An interventional study of Adaptix nanoPEEK Cage and Capstone PTC Cage in Degenerative Disc Disease and Lumbar Fusion, sponsored by Francis Farhadi. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-16.
Sponsored by Francis Farhadi · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study is comparing two FDA-approved cages used during lower back surgery. The study will look at whether one cage helps the bones in the back fuse together better than the other. Adults who are having a 1 or 2 level lumbar fusion surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either the Adaptix nanoPEEK cage or the Capstone PTC cage. Participants will have follow-up visits with imaging and questionnaires to evaluate bone fusion, back and leg pain, physical function, and overall health.
This study is a single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled superiority trial at the University of Kentucky. The study will enroll adults who are undergoing a 1 or 2 level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for degenerative disc disease.
Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the Adaptix nanoPEEK cage or the Capstone PTC cage during their lumbar fusion surgery. Both cages are FDA-Approved and are used as part of the standard-of-care lumbar fusion surgery. The study is comparing the outcomes of the two cages to determine whether one results in better spinal fusion outcomes.
Participants will have follow-up visits after surgery. X-rays will be performed at follow-up visits and a CT scan will be performed at 6 months to evaluate the progress of spinal fusion and the condition of the device and graft. An independent radiologist will review the imaging. Participants will also complete questionnaires about disability, overall health, and back and leg pain. Follow-up may continue for up to 24 months after surgery.
462 studies on the registry are indexed under Intervertebral Disc Degeneration; 100 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 108 is above the median of 60 across 256 interventional studies indexed under Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.
Browse Intervertebral Disc Degeneration studies →Francis Farhadi is the lead sponsor of 9 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.
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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.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
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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.
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.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
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.
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.
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.
Participants will receive the Adaptix nanoPEEK Cage during lumbar fusion surgery.
Device: Adaptix nanoPEEK Cage
Participants will receive the Capstone PTC Cage during lumbar fusion surgery.
Device: Capstone PTC Cage
FDA- approved interbody cage used during lumbar fusion surgery.
FDA- approved interbody cage used during lumbar fusion surgery.
Radiographic Fusion
Radiographic fusion will be assessed using the Brantigan and Steffee classification as modified by Fraser (BSF Scale). Radiographic success is defined as BSF-3 fusion, with bone bridges present with at least half fusion area and at least the density originally achieved at surgery.
Time frame: 6 Months After Surgery
Start is estimated for Oct 2026; primary completion for Apr 2028, 18 months later.
Of 40 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, half reached primary completion within 44 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 13 and three quarters within 63. This study's planned 18 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 85 studies reached it within 50 months; a quarter within 27 and three quarters within 72.
Start moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Sep 2026 → Oct 2026, on Oct 16, 2026.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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 ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Intervertebral Disc Degeneration →
Francis Farhadi