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SAL-AD

CompletedPhase 1

Salsalate in Patients Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease

A Phase 1b, 12-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Preliminary Efficacy of Salsalate in Patients With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease

Lead sponsor

Adam Boxer

Asset

Salsalate

Listed sites

2

Recruiting sites

-

Enrollment

40

actual

Study population

Alzheimer’s disease

Key I/E criteria

Alzheimer's diseaseAmyloid biomarker required (PET)Tau biomarker required (PET)MMSE 14-30Study partner/caregiver required

Primary endpoint

Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events

Footprint

Where this trial recruits

Site locations as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov. Site count is not enrollment count; per-site enrollment is not available from source.

Identifiers

Registered as

NCT IDNCT03277573
Org study IDUC-SAL-AD-001

Timeline

Milestones

Study start2017-07-21actual
Study first posted2017-09-11actual
Primary completion2022-02-04actual
Study completion2023-04-10actual
Last update posted2025-04-16actual

Assets

Drug assets

Study populations

Who this study enrolls

Alzheimer’s disease

Eligibility

Who can enroll

Minimum age50 Years
Maximum age85 Years
SexAll
Healthy volunteersNot accepted

Inclusion criteria

1. Between 50 and 85 years of age (inclusive);

2. Meets National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association Workgroups criteria for probable AD dementia (McKhann et al. 2011) (30);

3. MRI at Screening is consistent with AD (≤ 4 microhemorrhages, and no large strokes or severe white matter disease);

4. MHIS at Screening is ≤ 4;

5. MMSE at Screening is between 14 and 30 (inclusive);

6. FDA-approved AD medications are allowed as long as the dose is stable for 2 months prior to initial Screening visit. Other medications (except those listed under exclusion criteria) are allowed as long as the dose is stable for 30 days prior to initial Screening visit;

7. Has a reliable study partner who agrees to accompany the subject to visits, and spends at least 5 hours per week with the subject;

8. Agrees to the lumbar puncture and CSF collection at Screening and after 11.5 months of study drug administration. The lumbar puncture and CSF collection at the end of Month 6 is optional and is not required for eligibility;

9. Positive amyloid PET scan at Screening. Previous amyloid PET scan positivity or previous AD biomarker (Aβ/tau level) positivity may be used instead of performing an amyloid PET scan at Screening at the Investigator's discretion;

10. Signed and dated written informed consent obtained from the subject and the subject's caregiver in accordance with local IRB regulations;

11. Males and all WCBP agree to abstain from sex or use an adequate method of contraception for the duration of the study and for 30 days after the last dose of study drug

Exclusion criteria

1. Any medical condition other than AD that could account for cognitive deficits (e.g., active seizure disorder, stroke, vascular dementia);

2. History of negative AD biomarker studies (CSF Aβ/tau levels or amyloid PET), or a negative amyloid PET scan during Screening;

3. History of significant cardiovascular, hematologic, renal, or hepatic disease (or laboratory evidence thereof);

4. Systolic blood pressure exceeding 180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure exceeding 100 mmHg at Screening or Baseline;

5. History of peptic ulcer disease or GI bleeding;

6. History of asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking NSAIDs or aspirin;

7. History of aspirin triad (i.e., aspirin allergy, nasal polyps, and asthma);

8. History of autoimmune disorders deemed clinically significant by the Investigator;

9. History of major psychiatric illness or major depression that in the opinion of the Investigator would pose a safety risk or interfere with the appropriate interpretation of study data;

10. Neutrophil count <1,500/mm3, platelets <100,000/mm3, serum creatinine >1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), total bilirubin >1.5 x ULN, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >3 x ULN, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >3 x ULN, or INR >1.2 at Screening;

11. Evidence of any clinically significant findings on Screening or baseline evaluations which, in the opinion of the Investigator would pose a safety risk or interfere with appropriate interpretation of study data;

12. Current or recent history (within four weeks prior to Screening) of a clinically significant bacterial, fungal, or mycobacterial infection;

13. Current clinically significant viral infection. Subjects with chicken pox, influenza, or flu symptoms are not eligible;

14. Major surgery within four weeks prior to initial Screening visit;

15. Unable to tolerate MRI scan at Screening;

16. Any contraindication to or unable to tolerate lumbar puncture at Screening, including use of anti-coagulant medications such as warfarin. Daily administration of 81 mg aspirin will be allowed as long as the dose is stable for 30 days prior to initial Screening visit;

17. Chronic use of other NSAIDs or salicylates for any reason, except for daily baby aspirin (81 mg);

18. Chronic use of oral corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants;

19. Subjects who, in the opinion of the Investigator, are unable or unlikely to comply with the dosing schedule or study evaluations;

20. Participation in another AD clinical trial within 3 months of initial Screening visit or treatment with another investigational drug within 30 days of initial Screening visit;

21. Known hypersensitivity to the inactive ingredients in the study drug (placebo or active);

22. Pregnant or lactating;

23. Positive pregnancy test at Screening or Baseline (Day 1);

24. Cancer within 5 years of initial Screening visit, except for non-metastatic skin cancer or prostate cancer without signs of metastasis

Endpoints (13)

What's being measured

Protocol endpoints and posted registry outcome measures, grouped into outcome categories. Composite endpoints show their component event types. Standard codes (LOINC, SNOMED CT) are shown where available.

Coverage by outcome category

Global cognition
3
Tau biomarkers
3
Neuroimaging
2
Function / daily living
1
Amyloid biomarkers
1
Neurodegeneration biomarkers
1
Fluid / digital biomarkers
1
Safety / tolerability / PK
1

Global cognition

3 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive scale

Time frame:6;12 months

ADAS-Cog

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Mini Mental State Examination

Time frame:6;12 months

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR-SB)

Time frame:6;12 months

Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB)

change from baseline, improvement

Function / daily living

1 endpoint
Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Alzheimer's disease Clinical Activities of Daily Living Scale

Time frame:6;12 months

ADCS-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL)

change from baseline, improvement

Amyloid biomarkers

1 endpoint
Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of beta amyloid 1-42

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

change from baseline, improvement

Tau biomarkers

3 endpoints
Secondary/protocol endpoint

Changes in Pharmacodynamic properties of Salsalate in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

Neurofilament light (NfL)

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of phosphorylated tau

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of total tau

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

change from baseline, improvement

Neurodegeneration biomarkers

1 endpoint
Other/protocol endpoint

Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of neurofilament light chain

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

Neurofilament light (NfL)

change from baseline, improvement

Neuroimaging

2 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint

Change in brain volume on brain MRI

Time frame:6; 12 months

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Change in structural and functional connectivity on brain MRI

Time frame:6; 12 months

change from baseline, improvement

Fluid / digital biomarkers

1 endpoint
Secondary/protocol endpoint

Changes in Pharmacokinetic properties of Salsalate in Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid

Time frame:6; 11.5 months

concentration, descriptive

Safety / tolerability / PK

1 endpoint
Primary/protocol endpoint

Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events

Time frame:12 months

event count, event

Publications (9)

Bibliography

Records linked to this trial through ClinicalTrials.gov references, PubMed NCT search, and curated study seeds. 'Canonical' marks design/result papers; others are registry references or candidates.

Registry references + supporting bibliography

Provenance

Sources

Trial identity, design, statusClinicalTrials.gov API v2
Snapshot dateJuly 21, 2026
Endpoint classificationDelfa ADRD endpoint taxonomy
Results tableno registry results posted yet

Trial facts come from public ClinicalTrials.gov records. Endpoint categories are Delfa's classification of those records, not a ClinicalTrials.gov field. All figures reflect the July 21, 2026 snapshot.