Colchicine for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The study evaluates the effects of two different Colchicine doses (0.01mg/kg/day or 0.005 mg/kg/day) compared to placebo in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. Disease progression as defined by changes in ALSFRS-r is the primary outcome measure. Other measures of clinical progression and survival, together with safety and tolerability of Colchicine in ALS patients will be assessed.

Recent evidence supports the disruption of the ubiquitin-proteasome-system and autophagy as central events in ALS. ALS is characterized by the presence of misfolded proteins prone to oligomerize into aggregates, which exert a toxic effect by affecting several intracellular functions. Heat shock protein B8 (HSPB8) recognizes and promotes the autophagy-mediated removal of misfolded mutant SOD1 and TDP-43 fragments from ALS motor neurons (MNs). Moreover, HSPB8-BAG3-HSP70 maintains the so called "granulostasis", a surveillance mechanism that avoids the conversion of dynamic stress granules (SGs) into aggregation-prone assemblies, which are a hallmark of ALS. Colchicine enhances the expression of HSPB8 and of several autophagy players while blocking TDP-43 accumulation in neurons. Moreover, given the cross-talk between infalmmation and autophagy, the well-known antinflammatory action of Cochicine may contribute to cell homeostasis. Based on these premises, this is a phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter (9 MND Centres in Italy: 2 centres in Milan, Pavia, Turin, Modena, Padua, Rome, Naples, Bari), clinical trial to test efficacy of Colchicine in ALS.