Clinical Research Directory

A Clinical Study of Enlicitide (MK-0616) in Adults With Hyperlipidemia in India (MK-0616-038)

Researchers are looking for new ways to treat high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood. Enlicitide (also known as enlicitide decanoate or MK-0616), the study medicine, is in a class of medicines designed to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). LDL-C is sometimes called "bad cholesterol." The goal of this study is to learn if enlicitide works better than placebo to lower the amount of LDL-C in a person's blood. Researchers also want to learn about the safety of enlicitide and if people tolerate it.

Comparative Analysis of Chamomile Tea (Matricaria Chamomilla) and Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Against Hyperlipidemia

Present study was conducted to compare the efficacy of green tea (Camellia sinensis) and chamomile tea (Matricaria chamomilla), administered individually, as a combined intervention, and as a sequential (morning/evening) regimen on glycemic, lipid, hepatic, and renal biomarkers in normal and hyperlipidemic subjects. Two parallel studies were conducted: Study I assessed the effects of intervention on normal subjects while Study II assessed the effect in hyperlipidemic subjects. Both studies consisted of an untreated control group and four tea-based intervention groups. The biochemical parameters including fasting blood glucose (FBG), LDL, VLDL, HDL, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, and creatinine were measured at baseline (Day 1) and after 30 days of intervention.

Compassionate Use of Metreleptin in Previously Treated People With Generalized Lipodystrophy

Background: \- Generalized lipodystrophy can cause high blood fat levels and resistance to insulin. This can lead to health problems including diabetes. Researchers have found that the drug metreleptin improves health in people with this disease. Objective: \- To test the safety and effectiveness of metreleptin. Eligibility: * People ages 6 months and older with generalized lipodystrophy who: * have received metreleptin through NIH studies AND * cannot get it through approved or compassionate use mechanisms in their home country. Design: * Participants will come to NIH approximately every 6 months during year one, then every 1 2 years. Financial assistance may be available for travel within the U.S. * At visits, participants will get a supply of metreleptin to take home for daily injections. They will have: * plastic catheter placed in an arm vein. * blood tests, urine collection, and physical exam. * oral glucose tolerance test, drinking a sweet liquid. * ultrasound of the heart, liver, uterus, and ovaries. A gel and a probe are placed on the skin and pictures are taken of the organs. * echocardiogram, which takes pictures of the heart with sound waves. * Resting Metabolic Rate taken. A plastic hood is worn over the head while the oxygen they breathe is measured. * Participants will have up to 3 DEXA scan x-rays per year. * Participants may have: * annual bone x-rays. * liver biopsies every few years. A needle will be inserted into the liver to obtain a small piece. Participants will sign a separate consent for this. * Participants must be seen regularly by their local doctors and have blood tests at least every 3 6 months at home.

Compassionate Use of Metreleptin in Previously Treated People With Partial Lipodystrophy

Background: \- Partial lipodystrophy can cause high blood fat levels and resistance to insulin. This can lead to health problems including diabetes. Researchers have found that the drug metreleptin improves health in people with this disease. Objective: \- To test the safety and effectiveness of metreleptin. Eligibility: * People age 6 months and older with partial lipodystrophy who * have received metreleptin through NIH studies and shown improvement AND * cannot get metreleptin other ways. Design: * Participants will come to NIH approximately every 6 months during year one, then every 1 2 years. Financial assistance may be available for travel within the U.S. * At visits, participants will get a supply of metreleptin to take home for daily injections, or it can be shipped to them inside the U.S. They will have: * plastic catheter placed in an arm vein. * blood tests, urine collection, and physical exam. * oral glucose tolerance test, drinking a sweet liquid. * ultrasound of the heart, liver, uterus, and ovaries. A gel and a probe are placed on the skin and pictures are taken of the organs. * echocardiogram, which takes pictures of the heart with sound waves. * Resting Metabolic Rate taken. A plastic hood is worn over the head while the oxygen they breathe is measured. * Participants will have up to 3 DEXA scan x-rays per year. * Participants may have: * annual bone x-rays. * liver biopsies every few years. A needle will be inserted into the liver to obtain a small piece. Participants will sign a separate consent for this. * Participants must be seen regularly by their local doctors and have blood tests at least every 3-6 months at home.

A Study to Evaluate COR-1004 in Adult Volunteers.

This research study is being done to see if a new, injectable drug called COR-1004 is safe for people to take. It will also help doctors find the right dose of the drug. The study will look at how different dose levels of COR-1004 affect the levels of LDL cholesterol (often called "bad" cholesterol) in the blood. The study will enroll otherwise healthy volunteers who have LDL cholesterol of 100 mg/dl or higher but are not currently taking any cholesterol-lowering medicines. The main purpose of this study is to test a new drug, COR-1004. Researchers want to find out: * If the drug is safe and if people have any side effects. * The highest dose that can be given without causing serious side effects. * How the body processes the drug. * How the drug affects the amount of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. This is an early-phase study. The information learned will help decide if COR-1004 should be tested in larger studies in the future. To be in this study, you must: * Be generally healthy. * Have an LDL ("bad") cholesterol level of 100 mg/dL or higher. * Not currently be taking any medications to lower your cholesterol. If you decide to join the study, you will be placed into a group by chance, like flipping a coin. This is called "randomization." In each group, most people (8 out of 10) will get a single injection of the study drug (COR-1004). The other people (2 out of 10) will get a placebo. A placebo looks just like the study drug but has no active medicine in it. Using a placebo helps researchers understand the true effects of the real drug. This is a "double-blind" study, which means that neither you nor the study doctor will know if you are getting the study drug or the placebo. The study will test different dose levels of COR-1004. It will start with a low dose and, only if it is proven to be safe, will a new group of participants be given the next higher dose. To be extra safe, the first two people in each new dose group will be watched for 24 hours before the other eight people in that group get their injection. After the injection, you will need to visit the study clinic several times over the next year for follow-up. These visits will include: * Answering questions about your health. * Physical exams. * Blood tests to check your safety and your cholesterol levels. A special group of experts, called a Safety Review Committee, will carefully watch over the study to protect all participants. Your active participation in the study, including follow-up visits, will last for about 12 months after you receive the single injection. Because COR-1004 is a new drug, there may be risks that are not yet known. The study staff will explain all the known risks to you before you agree to participate. Known risks may include discomfort at the injection site, like redness, swelling, or pain. The study team will monitor you very closely for any side effects throughout the study.

MENA/Levant Epidemiological, Registry of Immunological & Clinical Traits (MERIT)

The primary objective of this multicenter observational registry is to characterize the clinical, epidemiological, and biological profiles of individuals of Middle Eastern, North African, and Levantine ancestry, including individuals with chronic medical conditions and healthy volunteers. The registry will collect standardized clinical and participant-reported data, along with biological samples, to support the investigation of disease patterns, health-related characteristics, and population-specific biological and immunological profiles in populations historically underrepresented in biomedical research. The resulting data and samples may support future research into disease-associated biomarkers and underlying biological mechanisms.

Lipoprotein Metabolism in Normal Volunteers and Patients With High Levels of Lipoproteins

Researchers plan to study the fat-rich particles, called lipoproteins, which circulate in the blood. This study is designed to improve understanding of normal, as well as abnormal, lipoprotein metabolism and the role it plays in the development of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Patients participating in this study will receive injections of lipoproteins or apolipoproteins (the protein component of lipoproteins) that have been isolated and purified. These lipoproteins will be labeled with small amounts of radioactive material and sterilized before they are injected into the patient. Patients participating in the study will be required to have blood samples taken, and provide urine samples throughout the course of the study. In addition, patient will be required to follow a specially formulated diet. Patients will be weighed throughout the course of the study.

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Testing in Primary Care

The goal of this study is to improve how primary care providers identify and manage patients at risk for heart disease. One tool that can help with this is a coronary artery calcium (CAC) test, which looks for calcium buildup in the heart's arteries and can help estimate a person's risk of future heart problems. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Will a new electronic health record (EHR) alert that provides guidance on when to consider a CAC test be feasible and acceptable to primary care providers? Does the alert change how often providers order CAC tests, start or change the dose of cholesterol-lowering medications, and refer patients to cardiology? In this study, a new EHR alert will be implemented as part of routine clinical practice for primary care providers at Weill Cornell Internal Medicine Associates (WCIMA). The alert will provide guidance on considering a CAC test, cholesterol-lowering medication, or referral to cardiology for eligible patients. Researchers will compare clinical care before and after the alert is implemented. They will look at how often CAC tests are ordered and completed, how often cholesterol-lowering medications are started or their doses are changed, and how often patients are referred to cardiology. After the implementation period, primary care providers will also be asked to complete a brief survey and participate in an interview about the alert.

A Phase 1 Study of VELA-101 in Adult Participants

This is a first-in-human (FIH), multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of VELA-101, following single-ascending doses via subcutaneous (SC) administration.

A Extension Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of HRS-7249 in Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia

This is a Phase II multi-center, open-label extension (OLE) clinical trial of HRS-7249, a GalNAc-conjugated APOC3-targeted siRNA injection, enrolling two cohorts of participants. Cohort 1 includes subjects who completed parent study HRS-7249-201 within 24 weeks; Cohort 2 newly recruited patients with fasting triglyceride (TG) ≥2.3 mmol/L aged 18-79 years. All participants receive subcutaneous HRS-7249 for a 48-week treatment period followed by a 24-week safety follow-up phase, with two dosing regimens. The primary objective is to assess long-term safety and tolerability of repeated HRS-7249 administration. Secondary objectives include evaluating sustained lipid-lowering effects on TG, APOC3 and other lipid profiles, impacts on glycometabolism, incidence of acute pancreatitis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), long-term pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profiles, and anti-drug antibody (ADA) dynamics. All safety assessments including vital signs, physical examinations, laboratory tests, 12-lead ECG, injection site reactions and adverse events will be collected throughout the study. Lipid parameters, HbA1c, pancreatitis and cardiovascular events will be monitored to characterize the clinical benefit-risk profile of long-term HRS-7249 therapy in hypertriglyceridemia patients. A total of at least 400 subjects will be enrolled nationwide in China.

PCSK9 Inhibitors in Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis

PCSK9 inhibitors, including evolocumab and alirocumab, are lipid-lowering therapies used in patients with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This retrospective observational study aims to describe changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels following the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in adult patients with hyperlipidemia and/or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease treated at Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá between 2018 and 2024. The study will also describe patients' clinical characteristics, treatment effectiveness, safety, adherence, and barriers to treatment access. Data will be obtained from medical records, cardiology records, and telephone interviews when needed to complete missing information.

A Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of HRS-1301 in Healthy Subjects

This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of HRS-1301 following single and multiple dose administration in healthy subjects. The study consists of two parts (Part 1 and Part 2) with 82 subjects planned to be enrolled. Possible adjustments to sample size, treatment duration and follow-up time will depend upon emerging data.

Effects of Use of a Connected Pillbox On Medication Adherence

Medication adherence is defined as the extent to which a patient takes his or her medication as prescribed by their healthcare provider. One third to one half of all patients in the United States do not take their medication as directed, resulting in nearly $100B in avoidable hospital costs per year. Recent efforts to improve medication adherence in patients with multiple comorbidities have turned to case management and disease management programs. Connected monitoring devices offer an alternative- or supplement- to frequent nurse visits and outreach. These devices enable frequent monitoring and intervention but can also generate large volumes of data that can be difficult for care teams to manage. The present study explores the use of one such device- a technology-enabled, connected pillbox. Given the continued emphasis on bending the cost curve in US healthcare, clinical validation of tools that may improve the management of costly chronic diseases, such as diabetes, is essential.

A Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of SHR-1918 in Patients With Hyperlipidemia

The study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy, and safety of SHR-1918 in reducing serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total triglycerides (TG) in patients with hyperlipidemia compared with placebo, and also includes To evaluate the effectiveness of SHR-1918 in reducing other lipid indicators in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia and to assess the safety of SHR-1918 in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia.

Development and Clinical Validation of Key Technologies for Non-invasive Breath Metabolic Fingerprinting for Large-scale Population Lipid Screening

This study collects exhaled breath condensate samples from healthy populations and hyperlipidemic populations, analyzes the characteristics of the exhaled metabolic lipid profile for early identification of people with abnormal blood lipids, verifies the feasibility and accuracy of a new gas detection method for screening abnormal blood lipids, and explores a simple, fast, and non-invasive method for screening abnormal blood lipids.

Electronic Health Record Augmented LDL-Cholesterol Optimization and Control Via Active Lipid Engagement (EHR-LOCALE): A Quality Improvement Implementation Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a proactive, EHR-guided approach helps more individuals reach safe cholesterol levels, improves medication use, and reduces future heart attacks and strokes, compared to usual care. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does the EHR-LOCALE pathway increases the proportion of patients who reach the LDL-cholesterol target of \<1.8 mmol/L at 6 months? Participants in the interventional group receive: * Pharmacist contact * Repeat lipid requisitions * Review of medications, adherence, and side effects * Treatment escalation according to national dyslipidemia guidelines

Duke Cardiometabolic Prevention Clinic's Impact on High-risk Cardiovascular Patients With Uncontrolled Risk Factors

This project is studying whether a team-based specialty clinic can help people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease better manage their blood pressure and cholesterol. The clinic includes coordinated care from heart doctors, kidney doctors, diabetes specialists, and liver doctors. The study will compare two groups of patients: one receiving usual care from their primary care provider, and one referred to the Duke Cardiometabolic Prevention Clinic for multidisciplinary care. The main goals are to find out if this clinic improves blood pressure and cholesterol control over 12 months, increases use of recommended heart medications, and reduces hospital visits and other healthcare use. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. Those referred to the clinic will: 1) Meet with a cardiologist for an initial evaluation. 2) Be referred to other specialists (such as endocrinology, nephrology, or hepatology) based on their needs. 3) Receive ongoing, coordinated care from a team of specialists working together to improve their heart and metabolic health.

Healthy Volunteers Study of the Effects of Olanzapine and Ziprasidone

Primary Aim: To test the acute effects of olanzapine or ziprasidone administration, in comparison to placebo, on insulin sensitivity in antipsychotic-naïve healthy young men, measured as whole-body dextrose infusion rates (mg/kg/min), hepatic glucose production (glucose rate of appearance \[Ra\]), primarily muscle glucose utilization (glucose rate of disappearance \[Rd\]), and adipose tissue related free fatty acid production (glycerol rate of appearance \[Ra\]). We hypothesize that olanzapine, but not ziprasidone, will result in acute decreases in insulin sensitivity. Secondary Aim: To test the acute effects of olanzapine or ziprasidone on insulin signaling pathways in antipsychotic naïve healthy young men. We hypothesize that olanzapine, but not ziprasidone, will result in acute alterations in insulin signaling.

A Clinical Study of Enlicitide in Participants With High Cholesterol (MK-0616-037)

Researchers designed a study medicine called enlicitide to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). In this study, researchers want to learn about giving enlicitide with another medicine called rosuvastatin. Rosuvastatin is a standard (usual) treatment to lower LDL-C. The goal of this study is to learn if enlicitide given with rosuvastatin works better than placebo on lowering LDL-C in a person's blood. A placebo looks like the study medicine but has no study medicine in it. Using a placebo helps researchers better understand the effects of a study medicine.

Preventative Screening and Health Coaching in a Food Insecure Population

The goal of this longitudinal study is to investigate the role of virtual health coaching on mitigation of cardiometabolic disease risk in an underserved, food insecure population. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does longitudinal, individualized health coaching directed at lifestyle modification reduce patient 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke? * Does longitudinal, individualized health coaching directed at lifestyle modification reduce rates of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes? * Does longitudinal, individualized health coaching directed at lifestyle modification improve accessibility to healthcare? Researchers will investigate the effects of regularly scheduled health coaching sessions on composite cardiometabolic risk profile as well as individual modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Participants will: * Participate in in-person cardiovascular screening, occuring at the time of enrollment, months 3 and 6. * Engage in virtual health coaching sessions to talk about diet, exercise, weight loss, blood pressure and diabetes control, and accessibility to healthcare * Keep a log of their blood pressure

Targeting Metabolic Syndrome From the Emergency Department Through Mixed-Methods: Pilot Trial

The objective of this study is to pilot a multifaceted, optimized intervention for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in emergency department patients to establish feasibility. Participants (n=20) will be randomized to intervention or control (usual care). The composite intervention will include an educational video outlining the adverse effects of MetS and the benefit of walking, a written exercise prescription with a defined goal of walking 150 minutes per week, a Fitbit accelerometer device, resources for healthy eating practices, periodic text message reminders, and an urgent referral to primary care and our health system's Healthy Me clinic for follow-up visit. Investigators hypothesize that this approach will change patient understanding and motivation to increase physical activity and healthy eating habits.

A Study to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetic Interaction and the Safety of AD-236A and AD-236B

To evaluate the pharmacokinetic interaction and the safety of AD-236A and AD-236B in healthy adult volunteers

A Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of SAL0167 in Healthy Participants

This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SAL0167 following single and multiple dose administration in healthy participants. The study consists of two parts (Part A and Part B) with 120 participants planned to be enrolled. Possible adjustments to sample size, treatment duration will depend upon emerging data.

Bacillus Subtilis and Enterococcus Faecium Probiotic Plus Lipid-Lowering Therapy for Hypertriglyceridemic Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective RCT

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) has become the second most common cause of acute pancreatitis in China, accounting for up to 42.4% of cases, with high recurrence rates and substantial disease burden. Disease severity and recurrence risk are potentially linked to triglyceride (TG) levels. Current lipid-lowering strategies have limitations in efficacy, onset speed, or safety. Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota dysbiosis and impaired intestinal barrier function contribute to lipid metabolism regulation and systemic inflammation in HTG-AP patients. Probiotic supplementation may offer a novel therapeutic approach by modulating gut microbiota, improving lipid metabolism, and alleviating inflammation. Objective: To evaluate whether adjunctive treatment with Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium enteric-coated capsules (LCBE) reduces serum TG and inflammatory markers and improves clinical outcomes in mild to moderate HTG-AP patients. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint (PROBE design), single-center, parallel-group clinical trial. A total of 180 eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to the intervention group (standard therapy plus oral LCBE 500 mg three times daily for 28 days) or control group (standard therapy alone). The primary endpoints are serum TG, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels on day 5 post-intervention. Secondary endpoints include TG normalization rate (\<1.7 mmol/L), lipid profile, inflammatory markers, glucose metabolism parameters, gut microbiota composition, intestinal barrier integrity, symptom relief, length of hospital stay, healthcare costs, quality of life, and safety. Expected Impact: This study aims to provide high-level evidence for probiotic adjunctive therapy in HTG-AP and to explore underlying mechanisms from the perspective of gut microbiota modulation.