Study to Evaluate if the Addition of r-hLH (Luveris®) to FSH From Day 8 of Ovarian Stimulation is Able to Decrease Total FSH Dose and to Improve Cycle Outcome in Infertile Women Undergoing ART, Who Required High FSH Dose in a Previous Cycle

NCT ID: NCT01071200

Last Updated: 2013-12-27

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE3
• Total Enrollment: 133 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2005-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2009-04-30

Brief Summary

The present study was designed to investigate, in hyporesponder subjects, that required in a previous assisted reproductive technologies (ART) cycle follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) >3500 International Unit (IU), the possibility to decrease through recombinant human luteinizing hormone (r-hLH) supplementation, the FSH amount per oocytes retrieved and in the mean time to improve the overall cycle outcome.

Detailed Description

Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH), which totally lacks LH activity, is widely used to induce multiple follicle development in women under pituitary desensitization, in order to submit them to treatment with assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Clinical experience from hypogonadotropic-hypogonadic women suggests that while FSH alone is sufficient to induce follicle development, LH plays a significant part in final follicle maturation, estrogen synthesis and optimal endometrium growth.

This was a phase III, multicentre, randomized, open-label comparative study to evaluate if the addition of r-hLH (Luveris) in a 2:1 ratio to FSH from day 8 of ovarian stimulation is able to decrease the total FSH dose and to improve cycle outcome in 250 infertile women undergoing ART, who required high FSH dose in a previous cycle (≥ 3500 IU). Subjects who have met all the inclusion criteria, achieved pituitary desensitization and started controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) treatment with FSH, on stimulation day 8 (S8) received an identification number and will be allocated to one of the two following arms:

Arm : FSH + r-hLH (2:1 ratio of FSH:r-hLH), Arm : FSH alone. Treatment with Luveris was commenced on day 8 (S8) and continued until injection of hCG or cancellation of the treatment cycle.

Monitoring of stimulation, FSH dose escalation, criteria for injection of hCG, ovum pick up, embryo transfer and pregnancy confirmation took place according to standard management practice. The in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytosolic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure, including luteal phase support, was performed according to each centres' normal procedures.

The subjects were followed up and the treatment outcome (menstruation or pregnancy) was recorded. The delivery outcome for any pregnant subjects was recorded in the Case Report Form (CRF).

Information on the delivery outcome for each pregnancy was collected. Information on adverse events was collected during the study period.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the study was:

To determine whether the addition of r-hLH (Luveris) from day 8 of ovarian stimulation reduces the FSH dose needed to obtain/retrieve each oocyte.

The secondary objectives of the study were:

• To determine whether the addition of Luveris to FSH at day 8 of ovarian stimulation improves cycle outcome based on secondary endpoints
• To determine the safety of Luveris in this indication

Conditions

Reproductive Techniques, Assisted

Keywords

Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH); Recombinant leutinizing hormone (r-hLH)

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

A

Subjects treated with r-hFSH and r-hLH (2:1 ratio of r-hFSH:r-hLH)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Recombinant human Follicle Stimulating Hormone (r-hFSH) and Recombinant human Luteinizing Hormone (r-hLH)

Intervention Type: DRUG

One r-hFSH and one r-hLH injection subcutaneously (s.c.) once daily during the treatment phase from Day 8 of stimulation until injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or cancellation of the treatment cycle.

B

Subjects treated with r-hFSH alone

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

r-hFSH

Intervention Type: DRUG

One r-hFSH injection s.c. once daily during the treatment phase from Day 8 of stimulation until injection of hCG or cancellation of the treatment cycle.

Interventions

Recombinant human Follicle Stimulating Hormone (r-hFSH) and Recombinant human Luteinizing Hormone (r-hLH)

One r-hFSH and one r-hLH injection subcutaneously (s.c.) once daily during the treatment phase from Day 8 of stimulation until injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or cancellation of the treatment cycle.

Intervention Type: DRUG

r-hFSH

One r-hFSH injection s.c. once daily during the treatment phase from Day 8 of stimulation until injection of hCG or cancellation of the treatment cycle.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Other Intervention Names

r-hLH; r-hFSH

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Pre-menopausal infertile woman, aged 18 to 40 years inclusive, who wishes to conceive
• Regular, spontaneous menstrual cycle of 25-35 days
• Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 28
• FSH ≤ 10 IU/L (follicular phase, days 2-5)
• Prolactin (PRL) within the normal ranges
• Evidence of both ovaries by ultrasound scan
• Women undergoing IVF-Embryo Transfer (ET) or ICSI, down regulated with Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) (daily dose) under controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) with FSH
• Washout > 90 days from last dose of clomiphene or gonadotrophin, before ongoing COH cycle
• Only one previous IVF-ET or ICSI cycle (in the last 9 months preceding the ongoing COH cycle) resulted in a hypo-response properly documented (from 6 to 12 oocytes with a total FSH dose ≥ 4000 IU)
• Negative pregnancy hCG test (urine or blood sample) before the ongoing COH cycles
• Willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study
• Written informed consent before applying any procedure related to the study protocol, which is not part of routine medical care, with the understanding that consent may be withdrawn by the subject at any time, without prejudice on their future medical care

Exclusion Criteria

• Oligo/Anovulatory cycles (World Health Organization [WHO] I and II)
• Male partner azoospermia (assessed within the last 12 months)
• Follicular phase (day 2-5) FSH > 10 IU/L even if only once observed in the medical history
• Abnormal cervical cytology (assessed within the last 12 months)
• History of unexplained gynecologic hemorrhage
• Any contraindication to pregnancy
• Known allergy to gonadotrophin
• Any clinically important systemic disease (e.g. insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, serious migraine, intermittent purpura, hepatic, renal or cardiovascular disease, serious corticoid-dependent asthma) which constitutes a contraindication to gonadotropin use
• Any medical condition which, according to the investigator's judgement, may affect the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of the drug. In case of doubt, inclusion of the subject in question should be discussed with the Medical Responsible of Serono
• Known Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positivity
• Any substance abuse or history of drugs or alcohol abuse within the past 5 years
• Prior inclusion in the present study or simultaneous inclusion in a clinical study of another drug
• Refusal or inability to comply with the protocol

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Merck Serono S.P.A., Italy

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Salvatore Longobardi

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Merck Serono S.P.A., Italy

Locations

Merck Serono S.p.A.

Roma, , Italy

Countries

Italy

Other Identifiers

2004-002218-13

Identifier Type: EUDRACT_NUMBER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

IMP25289

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

NCT00267761

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: nct_alias