A Phase 4 interventional study of Donanemab and Placebo in Down Syndrome (DS), Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) and Alzheimer Disease, sponsored by Michael Rafii, MD, PhD. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 35 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-15.
Sponsored by Michael Rafii, MD, PhD · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if donanemab can reduce levels of amyloid in the brain, and if donanemab is safe and well-tolerated in participants with Down syndrome.
The main questions it aims to answer are: Does donanemab reduce amyloid in the brain? Is donanemab safe and well-tolerated in people with Down syndrome? Researchers will compare donanemab to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if donanemab works to reduce levels of amyloid in the brain.
Participants in the study will be 35-50 years old and will be in the study for 12 months. Participants will then stay in the study for an additional 12 months in an long-term extension where all participants will receive donanemab. Participants who had a reduction in amyloid (measured by amyloid brain scan) by the end of the first 12 months will receive placebo for the long-term extension, while participants who did not have an amyloid reduction will receive study donanemab for the long-term extension. Everyone (participants and study staff) will remain blinded to treatment for the duration of the study.
Participants will:
The conduct of this Phase 4 clinical study is intended to evaluate the effect of donanemab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, on brain amyloid (centiloids), in the non-demented DS population, with the primary objective of reducing amyloid accumulation. Concurrently, the study aims to investigate the safety and tolerability, and therapeutic potential of donanemab while maintaining the safety and tolerability observed in clinical studies in early AD populations up to the dose of 1400mg.
Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of donanemab will be assessed in a non-demented DS population in the range of 35-50 years of age who are cognitively stable or have Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which could indicate preclinical and prodromal AD, in a genetic population with ≥18 centiloids on amyloid-PET.
The study will have a duration of approximately 12 months (52 weeks). A long-term extension (LTE) will also be included, lasting an additional 12 months (52 weeks).
438 studies on the registry are indexed under Down Syndrome; 99 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is above the median of 37 across 286 interventional studies indexed under Down Syndrome.
Browse Down Syndrome studies →This is the only study on the registry with Michael Rafii, MD, PhD as lead sponsor.
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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.
Exclusion Criteria:
MRI scan at screening showing a single area of cerebral vasogenic edema, superficial siderosis, or evidence of a prior macro-hemorrhage, or showing more than one (1) cerebral microhemorrhage (regardless of their anatomical location with a diagnostic characterization as "definite"), evidence of space occupying lesions, more than two (2) lacunar infarcts, or one (1) infarct larger than 1cm in diameter, severe white matter disease, and structural evidence of alternative pathology not consistent with AD and considered to be at the origin of participant's symptoms.
NOTE: Small incidental meningiomas and arachnoid cysts (\<1cm in diameter) may be permitted with Medical Monitor review and approval.
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.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.
Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.
Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Investigational drug or device
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
TIA (transient ischaemic attack)
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HbA1c
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECG (electrocardiogram)
A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
INR, PT and aPTT (clotting tests)
Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.
Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Donanemab will be administered per label instructions and the pharmacy manual as an IV infusion every 4 weeks using an up-titration regimen that will allow participants to reach a target dose of 1400 mg within 12 weeks
Drug: Donanemab
Drug: Placebo
Donanemab will be administered as an IV infusion every 4 weeks using an up-titration regimen that will allow participants to reach a target dose of 1400 mg within 24 weeks.
Also known as: Kisunla
The control product (placebo) will be supplied in vials containing 350 mg/20 mL of donanemab Placebo for donanemab is supplied to the clinical site to match the active study intervention and contains only inactive ingredients. Normal sterile saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride) will be used for dilution.
Change from baseline on brain amyloid levels
Change in brain amyloid measured by amyloid PET imaging (amyloid centiloid levels) from baseline to 12 months. An increase indicates a worsening.
Time frame: 12 months
Change from baseline to 12 months in the Modified Cued Recall Test (mCRT)
The Modified Cued Recall Test (mCRT) is a cognitive assessment tool designed to evaluate memory and has been modified from a version developed for adults from the typical population. 12 items are presented for learning, 4 at a time, with each item accompanied by a unique category cue. The testing phase consists of 3 trials. Each trial begins with free recall of the test items; following free recall, a category cue is provided for those items not spontaneously recalled. Two scores are generated from the test, a Free Recall Score and a Total Score. A higher score indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: From baseline to 12 months
Change from baseline in whole brain volume
Change in whole brain volume as measured by MRI. A decrease indicates a worsening.
Time frame: From baseline to 12 months
Change from baseline in brain hippocampal volume
Change in brain hippocampal volume as measured by MRI. A decrease indicates a worsening.
Time frame: From baseline to 12 months
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Yes
Supporting information: Study protocol
Start is estimated for Aug 2026; primary completion for Dec 2028, 28 months later.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Donanemab