Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 50 to 85

NMS-01 safety test in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease

Official title: A Single-center, Single-arm, Prospective, Open-label, Pilot Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of the Focused Ultrasound Stimulator System (NMS-01) for Transient Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Opening in Patients With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease

Run by Neumous Inc. · NCT07869238 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This pilot test checks whether the focused ultrasound device NMS-01 is safe and can briefly open the blood-brain barrier in adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

More Alzheimer's Disease trials

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages50 Years to 85 Years
SexAll
Enrollment10 (estimated)
SponsorNeumous Inc.
Industry-sponsored
Locations1 site (Seoul, Seodaemun)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJanuary 5, 2026
Main results expectedOctober 31, 2026
Study endsNovember 30, 2026
Registry record updatedOctober 9, 2026
Trial IDNCT07869238 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults 50–85 with probable Alzheimer's disease, a confirmed positive amyloid PET scan, a CDR of 1–2, MMSE 12–26, stable Alzheimer’s medications for at least 3 months, and a caregiver available for follow-up.

Probably not a fit

Patients without ability to benefit from BBB opening or those at higher risk of procedure-related complications may not experience benefit.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a single-center, single-arm, open-label pilot study evaluating the safety and potential efficacy of the NMS-01 focused ultrasound system to transiently open the blood-brain barrier in adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease receiving standard care. Ten participants will undergo treatment and be monitored for safety measures such as microhemorrhages, edema, adverse events, labs, and ECGs, plus neurological exams. Efficacy endpoints include whether BBB opening occurred, the accuracy and rate of opening, and the time to BBB recovery. Safety assessments occur at the end of the procedure, about 24 hours later, and at 7 days post-procedure. The study is exploratory in nature and aims to inform feasibility and safety of this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could pave the way for enabling targeted delivery strategies across the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer's disease.

How similar studies have gone: BBB-opening with focused ultrasound has shown preliminary safety signals in related research, but translation to Alzheimer's disease remains exploratory.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria

1. Adults aged 50 to 85 years, inclusive.
2. Individuals previously diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by a specialist according to the National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) 2011 criteria.
3. Individuals with a previously confirmed positive 18F-Florbetaben (FBB) position emission tmography (PET) scan.
4. Individuals with a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global score between 1 and 2, inclusive.
5. Individuals with a total score on the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) between 12 and 26, inclusive.
6. Individuals who have been on a stable dose and regimen of approved medications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease for at least 3 months prior to screening.
7. Individuals capable of expressing sensations or discomfort to the investigator during the procedure.
8. Availability of a caregiver or informant who either lives with the participant or has sufficient contact (averaging at least 10 hours per week) to provide reliable information about the participant's overall functioning. This person must be able to accompany the participant to clinic visits, actively participate in clinical trial procedures, including interviews and questionnaire completion, and must voluntarily provide written informed consent for their own participation.
9. Participants (or their legally authorized representatives) must provide voluntary written informed consent for participation in the clinical trial. If a participant is illiterate and unable to provide written consent, verbal consent is permissible but must be formally documented. Furthermore, as all participants are considered vulnerable subjects, consent must also be provided and signed by a legal representative.

Exclusion Criteria

1. A severity score greater than 2 on any one of the following items on the Caregiver Administered Neuropsychiatry Inventory (CGA-NPI): "Delusions," "Hallucinations," or "Agitation/Aggression."
2. An uncontrolled psychiatric disorder/condition that could affect cognitive function or its assessment (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression). (However, subjects are permitted if they have been on a stable drug regimen without changes in dosage for at least the past 4 weeks).
3. Subjects with pulmonary disease (e.g., pneumonia, pulmonary edema) confirmed by chest X-ray.
4. Subjects with a known sensitivity, allergy, or contraindication to MRI contrast agents (Gadovist® injection) or ultrasound contrast agents (SonoVue®).
5. Subjects with standard contraindications for MR imaging, such as the presence of MRI-incompatible metallic implants.
6. Subjects with a known sensitivity, allergy, or contraindication to local anesthetics or anesthetic agents used for conscious sedation during the procedure, if required.
7. Subjects meeting any of the following criteria based on MRI findings:
8. More than 30% of the skull area in the intended ultrasound sonication path is covered by scar tissue, scalp disorders (e.g., eczema), or atrophied scalp.
9. A history of bleeding disorders.
10. Significant cardiac disease or unstable hemodynamic status (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, etc.).
11. Subjects with impaired renal function (Glomerular filtration rate \<30 mL/min/1.73 m²).
12. Severe brain atrophy that would preclude targeting.
13. Subjects who are HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) positive and are at high risk of HIV encephalitis due to the influx of HIV into the brain parenchyma.
14. Subjects with a potential blood-borne infection that could enter the brain parenchyma and lead to meningitis or a brain abscess.
15. Subjects with clinically significant abnormal findings on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
16. Subjects with uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes.
17. Subjects with a history of receiving anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents within 2 weeks before or after the application of the investigational medical device, or who are scheduled to receive them.
18. Pregnant or lactating women.
19. Women of childbearing potential who do not agree to use a clinically appropriate method of contraception for the duration of the clinical trial.
20. Subjects currently participating in another clinical trial or who have participated in another clinical trial within 90 days prior to the screening date.
21. Any other condition for which the investigator deems participation in the clinical trial to be inappropriate for ethical reasons or because it could influence the trial results.

Where it's running

  • Severance Hospital
    Seoul, Seodaemun, South Korea
    Recruiting

Study contacts

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.