A Pilot Treatment Study of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mount Sinai Health System

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 2

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Drug: IGF-1; Drug: Placebo/saline

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01970345

GCO 13-1206

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed project will pilot the use of IGF-1 as a novel treatment for core symptoms of autism. We will use a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial design in five children with autism to evaluate the impact of IGF-1 treatment on autism-specific impairments in socialization, language, and repetitive behaviors. We expect to provide evidence for the safety and feasibility of IGF-1 in ameliorating social withdrawal in children with Autistic Disorder. Further, we expect to demonstrate that IGF-1 is associated with improvement on secondary outcomes of social impairment, language delay, and repetitive behavior, as well as on functional outcomes of global severity.

Full description

IGF-1 is an FDA approved, commercially available compound that crosses the blood-brain barrier and has beneficial effects on synaptic development by promoting neuronal cell survival, synaptic maturation, and synaptic plasticity. IGF-1 is effective in reversing mouse and neuronal models of Rett syndrome and Phelan McDermid syndrome, both single gene causes of ASD and may therefore be effective in treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD) more broadly.

Enrollment: 3 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Meet DSM-5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder confirmed by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- Generic (ADOS-G)
• Children between the ages of 5-12 years of age
• Language delay (lack of fluent phrase speech) reflected by use of ADOS Module 1 or 2
• Must be on stable medication regimens for at least three months prior to enrollment, assuming the concomitant medication is safe for use with IGF-1

Exclusion criteria

• Closed epiphyses
• Active or suspected neoplasia
• Intracranial hypertension
• Hepatic insufficiency
• Renal insufficiency
• Cardiomegaly/valvulopathy
• History of allergy to IGF-1
• Patients with comorbid conditions deemed too medically compromised to tolerate the risk of experimental treatment with IGF-1

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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3 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

IGF-1

Experimental group

Description:

Randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover format with 12 weeks in each treatment arm (IGF-1 and placebo), separated by a four-week wash-out phase. Dose titration will be initiated at 0.04 mg/kg twice daily by subcutaneous injection, and increased, as tolerated, every week by 0.04 mg/kg per dose to a maximum of 0.12 mg/kg twice daily. Doses may be decreased according to tolerability by 0.04 mg/kg per dose. Medication will be administered twice daily with meals, and preprandial glucose monitoring will be performed by parents at treatment initiation, prior to each injection, and until a well tolerated dose is established.

Treatment:

Drug: IGF-1

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Placebo

Treatment:

Drug: Placebo/saline