Adaptive platform trial tests multiple treatments for traumatic brain injury
· News-MedicalTraumatic brain injury (TBI) results in close to 70,000 deaths in the United States every year, and it is the cause of long-term physical, cognitive and mental disability in 5 million Americans. But despite three decades of work, treatments are sorely lacking.
The first three drugs in the trial, which were developed to treat blood pressure, infection and high cholesterol, have shown promise for treatment of TBI in small studies.
'Adaptive platform' broadens opportunities for patients, researchers
Geoffrey Manley, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery at UCSF and chief of neurosurgery at Zuckerberg San Francisco General HospitalThis means participants will have a 3 in 4 chance of receiving the drug rather than the placebo, compared to a 1 in 2 chance in a traditional trial. It also means that we can add new therapies as the trial progresses and eliminate those that are not working."
"One of the barriers in treatment development has been a relative absence of public awareness about TBI. It's an area that lacks patient-led advocacy," he said. "TBIs occur suddenly, without warning, leaving families and patients in no position to champion the cause."
The first four participants of the trial were enrolled at UCSF in August. Other TRACK-TBI Network sites are preparing to accept participants in the coming months. The trial will enroll a total of 672 participants over the next four years.
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