Geisinger enrolls first patient in amyloid cardiomyopathy trial

DANVILLE, Pa. -
Cardiologist Brendan Carry, MD, and a team of Geisinger physicians have enrolled the first patient in the U.S. into a cardiac amyloidosis trial. The team is also the first to in the U.S. to screen for the trial.

"If a patient qualifies for the clinical trial, it will allow us to provide a treatment option when they receive an amyloidosis diagnosis without having to travel outside of the region for care," said Dr. Carry. "Geisinger is at the forefront of research and technological advancements that allow for better patient outcomes and improvements in their quality of life."

Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by protein buildup between the muscle cells of the heart, increasing the thickness of the heart. As these proteins build up, the heart becomes thicker and struggles to pump blood. Over time as the heart thickens, heart failure develops.

Patients with amyloidosis can inherit it from their parents or develop the condition on their own. Signs include common heart failure symptoms, such as swelling in the extremities, increased shortness of breath and weight gain. Patients may also have neuropathy symptoms, weakness, difficulty walking, tingling or numbness in their limbs, a decrease in blood pressure when adjusting positions and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The trial is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that evaluates the safety and effectiveness of amyloid deplete ALXN2220 in participants with transthyretin (TTR) amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

To be considered for the trial, patients must be between the ages of 18 to 90, have a confirmed diagnosis of ATTR-CM with transthyretin that is either wild-type TTR or a variant TR genotype, and have not received prior treatment with an ATTR amyloid depleter.

This clinical trial is sponsored by Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

To learn more or to see if you qualify for this clinical trial, call 570-214-1991.

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation's leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania's largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state's economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.