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RecruitingNCT07511049Updated Jul 22, 2026

Intravenous Brincidofovir as an Antiviral for Treatment of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy: A Pilot Study

A Phase 2 interventional study of Brincidofovir in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, sponsored by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 99 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-22.

Sponsored by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
24
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years to 99 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background:

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by the JC virus. The JC virus is common. More than half of adults have been exposed to it. Most people do not get sick from the JC virus, but in people with weakened immune systems, it can cause PML. Brincidofovir (BCV) is an antiviral drug approved to treat smallpox. Researchers want to know if it can help people with PML.

Objective:

To test BCV in people with PML.

Eligibility:

People aged 18 years or older with PML.

Design:

Participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam with blood tests. They will have an imaging scan of the brain with contrast dye. They will have a lumbar puncture (spinal tap): A thin needle will be inserted into their lower back to draw out a sample of the fluid around their spinal cord.

BCV will be given through a tube attached to a needle inserted into a vein. Participants will receive the drug 2 times a week for 4 weeks (this is 1 cycle). If the drug is helping them, they may have up to 3 drug cycles (12 weeks).

Imaging scans, spinal taps, and other tests will be repeated after every 4 weeks of treatment. Participants will have 6 follow-up visits in 1 year after treatment ends. The imaging scan, spinal tap, and other tests will be repeated at each visit.

Read the detailed description

Study Description:

This pilot study will test safety and tolerability of IV BCV as an antiviral treatment strategy for participants with PML, and will collect preliminary data on biological and clinical impact on PML disease course. Eighteen adults with PML from all causes will complete this study.

Following a standardized baseline evaluation and confirmation of PML diagnosis with positive JCPyV DNA detection in CSF, participants will receive IV BCV 20mg (or 0.4mg/kg if participant weighs\<50kg) twice weekly in 4-week Infusion Cycles for up to 12 weeks total (3 Infusion Cycles).

At completion of each Infusion Cycle, participants will be evaluated monthly for 3 months to determine if they meet criteria for 1) redosing with additional 4-weeks of IV BCV, 2) initiation/continuation of Clinical Monitoring or 3) definition of Treatment Failure (leading to optional withdrawal from study and pursuit of rescue treatments). As long as less than 12 weeks of cumulative dosing have been pursued, redosing may be offered.

Upon completion of treatment, participants will be monitored for up to 12 months.

Objectives:

Primary Objective:

-To describe the safety and tolerability of IV BCV 20mg (or 0.4mg/kg if participant weighs\<50kg) dosed twice weekly for a cumulative total of up to 12 weeks.

Secondary Objectives:

  • To investigate kinetics and magnitude of antiviral effect of IV BCV on JCPyV load in CSF in participants with PML.
  • To investigate effect of IV BCV on clinical and radiological PML disease course.

Exploratory Objectives:

-To investigate pharmacodynamics and effect of IV BCV in urine, blood and CSF.

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoint:

-Number of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) of Grade 3 severity or higher as determined by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 6.0)

Secondary Endpoints:

  • Number of treatment-related AEs, irrespective of grade
  • Change from baseline in JCPyV load in CSF at completion of Infusion Cycles 1, 2 and 3
  • Proportion of participants with 0.25 log decline or greater in JCPyV load in CSF at completion of Infusion Cycles 1, 2 and 3
  • Number of Infusion Cycles
  • Time to increase in JCPyV load in CSF during monitoring phase
  • Number of participants meeting criteria for Treatment Failure
  • Change in performance measures and standardized disability rating scales from baseline to Month 6, 9 and 12 (or last assessment)
  • Change in PML lesion burden by MRI from baseline to Month 3, 6, 9 and 12 (or last assessment)
  • Survival at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months

Exploratory Endpoints:

-Exploratory measures in urine, blood and CSF to investigate pharmacodynamics of IV BCV, including virological and immunological changes in response to study intervention.

02

Conditions studied

  • Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

Keywords

  • Safety and Tolerability of Intravenous Brincidofovir
  • safety, tolerability, brincidofovir, PML, JCV
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 99 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Able to provide informed consent or have a designated legally authorized representative (LAR) to provide consent
  • Stated willingness to comply with study procedures and to participate for the duration of the study including follow-up
  • Actively progressing, clinically definite or probable PML (2013 AAN Consensus Diagnostic Criteria)
  • Positive PCR for JCPyV in CSF
  • Age 18 or older
  • Medically stable and able to tolerate travel to NIH
  • Participants of childbearing or child-fathering potential must be willing to use a medically acceptable form of birth control, which includes abstinence, while being treated on this study

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • ALT or AST > 5 x the ULN, total bilirubin > 3 mg/dL (SI: >51 micromol/L), or spontaneous prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) > 2 x ULN within 7 days prior to Day 1
  • An estimated glomerular filtration rate of \< 30 mL/min within 7 days prior to Day 1
  • Hypersensitivity to CDV or to BCV or its formulation excipients, or prior intolerance to these agents that, in the opinion of the investigator, would pose an unacceptable safety risk.
  • Active CNS disease other than PML that, in the opinion of the investigator, would confound study assessments or pose an unacceptable safety risk.
  • Contraindication to MRI (including cardiac pacemakers and some infusion pumps, other metallic implants, metallic foreign objects)
  • Medical contraindication to LP
  • Positive pregnancy test or nursing
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
24 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Brincidofovir treatment arm

    experimental treatment arm

    Drug: Brincidofovir

Interventions

  • DrugBrincidofovir

    intravenous administraion of anti-viral agent

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) of Grade 3 severity or higher as determined by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE)

    Time frame: Over duration of trial participation

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incidence of treatment-related AEs, regardless of severity

    Time frame: over duration of trial

  2. Change from baseline in JCPyV load in CSF upon completion of each Treatment Block

    Time frame: at end of each treatment block

  3. Proportion of patients with 0.25log decline or greater in JCPyV load in CSF upon completion of each Treatment Block

    Time frame: at end of each treatment block

  4. Time to increase in JCPyV load in CSF during monitoring phase upon treatment completion

    Time frame: over duration of trial participation

  5. Number of Treatment Blocks and duration of treatment phase

    Time frame: dependent on duration of participation: 1 month - 3 months

  6. Number of patients meeting Treatment Failure Criteria

    Time frame: At end of each treatment block

  7. Change from baseline in performance and standardized disability rating scales at 6, 9 and 12 months

    Time frame: 6, 9 and 12 months

  8. Change from baseline in PML lesion burden by brain MRI at 3, 6 9 and 12 months

    Time frame: 3, 6, 9 and 12 months

  9. Survival at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months

    Time frame: 3, 6, 9 and 12 months

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Gosert R, Rinaldo CH, Wernli M, Major EO, Hirsch HH. CMX001 (1-O-hexadecyloxypropyl-cidofovir) inhibits polyomavirus JC replication in human brain progenitor-derived astrocytes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011 May;55(5):2129-36. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00046-11. Epub 2011 Mar 14. PubMed 21402853 ↗
  • Jiang ZG, Cohen J, Marshall LJ, Major EO. Hexadecyloxypropyl-cidofovir (CMX001) suppresses JC virus replication in human fetal brain SVG cell cultures. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Nov;54(11):4723-32. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00837-10. Epub 2010 Sep 7. PubMed 20823288 ↗
  • Grimley MS, Chemaly RF, Englund JA, Kurtzberg J, Chittick G, Brundage TM, Bae A, Morrison ME, Prasad VK. Brincidofovir for Asymptomatic Adenovirus Viremia in Pediatric and Adult Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Phase II Trial. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017 Mar;23(3):512-521. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2016.12.621. Epub 2017 Jan 5. PubMed 28063938 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07511049
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 6, 2026
Start date
Jun 5, 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 22, 2026

Study contacts

Irene CM Cortese, M.D.
Contact
corteseir@ninds.nih.gov
(301) 496-1801
Irene CM Cortese, M.D.
principal investigator · National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Oversight

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

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