Batten Disease Clinical Trials

Background: CLN3, or Batten disease, is a genetic disorder. This deadly disease leads to decline of brain and nervous system functions. Symptoms of CLN3 typically occur between 4 and 7 years of age. They include changes in how a person sees, thinks, and moves. CLN3 can also cause seizures. No effective treatments for the disease are yet known. There is limited testing of potential therapies. Researchers want to study CLN3 more so they can improve future therapies. Objective: To identify clinical or biochemical markers that can be used as therapeutic outcome measures for CLN3. Eligibility: People with CLN3. It must be based on Two CLN3 mutations OR One CLN3 mutation AND findings seen with a powerful microscope Family members of a person with CLN3. Design: Participants will have already been referred to NIH for CLN3 evaluation. If participants agree to do the study, they will: 1. give spinal fluid, blood, urine, and skin samples. They may provide other samples if they were already collected. These may include cells, surgical specimens, and DNA. 2. will be seen by multiple healthcare specialists. Participants may provide medical records or photos. Participants will sign a release of medical records form.P Researchers may send samples or clinical data to other investigators. For research testing, the samples will not include the participant s name. For a test in a clinical lab, researchers will include the participant s name. These results will become part of the clinical record at NIH. Read Less

The My Retina Tracker® Registry is sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness and is for people affected by one of the rare inherited retinal degenerative diseases studied by the Foundation. It is a patient-initiated registry accessible via a secure on-line portal at www.MyRetinaTracker.org. Affected individuals who register are guided to create a profile that captures their perspective on their retinal disease and its progress; family history; genetic testing results; preventive measures; general health and interest in participation in research studies. The participants may also choose to ask their clinician to add clinical measurements and results at each clinical visit. Participants are urged to update the information regularly to create longitudinal records of their disease, from their own perspective, and their clinical progress. The overall goals of the Registry are: to better understand the diversity within the inherited retinal degenerative diseases; to understand the prevalence of the different diseases and gene variants; to assist in the establishment of genotype-phenotype relationships; to help understand the natural history of the diseases; to help accelerate research and development of clinical trials for treatments; and to provide a tool to investigators that can assist with recruitment for research studies and clinical trials. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to understand the course of rare genetic disorders that affect the brain. This data is being analyzed to gain a better understanding of the progression of the rare neurodegenerative disorders and the effects of interventions. Read Less

The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute is performing this research to accelerate diverse disease research using cells from the body (such as skin or blood cells) to make stem cells and other types of cells, conduct research on the samples, perform genetic testing, and store the samples for future use. Through this research, researchers hope to identify future treatments or even cures for the major diseases of our time. Read Less

This study aims to assess the natural history of Batten disease (Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis) by obtaining information about the motor, behavioral, and functional capabilities of individuals with Batten disease. This study will also refine and validate the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS) as a clinical rating instrument for Batten disease. Read Less

The primary objective of the study is to determine the safety and feasibility of intrathecal administration of DUOC-01 as an adjunctive therapy in patients with inborn errors of metabolism who have evidence of early demyelinating disease in the central nervous system (CNS) who are undergoing standard treatment with unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). The secondary objective of the study is to describe the efficacy of UCBT with intrathecal administration of DUOC-01 in these patients. Read Less