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International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations

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TUDCA Trial

Background

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is an acid present in the bile regularly produced in the human liver. TUDCA is commonly used for treatment of chronic liver conditions and for gallstone and it is thought to have a beneficial effect on mitochondria health (ref: Hoffman 1999). TUDCA has also been described as a protective agent for cellular cell death, and therefore, considered for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (ref: Amaral et al., 2009).

Trial Design & Results

A phase 2b proof of concept double blind placebo-controlled study was run in Italy from 2008 to 2012 on 34 individuals affected by ALS/MND. The trial enrolled earlystage non severely disabled individuals who were treated with 1g twice daily of TUDCA or placebo for 54 weeks and examined every 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the portion of responder individuals, defined as those showing an improvement of at least 15% in the ALS functional rating scale revised (ALSFRS-R) slope during treatment period compared to the lead in period (the stage before the start of the trial). The study reported that TUDCA was well tolerated, and that the portion of responders was higher in the TUDCA treated group compared to placebo, resulting in slower progression in the TUDCA treated group (ref: Elia et al., 2015). However, this study was conducted on a relatively small number of individuals and a phase 3 was necessary to confirm TUDCA efficacy in slowing disease progression.

On the basis of the results of the phase 2b study, a larger multi center phase 3 placebo-controlled trial was designed using the same dosage of TUDCA and placebo. The trial aimed to recruit 440 people newly diagnosed with ALS in 26 centers across Italy, Germany, UK, France, the Netherlands and Ireland. The delivery of the trial was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and recruitment was less than planned. The results from this trial were released in March 2024, the study ran for 18 months including a total of 336 people but failed to meet its primary endpoint, which was defined as a difference in responding and nonresponding individuals in month 18 as measured by ALSFRS-R. Additionally, no difference was found between TUDCA and placebo in secondary outcome measures including time of survival and biomarker measurements. Treatment with TUDCA was well tolerated and generally safe (ref: TUDCA-ALS).

TUDCA is also one of the two components of AMX0035, a compound developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals that was recently announced to have not met either primary or secondary endpoints in a phase 3 clinical trial (ref: Amylyx press release).

Summary

Considering the available evidence, it is the opinion of the SAC that TUDCA is safe and tolerable. Given the available data, however, it is the opinion of the SAC that there is enough evidence to conclude that at the studied dosage, TUDCA did not show overall benefit in individuals living with ALS.

International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations
September 2024


The original language of communication is English and any translation cannot be guaranteed for accuracy of messaging.

SOURCES

  • Hoffman 1999 – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1105662
  • Amaral et al., 2009 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520307252?pes=vor
  • Elia et al., 2015 – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.12664
  • TUDCA-ALS – https://www.tudca.eu/top-line-results-announcement/
  • Amylyx press release – https://www.amylyx.com/news/amylyx-pharmaceuticalsannounces-topline-results-from-global-phase-3-phoenix-trial-of-amx0035-in-als

Primary Sidebar

  • Carlos Gomez Matallanas, Diagnosed 2014 , FUNDELA, Spain

    Carlos Gomez Matallanas, Diagnosed 2014 , FUNDELA, Spain

  • Marcelo Farinelli, Diagnosed 2006, ABrELA, Brazil

    Marcelo Farinelli, Diagnosed 2006, ABrELA, Brazil

  • Natalya Rybakova, Russia

    Natalya Rybakova, Russia

  • Ismail Gokcek, Turkey

    Ismail Gokcek, Turkey
    ismail_gokcek_alsmnd_tr

  • Maurice LeClerc, ALS Canada

    Maurice LeClerc, ALS Canada

  • Greg Heydet, ALS Hope Foundation, USA

    Greg Heydet, ALS Hope Foundation, USA

  • Philip Brindle,  MND Association,  Diagnosed 2015,  England

    Philip Brindle, MND Association, Diagnosed 2015, England

  • Valdomiro Xavier Honório, Brazil

    Valdomiro Xavier Honório, Brazil

  • Catherine Pearce, Australia

    Catherine Pearce, Australia

  • IMG_1211

    IMG_1211

  • David Bishop

    David Bishop

  • Brian Parsons

    Brian Parsons

  • Claire Garry, USA

    Claire Garry, USA
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  • Dawn Morton, Diagnosed 2014 , MND Scotland, UK

    Dawn Morton, Diagnosed 2014 , MND Scotland, UK

  • Jette Odgaard Villemoes, Muskelsvindfonden, Denmark

    Jette Odgaard Villemoes, Muskelsvindfonden, Denmark

  • Den Haag, Diagnosed 2016 , The Netherlands

    Den Haag, Diagnosed 2016 , The Netherlands

  • Diana Fernandez, Diagnosed 2009 , Asociación ELA Argentina

    Diana Fernandez, Diagnosed 2009 , Asociación ELA Argentina

  • Dr Shelly Hoover

    Dr Shelly Hoover

  • Lucy Lintott, Diagnosed 2013 , MND Scotland, UK

    Lucy Lintott, Diagnosed 2013 , MND Scotland, UK

  • Rosie Riley, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

    Rosie Riley, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

  • Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, Asha Ek Hope Foundation for ALS/MND, Diagnosed 2018, India

    Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, Asha Ek Hope Foundation for ALS/MND, Diagnosed 2018, India

  • Lombana, Spain

    Lombana, Spain

  • Graham Johnson, MND Australia

    Graham Johnson, MND Australia

  • Feng Gin Sun, Diagnosed 2014 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

    Feng Gin Sun, Diagnosed 2014 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

  • Joanne Pratt, Diagnosed 2011 , MND Australia

    Joanne Pratt, Diagnosed 2011 , MND Australia

  • Leon Ryba, Argentina

    Leon Ryba, Argentina

  • Cath Muir

    Cath Muir
    Cath

  • Fernando Ocampo Cardona, Colombia

    Fernando Ocampo Cardona, Colombia

  • Liz Ogg, Diagnosed 2013 , MND Scotland, UK

    Liz Ogg, Diagnosed 2013 , MND Scotland, UK

  • Monica Soriano, Diagnosed 2011 ,  Asociación ELA , Argentina

    Monica Soriano, Diagnosed 2011 , Asociación ELA , Argentina

  • Wendy Hendrickson, ALS Hope Foundation, USA

    Wendy Hendrickson, ALS Hope Foundation, USA

  • Yessenia Hernandez Mendoza, Apoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

    Yessenia Hernandez Mendoza, Apoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

  • Maria Santos Garcia Tellez, Diagnosed 2017 , FYADENMAC, Mexico

    Maria Santos Garcia Tellez, Diagnosed 2017 , FYADENMAC, Mexico

  • Brian Lovell, Diagnosed 2011 . MND Australia

    Brian Lovell, Diagnosed 2011 . MND Australia

  • Teddy Hanono Annie, Apoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

    Teddy Hanono Annie, Apoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

  • Jose Rivero Muñoz, Diagnosed 2015, FYADENMAC, Mexico

    Jose Rivero Muñoz, Diagnosed 2015, FYADENMAC, Mexico

  • Ana Lilia RodriguezApoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

    Ana Lilia RodriguezApoyo Integral Gila A.C., Diagnosed 2018, Mexico

  • Bjarne Hytjanstorp, ALS Norge, Norway

    Bjarne Hytjanstorp, ALS Norge, Norway

  • Ali Var, Turkey

    Ali Var, Turkey

  • Enzo Maccarrone, AISLA ONLUS, Italy

    Enzo Maccarrone, AISLA ONLUS, Italy

  • João Marcos Andrietta, Diagnosed 2008 , ABrELA, Brazil

    João Marcos Andrietta, Diagnosed 2008 , ABrELA, Brazil

  • Jose Espinosa, Argentina

    Jose Espinosa, Argentina

  • Timmy, ALS Liga

    Timmy, ALS Liga

  • Liong Ting Ngu, MND Malaysia, Diagnosed 2014

    Liong Ting Ngu, MND Malaysia, Diagnosed 2014

  • H. Todd Kelly, Diagnosed 2013 , ALS Hope Foundation, USA

    H. Todd Kelly, Diagnosed 2013 , ALS Hope Foundation, USA

  • Margarita Pizarro, Asociacion ELA Argentina, Diagnosed 2017, Argentina

    Margarita Pizarro, Asociacion ELA Argentina, Diagnosed 2017, Argentina

  • Robbie Caliste, UK

    Robbie Caliste, UK

  • Animesh Kumar, Diagnosed 2013 , Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

    Animesh Kumar, Diagnosed 2013 , Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

  • Jean

    Jean
    jean

  • Zelina Brito, Diagnosed 2018, Brazil

    Zelina Brito, Diagnosed 2018, Brazil

Learn more about the March of Faces

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  • TUDCA Trial

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