Clinical Trials and Research

What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is a medical research study in humans that looks for ways to treat a particular condition.
A clinical trial is carefully controlled and follows specific protocols. A clinical trial can examine the safety and/or the effectiveness of a particular treatment. These treatments can be medications, medical treatments or device treatments. The only way for a clinical trial to be successful is to have people who are willing to participate. Participants can help further medical knowledge and potentially help other people.

What clinical trials is the USC Neurology Department conducting?

Currently, we are conducting inpatient and outpatient stroke clinical trials and outpatient epilepsy clinical trials. In the future, we hope to participate in movement disorder clinical trials as well.

Current and Future Clinical Trials

JCV Antibody Program in Patients with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Receiving or Considering Treatment with Tysabri®:  STRATIFY-2
Funded by: Biogen Idec.
Site Principal Investigator: Davit Mrelashvili, MD
Contact: Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078

Immunological Studies in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Funded by: University of South Carolina
Site Investigators: Davit Mrelashvili, MD and Mitzi Nagarkatti, PhD
Contact: Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078

Brain Attack Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Acute Stroke Registry
Funded by: American Heart Association
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Contact: Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078

The Effect of Cerebral Reperfusion on Brain Connectivity in Acute Stroke
Funded by: University of South Carolina Clinical Incentive Grant
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Contact: Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078

DIAS-4: A randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled, phase III study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of desmoteplase in subjects with acute ischemic stroke
Funded by: H. Lundbeck A/S
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Contact: Shelley Laird, LPN: (803) 352-0022

Safety of rt-PA + Transcranial Emission of Low-Energy Lasers for Acute Stroke Recovery (StELLAR)
Funded by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and PhotoThera Inc.
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Contact: Shelley Laird, LPN: (803) 352-0022

An Open-Label, Multicenter, Multinational study of Lacosamide as First Add-On Antiepleptic Drug (AED) Treatment in Subjects with Partial-Onset Seizures (VERSA)
Funded by: Schwarz Biosciences, Inc. (A member of the UCB Group)
Site Principal Investigator: James Selph, MD
Contact: Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078

Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) Trial
Funded by: NINDS/NIH/Yale University
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Hannah E. Kowalczyk, MPH, 803-545-6078
Website: IRIS Trial

Platelet Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and minor stroke (POINT) Trial
Funded by: NIH/University of California at San Francisco
Site Principal Investigator: Souvik Sen, MD
Contact: Shelley Laird, LPN: (803) 352-0022
Website: POINT Trial 

What other neurology research studies are there at the University of South Carolina?

The Neurology Department is currently collaborating with the Physical Therapy Program and the Aphasia group on Stroke research studies. Below is the contact information to learn more about these studies.

Collaborative Research Studies

Intensive Mobility Training for Stroke
Physical Therapy Program: Stacy Fritz, PhD, PT
Contact: (803) 777-2627 or rehablab@gwm.sc.edu
Website: Intensive Mobility Training for Stroke Study

Aphasia Stroke Research
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Contact: (803) 777-2693
Website: Aphasia Stroke Research

For information on ongoing clinical trials at Palmetto Health Richland, you can visit:
Palmetto Health Richland Clinical Treatment Trials