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CompletedNCT05637801HOPEUpdated Sep 9, 2026

A Pivotal Study of Sensory Stimulation in Alzheimer's Disease (HOPE Study)

An interventional study of Spectris™ AD - Active and Spectris™ AD - Sham in Alzheimer Disease, Alzheimer Disease 1 and Alzheimer Disease 2, sponsored by Cognito Therapeutics, Inc.. Completed at 68 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 50 Years to 90 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-09.

Sponsored by Cognito Therapeutics, Inc. · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
673
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
50 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pivotal study of sensory stimulation in subjects with mild to moderate AD. Up to approximately 670 subjects will be treated with either Active or Sham investigational device, Spectris™ AD, for 60 minutes daily for approximately 12 months. Efficacy will be measured using the Integrated Alzheimer's Disease Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) Rating Scale (iADMARS).

Read the detailed description

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pivotal study.

The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of gamma sensory stimulation (visual and audio) via Spectris ™ AD in slowing cognitive-functional symptom worsening versus the Sham device for subjects with mild to moderate AD as measured by changes in function and cognition.

Up to approximately six hundred and seventy (670) subjects with Mild to Moderate AD (MMSE 15-28) will be recruited at up to 70 clinical sites in the United States and randomized in a 1:1 ratio (Active : Sham). In the Active Group, subjects will be treated with the Active Spectris™ AD for 60 minutes daily. In the Sham Group, subjects are treated with a Sham Spectris™ AD for 60 minutes daily. Daily treatment is planned for approximately 12 months.

Subjects will attend study visits for informed consent, screening and baseline, then at 3-Months, 6-Months, 9-Months (by phone), 12 Months and 13 Months (for safety follow-up).

Some clinical sites will be included in a substudy evaluating additional fluid biomarkers. Select subjects enrolled at these sites will undergo a lumbar puncture to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at Baseline, 3 Months, and 12 Months.

02

Conditions studied

  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Alzheimer Disease 1
  • Alzheimer Disease 2
  • Alzheimer Disease 3
  • Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset
  • Alzheimer Disease, Late Onset
  • Alzheimer Disease 9
  • Alzheimer Disease 4
  • Alzheimer Disease 7
  • Alzheimer Disease 17
  • Alzheimer's Dementia Late Onset
  • Alzheimer Disease 5
  • Alzheimer Disease 6
  • Alzheimer Disease 8
  • Alzheimer Disease 10
  • Alzheimer Disease 11
  • Alzheimer Disease 12
  • Alzheimer Disease 13
  • Alzheimer Disease 14
  • Alzheimer Disease 15
  • Alzheimer Disease 16
  • Alzheimer Disease 18
  • Alzheimer Disease 19
  • Dementia
  • Dementia Alzheimers
  • Dementia, Mild
  • Dementia of Alzheimer Type
  • Dementia Moderate
  • Dementia Senile
  • Mild Cognitive Impairment
  • Mild Dementia
  • MCI
  • Cognitive Impairment
  • Cognitive Decline
  • Cognitive Impairment, Mild

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Mild Cognitive Impairment
  • Dementia
  • Gamma Stimulation
  • Cognito
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
50 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Men and Women age 50-90
  • Alzheimer's disease diagnosis with at least 6-month decline in cognitive function
  • Non-childbearing potential or using adequate birth control
  • Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) 15-28
  • Available/consenting Study Partner
  • Able to identify a Legally Authorized Representative (LAR)
  • Stable chronic conditions at least 30 days
  • Formal education of 8 or more years
  • Adequate vision (Able to detect light) and hearing
  • Mobility sufficient for compliance with testing procedures (ambulatory or aided-ambulatory, i.e. cane or walker)
  • Amyloid or phosphorylated Tau positivity

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Seizure disorder
  • Hospitalization in previous 30 days
  • Living in continuous care nursing home (assisted living permitted)
  • Inability to have an MRI or significant abnormality on MRI screening
  • Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) >6
  • Suicidality (current or previous 6 months)
  • Serious neurological diseases affecting the Central Nervous System, including:

    1. other primary degenerative dementias (Lewy-body dementia, fronto-temporal dementia, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Down syndrome, mixed dementia, etc),
    2. neurodegenerative conditions (Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, etc),
    3. serious infection of the brain (meningitis/encephalitis), or
    4. history of multiple concussions.
  • Metabolic or systemic diseases affecting the central nervous system (syphilis, B12 or folate deficiency, etc)
  • Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
  • Heart disease, chronic liver, kidney, or respiratory disease, or uncontrolled diabetes or thyroid disease
  • Cancer history within previous 2 years (except resolved non-melanoma skin or stable prostate)
  • Nootropic drugs except stable acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
  • Drug or Alcohol abuse in previous 12 months
  • Previous exposure to Anti-amyloid-beta vaccines
  • Past Exposure to Immunomodulators or passive immunotherapies for AD (ie, monoclonal antibodies)
  • Exposure to BACE (β-Site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme) inhibitors within the 6 months prior to consent
  • Involved in a previous Cognito study or gamma therapy study
  • Active treatment with Memantine (Namenda or Namzaric) within previous 30 days
  • Life expectancy \< 24 months

Participants involved in the Fluid Biomarker substudy also must not have contraindications to lumbar puncture.

For more information visit: https://www.hopestudyforad.com/

04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
673 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Active

    Active Group: Subjects are treated with the Active Spectris™ AD at home for 60 minutes daily for approximately 12 months.

    Device: Spectris™ AD - Active

  • Sham comparator
    Sham

    Sham Group: Subjects are treated with a Sham Spectris™ AD at home for 60 minutes daily for approximately 12 months

    Device: Spectris™ AD - Sham

Interventions

  • DeviceSpectris™ AD - Active

    Spectris™ AD - Active settings

  • DeviceSpectris™ AD - Sham

    Spectris™ AD - Sham settings

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Integrated Alzheimer's Disease MMSE ADCS-ADL Rating Scale (iADMARS)

    Comparing the change from baseline (CFB) to 12 months in iADMARS between active vs sham groups.

    Time frame: Assessed for endpoint at Screening/Baseline and 12-Month clinic visits

Secondary outcomes

  1. Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living ADCS-ADL

    Function as measured by ADCS-ADL

    Time frame: Assessed for endpoint at Screening/Baseline and 12-Month clinic visits

  2. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

    Cognition as measured by MMSE

    Time frame: Assessed for endpoint at Screening/Baseline and 12-Month clinic visits

  3. Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study- instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-iADL)

    Function and cognition as measured by ADCS-iADL

    Time frame: Assessed for endpoint at Screening/Baseline and 12-Month clinic visits

06

Study locations

68 sites
  • CCT Research - Gilbert Neurology Partners
    Gilbert, Arizona 85297, United States
  • Barrow Neurological Institute
    Phoenix, Arizona 85013, United States
  • CCT Research - Foothills Research Center
    Phoenix, Arizona 85044, United States
  • Banner Sun Health Research Institute
    Sun City, Arizona 85351, United States
  • Advanced Research Center, Inc
    Anaheim, California 92805, United States
  • ATP Clinical Research, Inc.
    Costa Mesa, California 92626, United States
  • Neurology Center of North Orange County
    Fullerton, California 92835, United States
  • Syrentis Clinical Research
    Santa Ana, California 92705, United States
  • Office of Elizabeth Zarate-Rowell, MD
    Seal Beach, California 90740, United States
  • Mile High Research Center
    Denver, Colorado 80218, United States
  • JEM Research Institute
    Atlantis, Florida 33462, United States
  • Visionary Investigators Network- Aventura
    Aventura, Florida 33180, United States
  • South Lake Pain Institute
    Clermont, Florida 34711, United States
  • Arrow Clinical Trials
    Daytona Beach, Florida 32117, United States
  • Brain Matters Research
    Delray Beach, Florida 33445, United States
  • Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida
    Fort Myers, Florida 33912, United States
  • Alphab Global Research
    Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
  • Charter Research - Lady Lake
    Lady Lake, Florida 32792, United States
  • Multi-Specialty Research Associates, Inc.
    Lake City, Florida 23055, United States
  • Premier Clinical Research Institute Inc.
    Miami, Florida 30033, United States
  • Visionary Investigators Network- Miami
    Miami, Florida 33133, United States
  • Aqualane Clinical Research
    Naples, Florida 34105, United States
  • Coastal Family Medicine - Orange Park
    Orange Park, Florida 32073, United States
  • K2 Medical Research - Orlando
    Orlando, Florida 32806, United States
  • Emerald Coast Neurology
    Pensacola, Florida 32504, United States
  • Quantum Laboratories
    Pompano Beach, Florida 33064, United States
  • Progressive Medical Research
    Port Orange, Florida 32127, United States
  • Intercoastal Medical Group - Sarasota
    Sarasota, Florida 34239, United States
  • Suncoast Neuroscience Associates
    St. Petersburg, Florida 33713, United States
  • Brain Matters Research
    Stuart, Florida 34997, United States
  • Axiom Clinical Research of Florida
    Tampa, Florida 33609, United States
  • Conquest Research
    Winter Park, Florida 32789, United States
  • Charter Research - Winter Park
    Winter Park, Florida 32792, United States
  • Emory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
    Atlanta, Georgia 30329, United States
  • NeuroStudies
    Decatur, Georgia 30033, United States
  • Great Lakes Clinical Trials- Flourish Research- Chicago
    Chicago, Illinois 60640, United States
  • Great Lakes Clinical Trials- Flourish Research- Gurnee
    Gurnee, Illinois 60031, United States
  • Josephson Wallack Munshower Neurology, PC
    Indianapolis, Indiana 46256, United States
  • Northern Light Acadia Hospital
    Bangor, Maine 04402, United States
  • Boston Clinical Trials, Inc.
    Boston, Massachusetts 02131, United States
  • Boston Center for Memory
    Newton, Massachusetts 02459, United States
  • Office of Donald S. Marks, M.D., P.C.
    Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360, United States
  • Sisu BHR, LLC
    Springfield, Massachusetts 01103, United States
  • QUEST Research Institute
    Farmington, Michigan 48334, United States
  • Hattiesburg Clinic
    Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401, United States
  • Clinical Research Professionals
    Chesterfield, Missouri 63005, United States
  • CCT Research - Papillion Research Center
    Papillion, Nebraska 68046, United States
  • Las Vegas Medical Research
    Las Vegas, Nevada 89113, United States
  • The Cognitive and Research Center of New Jersey
    Springfield, New Jersey 07081, United States
  • Neurological Associates of Albany
    Albany, New York 12208, United States
  • Integrative Clinical Trials, LLC
    Brooklyn, New York 11229, United States
  • Velocity Clinical Research - Syracuse
    East Syracuse, New York 13057, United States
  • Mid Hudson Medical Research
    New Windsor, New York 12553, United States
  • Alzheimer's Memory Center - AMC Research
    Matthews, North Carolina 28105, United States
  • Insight Clinical Trials, LLC
    Beachwood, Ohio 44122, United States
  • Neuro-Behavioral Clinical Research
    Canton, Ohio 44720, United States
  • The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
    Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
  • Center for Cognitive Health - Portland
    Portland, Oregon 97225, United States
  • The Clinical Trial Center
    Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046, United States
  • Prisma Health Neurology
    Columbia, South Carolina 29203, United States
  • Coastal Neurology
    Port Royal, South Carolina 29935, United States
  • University of Tennessee Medical Center
    Knoxville, Tennessee 37920, United States
  • North Texas Clinical Trials
    Fort Worth, Texas 76104, United States
  • UT Health San Antonio, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases
    San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
  • TRS Health
    Stafford, Texas 77477, United States
  • Mercury Clinical Research
    Sugarland, Texas 77478, United States
  • Wasatch Clinical Research
    Salt Lake City, Utah 84107, United States
  • ReCogniton Health
    Fairfax, Virginia 22031, United States
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05637801
Lead sponsor
Cognito Therapeutics, Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 5, 2022
Start date
Dec 13, 2022
Primary completion
Jun 22, 2026
Completion
Aug 17, 2026
Last update
Sep 9, 2026

Study contacts

Robbert Zusterzeel, MD, PhD, MPH
principal investigator · Cognito Therapeutics

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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