Therapeutic Nanocatalysis to Slow Disease Progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (RESCUE-ALS)

This is an interventional treatment trial for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis focused on measuring Gold, Nanocrystal, electromyography, ALS, Nanoparticle Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Able to understand and give written informed consent.
2. Male or female patients aged 30 years or greater (inclusive) and less than 80 years of age at the time of Screening.
3. Patients whose conditions are defined as possible or probable or definite ALS per the diagnostic criteria by Awaji-Shima criteria as determined by a neurologist sub- specialising in ALS (e.g., the Principal Investigator by study site).
4. For patients taking riluzole, stable dosing of riluzole over the prior 30-days from Screening.
5. At the time of Screening either disease duration less than or equal to 24-months from symptom onset, or disease duration less than or equal to 12-months from diagnosis.
6. Forced vital capacity (FVC) 60% of predicted value as adjusted for gender, height, and age at the Screening Visit.
7. Patient who has established care with a neurologist at one of the specialized ALS clinics involved in the study and will maintain this clinical care throughout the study. If a patient is referred from a third party (neurologist or a State based ALS organization) they must be willing to transfer care to the neurologist participating in the study.

Following completion of the 36-week randomized placebo controlled treatment period, interested participants must meet the following inclusion criteria to enroll in the open-label extension:

1. Participants must have completed the randomized placebo controlled Treatment Period without compliance issues
2. Able to understand and give written informed consent to participant in the open-label extension.
3. If referred from a third party (neurologist or a State based ALS organization), participant agrees to maintain transfer of care to a neurologist participating in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients will be excluded from the study if they meet any of the following criteria:

2. At Screening patients who utilize, or in the Investigator's judgment will be imminently dependent upon:

   1. Non-invasive ventilation > 22 hours per day, or
   2. Tracheostomy Note: If the patient requires non-invasive ventilation postrandomisation, they will be allowed to continue in the study.
3. Patients with Familial ALS (e.g., 2 or more family members with ALS or motor neuron disease)
4. Patients with a history of carpal tunnel syndrome, polyneuropathy, or in the investigators judgement diseases that could induce polyneuropathy and interfere with electromyography (EMG) recordings.
5. Patients with too severe atrophy of the Abductor Digiti Minimi (ADM), Abductor Pollicis Brevis (APB), Biceps Brachii (BB), or Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscles in the least clinically affected hand and leg, respectively, to allow for reliable EMG recordings.
6. Patient with a history of significant other major medical conditions based on the Investigator's judgment.
7. Based on the investigator's judgment, patients who may have difficulty complying with the protocol and/or any study procedures.
8. Patient with clinically significant abnormalities in haematology, blood chemistry, ECG, or physical examination not resolved by the Baseline visit which according to Investigator can interfere with study participation.
9. Patients with clinically significant hepatic or renal dysfunction or clinical laboratory findings that would limit the interpretability of change in liver or kidney function, or those with low platelet counts (< 150 x 109 per liter) or eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count of ≥ 500 eosinophils per microliter) at Screening.
10. Patient participating in any other investigational drug trial or using investigational drug (within 12 weeks prior to screening and thereafter).
11. Females who are pregnant or nursing or who plan to get pregnant during the course of this clinical trial or within 6 months of the end of this trial.
12. Females of child-bearing potential, or men, who are unwilling or unable to use accepted methods of birth control.
13. Active inflammatory condition or autoimmune disorder.
14. Positive screen for drugs of abuse.
15. History of gold allergy.
16. Patient is considered a suicide risk in the opinion of the Investigator, has previously made a suicide attempt, or is currently demonstrating active suicidal ideation. Subjects with intermittent passive suicidal ideation are not necessarily excluded based on the assessment of the Investigator.

Following completion of the 36-week randomized placebo controlled treatment period, interested participants will be excluded from participating in the open-label extension phase if they meet any of the following criteria:

1. Lack of treatment compliance during the randomized placebo controlled Treatment Period.
2. Positive pregnancy test at the Week 36 visit, or, females who plan to get pregnant during the course of this extension or within 6 months of the end of this extension.
3. Based on the investigator's judgment, patients who may have difficulty complying with the protocol and/or any study procedures.
4. Patient with clinically significant abnormalities in hematology, blood chemistry, ECG, or physical examination identified during the W36 visit which according to Investigator may interfere with continued participation.

5. Patients with clinically significant hepatic or renal dysfunction or clinical laboratory.

   findings that would limit the interpretability of change in liver or kidney function, or those with low platelet counts (< 150 x 109 per liter) or eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count of ≥ 500 eosinophils per microliter) at the Week 36 visit.

6. Patient is considered a suicide risk in the opinion of the Investigator, has previously made a suicide attempt, or is currently demonstrating active suicidal ideation. Subjects with intermittent passive suicidal ideation are not necessarily excluded based on the assessment of the Investigator.