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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

  • Guoqiang Xu, Diagnosed 2016 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

    Guoqiang Xu, Diagnosed 2016 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

  • Joy Blakeley, Diagnosed 2017 , MND Australia

    Joy Blakeley, Diagnosed 2017 , MND Australia

  • Shay Rishoni, Diagnosed 2011 , Prize4Life, Israel

    Shay Rishoni, Diagnosed 2011 , Prize4Life, Israel

  • Norm MacIsaac,  ALS Society of Canada,  ALS Society of Quebec,  Diagnosed 2014

    Norm MacIsaac, ALS Society of Canada, ALS Society of Quebec, Diagnosed 2014

  • John and Loretta Russo, USA

    John and Loretta Russo, USA
    final3878

  • Shera Mukherjee, Diagnosed 2013,  Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

    Shera Mukherjee, Diagnosed 2013, Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

  • Guido De Mets, Belgium

    Guido De Mets, Belgium

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

    Maria Santos Garcia Tellez, Diagnosed 2017 , FYADENMAC, Mexico

  • Jon Newsome, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

    Jon Newsome, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

  • Marco Antonio Alvarez Mercado, Mexico

    Marco Antonio Alvarez Mercado, Mexico

  • Susan Keldani, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

    Susan Keldani, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

  • Xian-Zhang Niu, Diagnosed 2006 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

    Xian-Zhang Niu, Diagnosed 2006 , Shaanxi ALS Association, China

  • Sébastien Batiot, Diagnosed 2012 , ARSLA, France

    Sébastien Batiot, Diagnosed 2012 , ARSLA, France

  • Elisabeth Zahnd, Switzerland

    Elisabeth Zahnd, Switzerland

  • Soledad Rodriguez, FUNDELA, Diagnosed 2013, Spain

    Soledad Rodriguez, FUNDELA, Diagnosed 2013, Spain

  • Liam Dwyer, England

    Liam Dwyer, England

  • IMG_2658

    IMG_2658

  • Danny Reviers, Diagnosed 1979 , ALS Liga België, Belgium

    Danny Reviers, Diagnosed 1979 , ALS Liga België, Belgium

  • Fabio Carvalho

    Fabio Carvalho

  • Zelina Brito, Diagnosed 2018, Brazil

    Zelina Brito, Diagnosed 2018, Brazil

  • Colm Francis Davis, Ireland

    Colm Francis Davis, Ireland

  • Anthony (Tony) Lynch, MND New South Wales, Diagnosed 2016, Australia

    Anthony (Tony) Lynch, MND New South Wales, Diagnosed 2016, Australia

  • Armando González Gómez, ACELA, Colombia

    Armando González Gómez, ACELA, Colombia

  • Wilfried Leusing, Diagnosed 2010 , DGM, Germany

    Wilfried Leusing, Diagnosed 2010 , DGM, Germany

  • Eddy LeFrançois, Diagnosed 1992,  ALS Canada

    Eddy LeFrançois, Diagnosed 1992, ALS Canada

  • Natalya Rybakova, Russian Charity ALS Foundation

    Natalya Rybakova, Russian Charity ALS Foundation

  • Phil Rossall, MND-Association, UK

    Phil Rossall, MND-Association, UK

  • Antonio Ventriglia,  ALS Liga Belgium,  Diagnosed 2013

    Antonio Ventriglia, ALS Liga Belgium, Diagnosed 2013

  • Aida Trzmiel de Guterman, Asociacion ELA Argentina, Diagnosed 2007, Argentina

    Aida Trzmiel de Guterman, Asociacion ELA Argentina, Diagnosed 2007, Argentina

  • Alejandro Aquino, Diagnosed 2011 , Asociación ELA Argentina

    Alejandro Aquino, Diagnosed 2011 , Asociación ELA Argentina

  • Verónica Isabel Castro Molina, Diagnosed 2014, Argentina

    Verónica Isabel Castro Molina, Diagnosed 2014, Argentina

  • Laurie Petit-Jean, Diagnosed 2012 , ARSLA, France

    Laurie Petit-Jean, Diagnosed 2012 , ARSLA, France

  • Willi Klein

    Willi Klein

  • Sam Hayden-Harler, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, UK

    Sam Hayden-Harler, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, UK

  • Ada Garrido Benavidez, Diagnosed 2016,  FYADENMAC, Mexico

    Ada Garrido Benavidez, Diagnosed 2016, FYADENMAC, Mexico

  • Fabrice Kamp, Germany

    Fabrice Kamp, Germany

  • Mahmood Anwar, UK

    Mahmood Anwar, UK

  • Purningam Jacob, Diagnosed 2012 , Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

    Purningam Jacob, Diagnosed 2012 , Asha Ek Hope Foundation, India

  • Frank "Papa" Taylor, USA

    Frank “Papa” Taylor, USA

  • Steven Gallagher, Canada

    Steven Gallagher, Canada

  • Elkin Ramiro Gaviria Muñoz, Diagnosed December 2018

    Elkin Ramiro Gaviria Muñoz, Diagnosed December 2018

  • 393647_2252248542053_984912751_n

    393647_2252248542053_984912751_n

  • Mauril Belanger

    Mauril Belanger

  • Jason Goodman, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

    Jason Goodman, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA

  • March of Faces Photo Submission_OLGA_ELA ARGENTINA

    March of Faces Photo Submission_OLGA_ELA ARGENTINA

  • Jose Espinosa, Argentina

    Jose Espinosa, Argentina

  • Camilla Heiberg Freiberg, Muskelsvindfonden, Denmark

    Camilla Heiberg Freiberg, Muskelsvindfonden, Denmark

  • Erwin Coppejans, Diagnosed 2007 , ALS Liga België, Belgium

    Erwin Coppejans, Diagnosed 2007 , ALS Liga België, Belgium

  • Len Johnrose,  MND Association,  Diagnosed 2017,  England

    Len Johnrose, MND Association, Diagnosed 2017, England

  • 83

    83

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