A Pilot Study To Evaluate The Effects of Everolimus on Brain mTOR Activity and Cortical Hyperexcitability in TSC and FCD



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Neurology, Neurology, Epilepsy
Therapuetic Areas:Neurology, Other
Healthy:No
Age Range:2 - 40
Updated:7/14/2018
Start Date:January 2014
End Date:June 2020
Contact:Maria Hopkins
Email:maria.hopkins@nyumc.org
Phone:646-558-0843

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The purpose of this study is to measure if the drug called Everolimus effects mTOR signaling
(an electrical activity signal in the brain) in patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
(TSC) and Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) with treatment resistant epilepsy (TRE) who will be
undergoing brain surgery. One group of patients will be treated with Everolimus, and another
will not. Researchers will determine if there is a difference in mTOR signaling between the
patients who were treated with Everolimus and those who were not. Previous studies have
suggested that Everolimus may reduce seizure activity in TSC patients by decreasing mTOR
signaling. Since patients with FCD may also have excess mTOR signaling brain activity,
Everolimus may also reduce seizure activity in these patients.

The drug Everolimus is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat specific types
of breast, pancreatic, and kidney cancer, a kidney tumor called an angiomyolipoma (common in
patients with TSC), and TSC patients who have a brain tumor called a subependymal giant cell
astrocytoma (SEGA). However, in this research it is considered to be an investigational since
it is not approved for reduction in mTOR signaling and a decrease in seizure frequency.
Researchers believe that Everolimus may be useful in reducing something called cortical
hyperexcitability, which is the excess brain activity that can contribute to seizures.

This is a single center open-label pilot clinical trial of patients with TRE, ages 1 to 40
years old, with TSC or FCD who are scheduled for epilepsy surgery. Patients will be treated
with everolimus for 7 to 28 days prior to epilepsy surgery with extension of time from 7 to
28 days in successive cohorts of patients. The initial cohort of at least three patients will
be treated for 7 days and after the safety of therapy is assured for this group, there will
be an extension of the treatment to 14 days for at least three patients. This will be
extended at one week intervals/three patient groups to a maximum treatment duration of 28
days. Resected brain tissue will be analyzed for activation of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling
pathways, glutamatergic and GABA-ergic neurotransmission using histochemistry, genetic
analysis, as well as extracellular field recordings in acute ex-vivo brain slices from
surgery. A blood sample, collected at the time of surgery, will be analyzed for everolimus
levels and VEGF-D. All patients will undergo standardized intra-operative ECoG recordings
over the primary epileptogenic region and reviewed blindly.

Subjects will be in the study for 7-28 days. The investigators will study variables listed in
specific aims 1 and 2 in TSC and FCD patients treated with 7 to 28 days of everolimus and
compare these to untreated control patients with TRE and TSC or FCD. A concurrent comparison
group of 12 subjects will also be enrolled. They will all be undergoing routine surgery for
the diagnosis of TRE with TSC or FCD.

All study procedures will be performed at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (CEC) with the
exception of the surgery, which will be performed at Tisch Hospital.

Inclusion Criteria

1. Patients: 1 year to 40 years. 2. Diagnosis: treatment resistant epilepsy due to Tuberous
Sclerosis Complex or Focal Cortical Dysplasia Inclusion Criteria (Concurrent Comparison
Group)

1. Patients: 1 year to 40 years. Matched for age (+/- 7 years) and sex of subjects in the
treatment group.

2. Diagnosis: treatment resistant due to TSC or FCD. Matched for diagnosis of TSC and
FCD.

3. Brain surgery for seizure control in which tissue is banked for research utilizing an
existing IRB-approved study.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Treatment with an mTOR inhibitor (everolimus, sirolimus) during the past four weeks.

2. Known hypersensitivity to an mTOR inhibitor (everolimus, sirolimus)

3. Failure to establish diagnosis of treatment resistant epilepsy (i.e., adequate trials
of two appropriately-chosen, tolerated and adequate trials of antiepileptic drugs)
[32].

4. Exposure to any investigational agent in the month prior to study entry.

5. History of malignancy patients who are receiving anti-cancer treatments, such as
radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.

6. Patients with severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions,

7. Patients on chronic corticosteroid therapy

8. A history of HIV seropositivity

9. Patients who have received live attenuated vaccines within 1 week of start of
everolimus and during the study;

10. Known impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may
significantly alter the absorption of oral everolimus;

11. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus

12. Patients who have any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions

13. Known impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may
significantly alter the absorption of oral everolimus;
We found this trial at
1
site
550 1st Ave
New York, New York 10016
(212) 263-7300
Phone: 646-558-0842
New York University Langone Medical Center NYU NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated,...
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