Recruiting
Phase 1
Phase 2

NAD+ Boosting

Sponsor:

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Code:

NCT06032923

Conditions

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Nicotinamide Riboside

Study Details

Brief summary:

Study Description:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occurs predominantly in women and is driven by type I interferon dysregulation and neutrophil hyperresponsiveness. Neutrophils in females have reduced mitochondrial bioenergetic capacity which affects immunometabolism. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ boosting with nicotinamide riboside blunts type 1 IFN activation in-vivo in monocytes of healthy subjects and ex-vivo in SLE subjects. These findings support the proposal of the hypothesis that NAD+ boosting by NR supplementation will modulate metabolic pathways in lupus and blunt type 1 interferon signaling. Moreover, as type 1 interferon drives endothelial dysfunction, linked to increased cardiovascular risk, the effect of NR on endothelial function will be examined.

Objectives:

Primary Objective: Evaluate the effect of NR vs. placebo on immunometabolic and inflammatory remodeling in female SLE subjects:

Exploratory Objective: Compare and characterize myeloid cell bioenergetic and immunometabolic profiles in healthy control and SLE female subjects

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoint:

The primary end point will be to assess the effect of NR on blunting type I IFN signaling by measuring monocytic secretion of IFN-beta secretion compared to baseline in response to placebo vs. NR supplemented in SLE study subjects.

Exploratory Endpoints:

Healthy control vs. SLE subjects:

  • Compare type I IFN transcript profiles in monocytes and neutrophils at baseline and in response to activation.
  • Assess cell bioenergetics including: 1) monocyte and neutrophil metabolic flux mass spectroscopy of 13C-glucose and 13Cglutamine analysis to investigate their metabolic fates; (iii) Mitochondrial oxygen consumption (using glucose, amino acid, and fatty acid substrates) and glycolysis rates.

SLE baseline vs. NR/placebo supplementation:

Baseline vs. 6 weeks of NR/placebo:

-Assess effect of NR on bioenergetics by measuring steady-state metabolite levels comparing changes in placebo vs. NR groups in monocytes and neutrophils.

Baseline vs. 12 weeks of NR/placebo:

  • Whole blood NAD+ levels (batched and measured at the end of study enrollment period)
  • Explore effects of NR on gene regulation using monocyte and neutrophils by RNA-seq and chromatin remodeling analysis.
  • Determine the effect of NR vs placebo on endothelial dysfunction in SLE subjects

Conditions

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle)

Study ID

NCT06032923

Start date

Mar 13, 2024

Status verified date

Jul 29, 2026

Completion date

Aug 1, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug 1, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

SLE subjects:

  • Female subjects 18 years or older who meets > 3 of 11 modified Am. Coll. of Rheumatology (ACR) (1997) Revised Criteria for SLE and mild/moderate disease activity defined as an SLE Disease Activity Index 2000(SLEDAI 2K) between zero and less than or equal to 14 at screening;
  • If on glucocorticoids, the dose must be less than or equal to 20 mg daily and stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening;
  • If on hydroxychloroquine or other antimalarials such as chloroquine or quinacrine, dose must have been stable for the 12 weeks prior to screening. The max. allowed doses - hydroxychloroquine 400 mg/day, chloroquine phosphate 500 mg/day and quinacrine 100 mg/day;
  • If on immunosuppressive drugs (methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, tacrolimus); dose must have been stable for the 12 weeks prior to screening
  • Subjects of childbearing potential must agree to practice effective birth control for the duration of the study;
  • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study;
  • Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations throughout study duration;
  • Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
  • If on vitamin B3 or tryptophan supplementation at screening, willing to stop it at least 6 weeks before the baseline visit.

Control subjects:

  • Female subjects 18 years or older
  • No history of autoimmune or inflammatory disease
  • If on vitamin B3 or tryptophan supplementation at screening, willing to stop it at least 6 weeks before the blood draw visit.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

SLE Subjects:

  • Active renal or central nervous system disease or major renal or hepatic dysfunction;
  • Treatment with rituximab, belimumab or any other biologic agent within the 6 months prior to screening
  • Treatment with cyclophosphamide or IVIG within the 6 months prior to screening and or increase in glucocorticoid dose within 4 weeks of screening;
  • Pregnancy or lactation (nursing)
  • Treatment with another investigational drug or other intervention within 6 months of screening

Control Subjects:

  • Inability to sign consent
  • Pregnancy or nursing

Pregnant women are excluded from participation on this study. Self-reported pregnancy status may be accepted from female control participants of child-bearing potential for a blood draw which is considered a minimal risk procedure.

Study Design

Enrollment

78 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

no intervention: Healthy controls

This group will not receive the dietary supplement or placebo.

active comparator: Subjects with SLE - Active

This study group will take the dietary supplement Nicotinamide Riboside capsules.

placebo comparator: Subjects with SLE - Placebo

This study group will take the Placebo.

Interventions

Nicotinamide Riboside

The dietary supplement Nicotinamide Riboside or a placebo capsule in subjects with SLE. Niagen(R) is a commercially available form of nicotinamide riboside (NR)

Primary outcome measure

  • The primary end point will be to assess the effect of NR on blunting type I IFN signaling and cytokine secretion from placebo vs. NR supplemented subjects in monocytes comparing baseline (visit 1 to visit 3). [ Time Frame: 4 years ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Rebecca D Huffstutler, C.R.N.P.

(301) 594-1281rebecca.huffstutler@nih.gov

Rachael J Klein, M.D.

(301) 443-1124rachael.klein@nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

Contacts

NIH Clinical Center Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)

800-411-1222ccopr@nih.gov

More Information

Sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Last update posted

Jul 31, 2026

Last verified

Jul 29, 2026

Keywords

  • Lupus
  • Chronic Inflammation

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) on 2026-07-31.