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PhytoSERM Efficacy to Prevent Menopause Associated Decline in Brain Metabolism and Cognition: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Clinical Trial

Award Number: R01AG075122
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/15/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2027

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PhytoSERM Efficacy to Prevent Menopause Associated Decline in Brain Metabolism and Cognition: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Clinical Trial - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Women are at greater life-time risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One potential factor contributing to greater life- time risk of AD is the midlife menopausal endocrine aging transition when multiple AD risk conditions can emerge and which are consistent with prodromal / preclinical features of the disease. While estrogen or hormone therapy administered when menopausal women are symptomatic could reduce risk of AD, the fear of breast cancer leads many women to forego this approach. An innovative alternative to estrogen therapy is to target estrogen action in brain while avoiding estrogen-associated proliferation in breast tissue. To achieve that goal, we propose Phase 2 clinical development of “PhytoSERM”, a selective estrogen receptor beta (ERß) modulator that promotes estrogenic action through ERß in brain while inhibitory in reproductive tissue. PhytoSERM is a rationally designed formulation of 3 phytoestrogens (each are Generally Recognized as Safe by the FDA). Our earlier NIA supported PhytoSERM Phase 1b/2a clinical trial determined that PhytoSERM was safe and well-tolerated, exhibited predictive pharmacokinetics in peri- and postmenopausal women and identified responder phenotype (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01723917). Proposed herein is a Phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, clinical trial to determine efficacy of PhytoSERM in symptomatic peri- and post-menopausal women. Primary objectives are to determine safety and efficacy of PhytoSERM to sustain brain glucose metabolism as determined by 18F-FDG- PET because the menopausal transition is accompanied by reduction in cerebral metabolic rate of glucose, which correlates with menopausal symptoms and progression of AD biomarkers later in life. Secondary objectives will determine efficacy of PhytoSERM on: 1) cognitive function, 2) frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms and 3) changes in sleep quality and mood symptoms. Tertiary objectives are to determine impact of PhytoSERM on exploratory MRI outcomes including 1) gray matter volume in AD-vulnerable regions, 2) white matter fiber integrity by diffusion tensor imaging, (3) intrinsic connectivity measured by resting state functional MRI, 4) cerebral blood flow determined by arterial spin labeling (ASL) and 5) blood-based biomarkers relevant to AD risk. The Phase 2 PhytoSERM clinical trial addresses multiple strategic directions of the National Institutes on Aging’s 2020-2025: Aging Well in the 21st Century ref Specifically, Goal C-3 to: “Develop effective interventions to maintain health, well-being, and function and prevent or reduce the burden of age-related diseases” and “Conduct clinical studies / translation of new interventions to the clinical setting.” Goal D-4: Translate basic discovery into effective treatment and/or prevention strategies for AD/ADRD and” Goal F-4: Support research on women’s health.” PhytoSERM clinical trial also contributes to achieving the National Alzheimer’s Disease Project Act (NAPA) to effectively prevent and treat AD by 2025 Goal 1B. PhytoSERM addresses a critical unmet need in women’s health to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s in later life.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $1,353,297 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	000	5	5/25/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,353,297
														Subtotal = $1,353,297

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $1,301,410 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	000	4	3/10/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,195,174
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	001	4	6/9/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$106,236
														Subtotal = $1,301,410

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $1,327,969 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	000	3	2/1/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,195,174
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	001	3	6/25/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$132,795
														Subtotal = $1,327,969

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $1,544,481 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	845 N PARK AVE RM 538	TUCSON	AZ	85721	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	001	2	6/16/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	888 N EUCLID AVE RM 510	TUCSON	AZ	85719	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	000	2	2/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,544,481
														Subtotal = $1,544,481

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $2,121,223 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA	888 N EUCLID AVE RM 510	TUCSON	AZ	85719	PIMA	USA	Aging Research	000	1	2/2/2022	NEW	$2,121,223
														Subtotal = $2,121,223

Grand Total All Awards = $7,648,380

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PhytoSERM Efficacy to Prevent Menopause Associated Decline in Brain Metabolism and Cognition: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Clinical Trial

Award Number: R01AG075122

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/15/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2027

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