New CoQ10 Study
Opens at 19 Centers
A trial of high doses of coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) in 185 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is now open for recruitment across the United States. Investigators will compare coQ10 with a placebo (inactive substance) to see whether it slows the course of the disease.
CoQ10 is a natural compound that acts inside the mitochondria, the “powerhouses” of the cell. It supports the cell’s energy metabolism and helps to neutralize free radicals, molecules that carry an electrical charge and can damage other cellular components.
The compound has been found to be safe and relatively well tolerated in ALS patients, even when taken at high doses.
Adults with ALS who aren’t ventilator-dependent or who use part-time noninvasive ventilation, have had ALS for less than five years, and who meet other study criteria, are eligible.
For information, contact Alexandra Barsdorf, clinical coordinator, at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, at (212) 342-3026 or aib2104@columbia.edu; and see the clinical trials database at www.mda.org/research/ctrials.aspx.
