ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07651319Updated Nov 6, 2026

Interleukine-2 (IL-2) Plus Semaglutide in Alzheimer's Disease

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of IL-2 (Aldesleukin) and Semaglutide Plus IL-2 in Alzheimer Dementia (AD), sponsored by The Methodist Hospital Research Institute. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 50 Years to 86 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.

Sponsored by The Methodist Hospital Research Institute · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Sep 2026; still recruiting 2 months later.
Updated Nov 6, 2026Primary outcomes revisedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
50 Years to 86 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Despite major research efforts, effective treatments that slow or stop disease progression remain limited. Growing evidence suggests that inflammation in the brain and the body plays a key role in the onset and progression of AD. In particular, immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs), which normally help control inflammation, are impaired in AD individuals. This leads to increased activity of harmful immune pathways that worsen brain injury. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a drug that can restore the function of Tregs. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), such as semaglutide, are a class of drugs currently used to treat diabetes and obesity. Beyond their metabolic effects, GLP-1RAs also reduce inflammation, protect brain cells, and improve cellular energy balance. Laboratory studies, including our own, show that combining IL-2 with semaglutide has stronger effects than either drug alone. Together, they enhance Treg function, dampen harmful inflammatory responses, and improve cell survival. These findings support testing IL-2 plus semaglutide as a novel combination therapy for AD. We now propose a clinical trial to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and biological effects of this strategy. The study will enroll 30 individuals with AD, ages 50 to 86, who have a confirmed diagnosis by amyloid PET brain imaging and a Mini-Mental State Exam score between 16 and 26. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) placebo, (2) low-dose IL-2 alone, or (3) IL-2 combined with semaglutide. Throughout the trial, participants will undergo regular medical exams, blood tests, and safety monitoring. We will measure how the treatment affects Tregs and other immune cells, inflammatory markers in blood and CSF, and established Alzheimer's biomarkers such as amyloid beta, tau, and neurofilament light chain. Cognitive and functional assessments will also be conducted to explore potential benefits on memory and daily living skills. If successful, this study will provide the first evidence that a dual immunotherapeutic strategy can safely modify disease-related processes in AD. Such findings would lay the foundation for larger clinical trials and could open the door to a new, multimodal approach to slowing or preventing Alzheimer's progression.

02

Conditions studied

  • Alzheimer Dementia (AD)

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • inflammation
  • Immunotherapy
  • IL-2
  • Semaglutide
03

In context

Alzheimer Disease

3,965 studies on the registry are indexed under Alzheimer Disease; 926 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 30 is below the median of 70 across 3,019 interventional studies indexed under Alzheimer Disease.

Browse Alzheimer Disease studies →

Lead sponsor

The Methodist Hospital Research Institute is the lead sponsor of 160 studies on the registry; 59 are open to participants now.

Of its 28 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 18 (64%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
50 Years to 86 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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

  • Diagnosis of probable Alzheimer disease according to National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) criteria13.
  • Male or female age 50 to 86 years
  • between 16-26
  • Albumin greater than or equal to 3.0mg/dL
  • White Blood Count (WBC) >3,500/mm3; >100,000/mm3; hematocrit (HCT) >32%.
  • \<1.4
  • If on medications affecting cognition (rivastigmine, galantamine, donepezil, memantine), participants must be on stable dosage for at least 4 weeks prior to screening and should remain at a stable dosage during the course of the study.
  • English language speaking
  • Formal education of eight or more years
  • Stable pharmacological treatment of any other chronic conditions for at least 30 days prior to screening
  • A family member or caretaker who is expected to be consistently available, administer study drugs of IL-2 and attend study visits throughout the study.
  • For AD patients with limited decision-making capacity, the legally authorized representative (LAR) should be present and consent based on the patient's best interest.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any untreated bacterial, fungal or viral infection
  • Renal dysfunction indicated by serum creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL
  • Hepatic impairment indicated by level (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) greater than two times normal
  • pulmonary dysfunction, including a history of chronic pulmonary disease (e.g., [COPD]) associated with functional limitation, or \< 75% of predicted for age and height when pulmonary function testing indicated to evaluate ongoing respiratory symptoms
  • Clinically significant cardiac dysfunction, including a history of uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias, prior cardiac tamponade, or unstable angina or myocardial infarction within 3 months prior to screening, or clinically significant abnormalities on baseline (ECG). \< 40% in echocardiography if clinically indicated based on ongoing cardiac symptoms or abnormal ECG findings
  • or allergy to IL-2
  • History of severe gastrointestinal disease Hospitalization or change of chronic concomitant medication within one month prior to screening.
  • History of hemorrhage or infarct or > 3 lacunar infarcts, cerebral contusion, encephalomalacia, aneurysm, vascular malformation, subdural hematoma, hydrocephalus, space-occupying lesion (e.g., abscess or brain tumor with the exception of small incidental meningiomas) in prior CT or MRI.
  • Clinical or laboratory findings consistent with:

    1. Other primary degenerative dementia, (dementia with Lewy bodies, fronto-temporal dementia, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease(CJD), Down's syndrome, etc.)
    2. Other neurodegenerative condition (Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc.)
    3. Seizure disorder
    4. History of infectious, metabolic or systemic diseases affecting the central nervous system (syphilis, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, other laboratory values, etc.)
    5. Clinically significant abnormal T4 or TSH
  • Clinically significant, advanced or unstable disease that may interfere with outcome evaluations, such as:

    1. Respiratory insufficiency
    2. Bradycardia (\<45/min.) or tachycardia (>100/min.)
    3. Poorly managed hypertension (systolic >160 mm Hg and/or diastolic >95 mm Hg) or hypotension (systolic \<90 mm Hg and/or diastolic \<60 mm Hg)
    4. Uncontrolled diabetes defined by >8%
  • History of cancer within 3 years of screening with the exception of fully excised non-melanoma skin cancers or non- prostate cancer that has been stable for at least 6 months.
  • History of acute/chronic or C and/or carriers of hepatitis B
  • History of organ allografts
  • Current treatment with insulin or insulin secretagogues (including sulfonylureas or meglitinides)
  • Prior GLP-1 RA administration or natural GLP1 supplements intake within the past 6 months
  • Disability that may prevent the patient from completing all study requirements (e.g., blindness, deafness, severe language difficulty, etc.).
  • Within 4 weeks of screening visit or during the course of the study, concurrent treatment with antipsychotic agents (except risperidone ≤1.5 mg/day, quetiapine ≤100 mg/day, olanzapine ≤5 mg/day, and aripiprazole ≤10 mg/day), antiepileptics (except lamotrigine, gabapentin and pregabalin for nonseizure indications), centrally active anti-hypertensive drugs (e.g., clonidine, l-methyl dopa, guanidine, guanfacine, etc.), opiate analgesics, systemic , psychostimulants, antiparkinsonian medications (except for non-parkinsonian indications) and mood stabilizers (e.g., valproate, lithium), sedatives, and anxiolytics with the exception that use of short- to medium-acting benzodiazepines for treatment of insomnia is permitted, however, use of sedatives or hypnotics should be avoided for 8 hours before administration of cognitive tests.
  • Nootropic drugs except stable AD meds (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine.
  • Use of concomitant CYP-metabolized medications with a narrow therapeutic index including warfarin, calcineurin inhibitors, or theophylline)
  • Suspected or known drug or alcohol abuse, i.e., more than approximately 60 g alcohol (approximately 1 liter of beer or 0.5 liter of wine) indicated by elevated MCV significantly above normal value at screening
  • Suspected or known allergy to any components of the study treatments.
  • Intake of drug within the previous 30 days or five half-lives of the investigational drug, whichever is longer.
  • to undergoing an LP including, but not limited to: inability to tolerate an appropriately flexed position for the time necessary to perform an LP; >1.4 or other coagulopathy; count of \<100,000/μL; infection at the desired lumbar puncture site; taking anti-coagulant medication within 90 days of screening (Note: low dose aspirin is permitted); suspected non-communicating hydrocephalus or intracranial mass; prior history of spinal mass or trauma.
  • Any condition, which in the opinion of the investigator makes the patient unsuitable for inclusion.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(16)

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.

MMSE and MoCA

Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.

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.

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.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

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.

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

FEV1

From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.

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.

LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)

The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.

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.

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.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

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.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

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.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Placebo Administration

    Drug: Placebo

  • Active comparator
    Low-dose recombinant human IL-2 (LD IL-2) monotherapy

    Low-dose recombinant human IL-2 (LD IL-2) monotherapy (aldesleukin) administered subcutaneously once daily for 5 consecutive days, repeated every 4 weeks for six cycles.

    Drug: IL-2 (Aldesleukin)

  • Active comparator
    IL-2 Plus Semaglutide combination therapy

    Combination therapy with LD IL-2 on the same schedule as Arm B plus subcutaneous semaglutide, administered with stepwise dose escalation administered once weekly

    Drug: Semaglutide Plus IL-2

Interventions

  • aldesleukin administered subcutaneously once daily for 5 consecutive days, repeated every 4 weeks for six cycles

  • DrugSemaglutide Plus IL-2

    Drug pages: Semaglutide · Interleukin-2

    Combination therapy with LD IL-2 plus subcutaneous semaglutide

  • DrugPlacebo

    Placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Evaluate the Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events of IL-2 plus Semaglutide in AD patients

    Number of participants with adverse events and with abnormal laboratory findings (serum chemistry, hematology).

    Time frame: 6 months treatment phase

Secondary outcomes

  1. The impact of IL-2 plus Semaglutide administration on the blood Treg population

    Change in Treg percentage out of total # of CD4 cells from baseline to month 6

    Time frame: 6 months treatment phase

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Sep 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jun 2029, 33 months after the start.

Of 35 non-industry phase 1/2 interventional studies under Alzheimer Disease, half reached primary completion within 41 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 21 and three quarters within 63. This study's planned 33 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 62 studies reached it within 45 months; a quarter within 21 and three quarters within 63.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jun 2, 2026
First posted
Jun 16, 2026
StartActual
Sep 1, 2026
Primary completionEst.
Jun 2029
CompletionEst.
Dec 2029
Last update
Nov 6, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Primary outcomes
1 edited
What changed in the outcomes
  • EditedSafety andEvaluate the tolerabilityIncidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events of IL-2 plus Semaglutide in AD patientsTime frame: 6 months treatment phase
Nov 6, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 6, 2026
    Primary outcomes 1 edited
    What changed in the outcomes
    • EditedSafety andEvaluate the tolerabilityIncidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events of IL-2 plus Semaglutide in AD patientsTime frame: 6 months treatment phase
    + 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
NCT07651319
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 16, 2026
Start date
Sep 1, 2026
Primary completion
Jun 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 6, 2026

Study contacts

Alireza Alireza, MD
Contact
afaridar@houstonmethodist.org
713-441-1150

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Interleukin-2 · Semaglutide

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