD. The eye indeed uses vitamin A as a cofactor to sense light, and a striking chemical signature of the aging and degenerating retina is the accumulation of vitamin A dimers in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the underlying Bruch's membrane. In rodent models, high levels of vitamin A dimers correlate with poor retinal health, and a variety of mechanisms have been proposed by which vitamin A dimers may induce retinal toxicity. It has been argued that these mechanisms participate in the development and progression of AMD. ALK-001, the study drug, is a modified form of vitamin A. When taken once a day as a capsule, it replaces natural vitamin A in the body with one that forms vitamin A dimers more slowly. This study will measure the extent to which treatment with ALK-001 slows the progression of Geographic Atrophy.

Conditions

• Geographic Atrophy
• Age Related Macular Degeneration
• AMD
• Atrophy, Geographic

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	ALK-001 oral capsule	Daily administration for 24 months
DRUG	Placebo oral capsule	Daily administration for 24 months

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-05-07
• Primary completion: 2023-07-25
• Completion: 2024-06-30
• First posted: 2019-02-19
• Last updated: 2025-11-03
• Results posted: 2025-10-16

Locations

24 sites across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study