ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT06621602Syn-QUpdated Oct 20, 2026

Quantification of Phosphorylated Alpha-synuclein in Cutaneous Biopsies as a Prospective Biomarker in Parkinson's Disease

An observational study in REM Behavior Disorder and Parkinson Disease, sponsored by CND Life Sciences. Active, not recruiting at 18 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 50 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-20.

Sponsored by CND Life Sciences · Observational

Updated Oct 20, 2026Primary completion moved1 site added+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100
Ages
50 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study aims to assess the levels of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN) in patients with Parkinson's disease and REM Behavior Disorder using a minimally invasive skin punch biopsy. It seeks to understand the natural progression of P-SYN deposition over time to explore the potential of P-SYN quantification as a biomarker for disease progression.

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective, longitudinal study involving 75 Parkinson's disease patients and 25 patients with REM Behavior Disorder. Each participant will undergo a baseline evaluation followed by follow-ups every six months over an 18-month period. The evaluations will include clinical assessments, neurologic exams, and skin biopsies from three locations. Data will be collected on disease progression and the amount of P-SYN in cutaneous nerve fibers.

02

Conditions studied

  • REM Behavior Disorder
  • Parkinson Disease

Keywords

  • PD
  • RBD
03

In context

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

101 studies on the registry are indexed under REM Sleep Behavior Disorder; 45 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 100 is below the median of 119 across 48 observational studies indexed under REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Browse REM Sleep Behavior Disorder studies →

Lead sponsor

CND Life Sciences is the lead sponsor of 8 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
50 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Subjects will be enrolled from 18 sites across the US from academic institutions and private clinics.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Male and female 50 to 85 years of age
  2. Clinical confirmed diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or REM Sleep Behavior

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Clinical evidence of severe vascular disease (history of ulceration, poor wound healing or vascular claudication)
  2. History of allergic reaction to Lidocaine for local anesthesia needed for skin
  3. Use of blood thinners (Plavix or Aspirin used separately is allowed)
  4. Significantly impaired wound healing or history of scarring or keloid formation
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples without dna
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in phosphorylated alpha-synuclein and clinical assessments from Baseline at 18 months

    The accuracy of the pathological test in detecting α-synuclein aggregation and deposition in skin punch biopsies. Measurement of the quantity of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN) in each biopsy to determine whether cutaneous biopsies can serve as a biomarker for changes in P-SYN deposition over time .

    Time frame: 18 months

  2. Changes in phosphorylated alpha-synuclein and clinical assessments from Baseline at 18 months

    The precision of the pathological test in detecting α-synuclein aggregation and deposition in skin punch biopsies. Measurement of the quantity of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN) in each biopsy to determine whether cutaneous biopsies can serve as a biomarker for changes in P-SYN deposition over time . Time Frame: 18 months

    Time frame: 18 months

  3. Changes in phosphorylated alpha-synuclein and clinical assessments from Baseline at 18 months

    The sensitivity of the pathological test in detecting α-synuclein aggregation and deposition in skin punch biopsies. Measurement of the quantity of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN) in each biopsy to determine whether cutaneous biopsies can serve as a biomarker for changes in P-SYN deposition over time . Time Frame: 18 months Time Frame: 18 months

    Time frame: 18 months

07

Study locations

18 sites
  • CND Life Sciences
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, United States
  • Movement Disorders Center of Arizona
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, United States
  • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County
    Irvine, California 92618, United States
  • Cedars Sinai
    Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
  • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Palo Alto
    Palo Alto, California 94301, United States
  • University of Colorado
    Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
  • Aventura Neurologic Associates, LLC
    Aventura, Florida 33180, United States
  • Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center - Boca Raton
    Boca Raton, Florida 33486, United States
  • Atlanta NeuroScience Institute ANI
    Atlanta, Georgia 30327, United States
  • Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at KUMC
    Kansas City, Kansas 66160, United States
  • Neurology Multidisciplinary Clinic at Norton Healthcare
    Louisville, Kentucky 40241, United States
  • MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
    Olney, Maryland 20832, United States
  • Boston Neuro Research Center
    Boston, Massachusetts 02747, United States
  • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Long Island
    Commack, New York 11725, United States
  • University of Rochester
    Rochester, New York 14618, United States
  • The Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina 29403, United States
  • Veracity Neuroscience LLC
    Memphis, Tennessee 38157, United States
  • UT Health San Antonio
    San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Gibbons CH, Levine T, Adler C, Bellaire B, Wang N, Stohl J, Agarwal P, Aldridge GM, Barboi A, Evidente VGH, Galasko D, Geschwind MD, Gonzalez-Duarte A, Gil R, Gudesblatt M, Isaacson SH, Kaufmann H, Khemani P, Kumar R, Lamotte G, Liu AJ, McFarland NR, Miglis M, Reynolds A, Sahagian GA, Saint-Hillaire MH, Schwartzbard JB, Singer W, Soileau MJ, Vernino S, Yerstein O, Freeman R. Skin Biopsy Detection of Phosphorylated alpha-Synuclein in Patients With Synucleinopathies. JAMA. 2024 Apr 16;331(15):1298-1306. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.0792. PubMed 38506839 ↗
  • Parent JH, Levine T, Freeman R, Gibbons CH. The Syn-Q study: detection of cutaneous phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease progression: a trial protocol. Front Neurol. 2026 Apr 14;17:1823991. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1823991. eCollection 2026. PubMed 42057930 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Sites
1 site added, 1 site removed
Show site
  • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County · Irvine, United States
Show 1 removed
  • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County · Aliso Viejo, United States
Oct 20, 2026
Primary completion
Apr 2026→Apr 2027
Oct 20, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 20, 2026
    1 site added, 1 site removed
    Show site
    • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County · Irvine, United States
    Show 1 removed
    • Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County · Aliso Viejo, United States
    Primary completion Apr 2026→Apr 2027
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06621602
Lead sponsor
CND Life Sciences
Collaborators
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 1, 2024
Start date
Dec 17, 2024
Primary completion
Apr 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 20, 2026

Study contacts

Todd Levine
principal investigator · CND Life Sciences

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Discussion

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