Sponsor: Ugonma Chukwueke (other)
Phase: 1
Start date: Nov. 14, 2024
Planned enrollment: 27
Troriluzole (Dazluma; BHV-4157; FC-4157) is an oral, once‑daily, third‑generation prodrug of riluzole being developed to modulate glutamatergic signaling. Development has focused on spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and other neurological/oncologic indications. In SCA, Biohaven reported positive 3‑year outcomes using external natural‑history controls and the FDA accepted, then extended, Priority Review of an NDA (decision now expected in Q4 2025; FDA plans an advisory committee meeting). (ir.biohaven.com)
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA)
- Phase 3 (48‑week, randomized, DBPC; BHV4157‑206): did not meet the primary endpoint in the overall SCA population; post‑hoc signal noted in SCA3. (prnewswire.com)
- Long‑term RWE‑anchored analysis (BHV4157‑206‑RWE, incorporating Phase 3 data plus external natural‑history controls): reported 50–70% slowing of disease progression on f‑SARA over 3 years; superiority also seen at years 1 and 2; a sensitivity “responder” analysis (≥2‑point f‑SARA worsening by year 3) favored troriluzole (pooled OR 4.1 for external control vs. treated; p<0.0001). FDA accepted the NDA with Priority Review on February 11, 2025; PDUFA date extended to Q4 2025 with an AdCom planned. (ir.biohaven.com)
- Complementary scientific abstract: a matching‑adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) versus pooled natural‑history cohorts showed statistically significant f‑SARA benefits at years 1–3 in all genotypes and in SCA3. (neurology.org)
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) - Phase 2/3 proof‑of‑concept (adjunctive): numeric Y‑BOCS improvements at all timepoints; significant at week 8 (−5.1 vs −3.6; p=0.041) but not at week 12 (primary endpoint). These data informed two larger Phase 3 adjunctive trials (top‑line readouts were planned for 2025; as of October 7, 2025, peer‑reviewed results have not been identified). (pharmiweb.com)
Alzheimer’s disease - Phase 2/3 (T2 Protect AD) in mild–moderate AD failed co‑primary endpoints (ADAS‑Cog11 and CDR‑SB) at 48 weeks; safety was consistent with prior experience. (alzheimer-europe.org)
Oncology (exploratory) - Phase Ib (advanced solid tumors) of troriluzole plus nivolumab (n=14): 1 partial response (7%); 6‑month PFS 21%. PK confirmed rapid prodrug cleavage to riluzole. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Notes - SCA efficacy claims in 2024–2025 are primarily from company communications and scientific abstracts using external natural‑history comparators; peer‑reviewed, fully detailed results have not yet been published. (ir.biohaven.com)
Last updated: Oct 2025
Goal: Evaluate pharmacodynamic effects, tumor penetration, and safety of the glutamate-modulating agent troriluzole in a pre- and post-surgical window in recurrent IDH wild-type glioblastoma, using intraoperative neurophysiology and tumor-based biomarkers to assess on-target activity.
Patients: Adults (≥18 years) with histologically confirmed IDH-wildtype, WHO grade 4 glioblastoma (including gliosarcoma) at first or second recurrence after prior radiation with or without chemotherapy, measurable disease by RANO 2.0, KPS ≥60, surgically accessible tumor with cortical involvement, and available archival tissue. Key exclusions include leptomeningeal or extracranial disease, recent cytotoxic or anti-VEGF therapy within protocol-defined washouts, significant hepatic, renal, or hematologic dysfunction, contraindication to MRI, active serious infection, strong CYP1A2 modulators or anti-glutamatergic agents, and pregnancy or lactation.
Design: Open-label, randomized (2:1) window-of-opportunity study enrolling approximately 27 participants. Group A receives short presurgical troriluzole followed by continued postoperative dosing; Group B undergoes surgery without presurgical drug and initiates troriluzole postoperatively. Serial MRIs and biospecimen analyses accompany standard-of-care resection.
Treatments: Troriluzole, an oral tripeptide prodrug of riluzole designed to enhance and stabilize systemic riluzole exposure, modulates glutamatergic signaling by decreasing synaptic glutamate through presynaptic release inhibition, sodium channel blockade, and upregulation of astrocytic uptake (EAAT2/GLT-1). In non-oncology programs, randomized and real-world evidence in spinocerebellar ataxia suggest potential disease-slowing, leading to an ongoing U.S. regulatory review, while Alzheimer’s disease and OCD programs were negative. In oncology, early-phase combination work has characterized safety and pharmacokinetics with limited antitumor activity; this trial focuses on pharmacodynamics, tissue penetration, and safety in GBM around surgery. Standard-of-care tumor resection is performed for all participants, with presurgical dosing only in Group A to enable intraoperative and tissue-based assessments of drug effect.
Outcomes: Primary: impact of presurgical troriluzole on intraoperative neuronal activity measured by electrocorticography high-gamma band power at resection. Secondary: tissue pharmacodynamics and exposure including extracellular glutamate concentrations by MALDI-MSI, tumor tissue concentration of troriluzole by MALDI-MSI, protein biomarkers by western blot (Ki-67 for proliferation, NLGN3, phosphorylated AMPA receptor subunits such as GluA2), and safety summarized as grade 3–5 treatment-related adverse events per CTCAE v5. Time points are centered on the surgical resection and subsequent on-treatment assessments, with imaging every 8 weeks while on study.
Burden on patient: Moderate to high. Beyond standard-of-care resection and routine postoperative imaging, participants undergo a presurgical dosing window (Group A), intraoperative electrocorticography, and extensive tumor tissue analyses, which require careful scheduling and may prolong operative workflow. Study visits include frequent safety labs, ECGs, and MRIs every 8 weeks; contraception requirements and medication washouts add logistical complexity. There are no intensive PK blood-draw schedules described, but the perioperative assessments and long-term follow-up (every 3 months for 1 year, then every 6 months for 3 years) increase visit frequency and coordination compared with typical recurrence management with surgery alone.
Last updated: Oct 2025
Inclusion Criteria:
* Age ≥18 years
* Histopathologically confirmed IDH-wildtype glioblastoma, WHO Grade 4, and variants including gliosarcoma as per WHO 2021 criteria (38).
* Prior treatment with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.
* Recurrent or progressive disease with no more than 2 prior relapses.
* Confirmed measurable disease per RANO 2.0 for GBM.
* Tumor is documented as IDH1/2 wildtype by direct DNA sequencing, provided that it is performed in a CLIA/CAP-certified laboratory.
* Availability of archival formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue block or 20 unstained FFPE slides (5 μm thick) from any prior surgery for mutation testing and additional sequencing.
* Karnofsky Performance Status of ≥ 60.
* Candidate for surgical resection.
* Tumor tissue extending to cortical gray matter based on MRI.
* Participants with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial.
* Participants with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, participants should be class 2B or better.
* Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP), defined as any individual assigned female at birth physiologically capable of becoming pregnant, must use highly effective contraception during study treatment and for 1 month after study discontinuation. Highly effective contraception is defined as either:
* True Abstinence: When this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, postovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception.
* Sterilization: Surgical bilateral oophorectomy (with or without hysterectomy) or tubal ligation at least six weeks ago. In case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman has been confirmed by follow up hormone level assessment.
* Male Partner Sterilization (with the appropriate post-vasectomy documentation of the absence of sperm in the ejaculate). For female subjects on the study, the vasectomised male partner should be the sole partner for that participant.
* A barrier method defined as condom or Occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/vaginal suppository along with a second contraceptive method as described below:
* Placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS)
* Appropriate hormonal contraceptives (including any registered and marketed contraceptive agent that contains an estrogen and/or a progestational agent - including oral, subcutaneous, intrauterine
* Male subjects should agree to use a highly effective method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through 3 months after the last dose of therapy. Male subjects must not donate semen for 3 months after the last dose of study treatment.
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. (Providing consents in as many languages as possible is encouraged)
Exclusion Criteria:
* Laboratory values at the Screening Visit:
* ANC count \< 1,500/mm3; growth-factor support within 7 days for filgrastim or other short acting biosimilars or 21 days for pegfilgrastim or other long acting biosimilars to increase the ANC is not allowed.
* Platelets \<100,000/mm3;
* Hemoglobin \< 9 g/dL;
* Total bilirubin \> 2 × the upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless subject has documented history of Gilbert's Syndrome in which case subject may be enrolled if total bilirubin is less than 5 mg/dL, assuming all other criteria are fulfilled);
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST \[SGOT\]) \> 1.5 x ULN;
* Alanine aminotransferase (ALT \[SGPT\]) \> 1.5 x ULN;
* Serum creatinine \> 1.5 mg/dL or a calculated creatinine clearance \< 60 mL/min; and
* Positive serum β-hCG test in any individual assigned female at birth and is of childbearing potential (defined as ≤ 50 years of age, or \> 50 years of age with a history of amenorrhea for ≤12 months prior to study entry).
* Has presence of diffuse leptomeningeal disease or extracranial disease.
* Prior treatment with troriluzole or riluzole
* From study treatment initiation, treatment with temozolomide less than 23 days, treatment with CCNU or BCNU less than 42 days, treatment with anti-VEGF therapy such as bevacizumab less than 6 months, or treatment with any cancer-directed systemic therapy less than 4 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter. No wash-out period is required from tumor treating fields (TTF).
* Use of any investigational agents within 28 days of baseline or 5 half-lives from study initiation, whichever is shorter.
* Radiotherapy within 12 weeks prior to registration unless new enhancement is outside the radiation field (beyond the high-dose region of 80% isodense line) or evidence of viable tumor on histopathologic sampling.
* Presence of a clinically significant allergy, hypersensitivity, or toxicity of prior therapy, with the exception of alopecia or lymphopenia, that has not resolved to ≤ Grade 1 or pre-treatment baseline, as determined by National Cancer Institute CTCAE v 5.0.
* Major surgery within 28 days prior to initiation of study drug.
* Active or clinically unstable bacterial, viral, or fungal infection requiring systemic therapy.
* Any contraindication to MRI examination.
* Requires medications that are known to be strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP1A2 enzymes or anti-glutamergic agents (e.g., perampanel) or hepatotoxic drugs which may increase the risk of hepatotoxicity (e.g., allopurinol, methyldopa, sulfasalazine). A washout of 10 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter, is required prior to study treatment initiation. Oral contraceptives which contain ethinyl estradiol (moderate CYP1A2 inhibitor) are allowed.
* Pregnant or lactating female.
* History of interstitial lung disease.
* Known history of hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or active hepatitis C infection requiring treatment with antiviral therapy. NOTE: HIV testing is not required in the absence of clinical suspicion.
* Any severe, acute, or chronic medical or psychiatric condition, or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with study participation or study drug administration, may interfere with the informed consent process and/or with compliance with the requirements of the study, or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the Investigator's opinion, would make the subject inappropriate for entry into this study.
* Difficulty swallowing or malabsorption syndrome; refractory nausea and vomiting, chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disease or previous significant bowel resection with clinically significant sequelae that would preclude adequate absorption of study drug.
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
[email protected] / 617-632-2166
Status: Recruiting
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
[email protected] / 617-632-2166
Status: Recruiting
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
[email protected] / No phone
Status: Recruiting