Thymosin Plus PEG-Interferon in Non-Cirrhotic Hepatitis C Patients Who Did Not Respond to Interferon or Interferon Plus Ribavirin

NCT ID: NCT00040027

Last Updated: 2008-01-15

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

500 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2002-04-30

Brief Summary

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Chronic hepatitis C infection is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease in the United States. Approximately one-third of patients with hepatitis C infection develop cirrhosis of the liver, which can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. The current treatment for hepatitis C infection in previously untreated patients is successful in only about half of patients. There is no established therapy for non-responders.

This is a randomized, double-blinded, multicenter trial to determine the effectiveness of thymosin alpha 1 (thymalfasin) 1.6 mg twice weekly plus PEGinterferon alfa-2a 180 ug/wk compared to placebo plus PEGinterferon alfa-2a in adults with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis who are non-responders to previous treatment with interferon or interferon plus ribavirin. The definition of non-response requires a positive HCV RNA test at the end of a course of at least 12 weeks of therapy. Patients will receive treatment for 12 months, and will be followed-up for a further 6 months after the end of therapy.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Hepatitis C Hepatitis C, Chronic

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Interventions

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thymalfasin (thymosin alpha 1) + PEGinterferon alfa-2a

Intervention Type DRUG

placebo + PEGinterferon alfa-2a

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Signed written informed consent.
* Age over 18 years old.
* Presence of HCV RNA measured by qualitative PCR.
* Nonresponder to a previous course of therapy with either IFN alone or IFN plus ribavirin. The patient must have been treated for at least 12 weeks.
* Washout period of at least 6 months from previous therapy with IFN alone or IFN plus Ribavirin.
* Liver biopsy consistent with chronic hepatitis C within the last 12 months before treatment starts, and at least 6 months after the end of the prior failed therapy.
* No clinical or histological evidence of cirrhosis (METAVIR fibrosis score 0 to 3).
* Compensated liver disease with prothrombin time prolonged less than 3 seconds over control, serum albumin stable and within normal limits, total bilirubin \< 2 mg/dl, and no history of hepatic encephalopathy, esophageal varices or ascites.
* Ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI of the liver within 3 months of entry negative for HCC.
* Hematocrit \> 30%, platelet count \> 100 x 109/L, WBC \> 3 x 109/L, and polymorphonuclear white cell count \> 1.5 x 109/L.
* Adequate renal function as demonstrated by serum creatinine level \< 2.0 mg/dL.
* Normal TSH or adequately controlled thyroid function.
* If the patient is a woman, she is using a definitive method of birth control in consultation with her physician, or is surgically sterile or post-menopausal.

Exclusion Criteria

* Use of systemic corticosteroids within 6 months of entry.
* Current use of any drug known to be hepatotoxic, any drug (other than the study drugs) known to have or suspected of having therapeutic activity in hepatitis C or of any immunosuppressive drug (including corticosteroids).
* Any other liver disease including hepatitis B, hepatitis delta, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, primary biliary cirrhosis, sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, or Wilson's disease.
* Alpha-fetoprotein \> 200 ng/mL.
* Current or past diagnosis of cirrhosis.
* Evidence of portal hypertension either by Doppler ultrasonography or gastrointestinal endoscopy.
* Decompensated liver disease based on a history of hepatic encephalopathy, esophageal varices, or ascites.
* HIV infection diagnosed by HIV seropositivity and confirmed by Western blot.
* Concomitant or prior history of malignancy other than curatively treated skin cancer or surgically cured in situ carcinoma of the cervix.
* Active infectious process other than HCV that is not of a self-limited nature (eg. TB or AIDS).
* Rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune disease (serum ANA \> 1:160).
* Pregnancy as documented by a urine pregnancy test.
* Alcohol or intravenous drug abuse within the previous 1 year.
* Chronic use of methadone.
* Patients who are poor medical risk or who have any non-malignant systemic disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make it unlikely that the patient could complete the protocol.
* Patients with a history of severe depression that required either hospitalization or electroshock therapy; or depression associated with suicide attempt.
* Patients with significant pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary disease.
* Any indication that the patient would not comply with the conditions of the study protocol.
* Previous treatment with thymosin alpha 1.
* Patients with known hypersensitivity to IFNa.
* Simultaneous participation in another investigational drug study, or participation in any clinical trial involving investigational drugs with 3 months before study entry.
* Family history of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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SciClone Pharmaceuticals

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Locations

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University of Alabama - Knollwood Physician's Group Bldg.

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Site Status

Mayo Clinic

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Site Status

Gastroenterology Associates of East Bay Medical Group

Berkeley, California, United States

Site Status

Scripps Clinic

La Jolla, California, United States

Site Status

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, California, United States

Site Status

California Pacific Medical Center

San Francisco, California, United States

Site Status

Veterans Administration Medical Center GI Section (111B)

San Francisco, California, United States

Site Status

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

Washington Hospital Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, United States

Site Status

Mayo Clinic

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Site Status

University of Miami Center for Liver Diseases

Miami, Florida, United States

Site Status

Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Site Status

Center for Digestive and Liver Health

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Site Status

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates

Meridian, Idaho, United States

Site Status

University of Chicago Hospital & Clinic

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Site Status

Hepatitis C Treatment Centers, Inc.

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Site Status

Liver Research Center - University of Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Site Status

Louisiana State University Healthcare Network

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Site Status

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Site Status

Chevy Chase Clinical Research

Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States

Site Status

New England Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status

University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status

William Beaumont Hospital

Royal Oak, Michigan, United States

Site Status

Mississippi Gastrointestinal Associates

Jackson, Mississippi, United States

Site Status

VAMC

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Site Status

Saint Louis University Hospital

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Site Status

North Shore University Hospital

Manhasset, New York, United States

Site Status

Bronx VA Medical Center

New York, New York, United States

Site Status

NY VAMC

New York, New York, United States

Site Status

NYU Hospitals Center

New York, New York, United States

Site Status

Carolinas Center for Liver Diseases

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

University of Cincinnati - College of Medicine

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Metro Health Medical Center, GI Division

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Oregon Health Sciences University

Portland, Oregon, United States

Site Status

University of Pennsylvania Hospital

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Roger Williams Medical Center

Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Site Status

GI Center MidSouth

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Site Status

University of Tennessee Gastroenterology

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Site Status

Baylor University Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Site Status

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Site Status

Baylor, VAMC

Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status

Metropolitan Research

Fairfax, Virginia, United States

Site Status

McGuire Research Institute

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Site Status

Wisconsin Center for Advanced Research

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Site Status

Ponce School of Medicine

Ponce, , Puerto Rico

Site Status

Fundacion de Investigacion de Diego

Santurce, , Puerto Rico

Site Status

Countries

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United States Puerto Rico

Other Identifiers

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Ta1-CHC-2K0803a

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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