Platform to try new treatments for progressive supranuclear palsy
Official title: The Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Clinical Trial Platform (PTP)
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11160498 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will compare three medicines for people with mild to moderate progressive supranuclear palsy to learn if they are safe and help symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $14,499,067 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG085029-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11160498 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with mild to moderate progressive supranuclear palsy who meet the study’s medical criteria and can attend regular visits for about a year.
✕Less likely to help
People with very advanced PSP, other major neurological diseases, or those unable to commit to study visits or procedures may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
You would join a multicenter, randomized trial that assigns people to one of three tau-targeting or neuroprotective medicines or to a shared placebo group. Each treatment will be taken and followed for about 12 months while doctors track safety and changes using a modified PSP Rating Scale (mPSPRS-15) and other clinical measures. The platform design shares a common protocol and placebo information so more treatments can be tested faster and with fewer patients overall. The project will also look for biological markers that might help detect benefit or predict who responds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify an effective and safe therapy that slows symptoms or progression of PSP and speed access to more treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Platform trials have helped speed testing in other neurodegenerative diseases, though tau-targeting treatments for PSP remain largely unproven to date.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boxer, Adam L. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Boxer, Adam L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Imaging brain changes over time in progressive supranuclear palsy
This project uses repeated brain scans to track disease-related changes over time in people with progressive supranuclear palsy.
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Tau’s effect on protein production in Alzheimer’s and PSP
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Investigating tau protein accumulation and its effects on movement in brain injuries.
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Using brain stimulation to improve balance in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy
This study is looking at a safe and painless way to use brain stimulation to help people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) improve their balance and reduce the risk of falling, so they can stay active and independent for longer.
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Understanding walking and balance problems in a rare neurological condition.
This study is looking at how walking and balance problems affect people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and aims to create better ways to measure these issues so that patients can receive improved care and support.
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Investigating tau protein accumulation in the brain related to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.
This study is looking at how a protein called tau builds up in certain parts of the brain and how that might lead to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), with the goal of finding early signs of the disease and better ways to diagnose and treat it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.