Pilot Studies of Novel Therapies to Treat Resistant Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)

Completed · Phase 1

Conditions studied: Focal Glomerulosclerosis

In brief

The current management of primary FSGS is predicated on the assumption that the disease is caused by an immune-mediated disturbance in glomerular barrier function. Therefore, most treatment protocols have involved immunosuppressive drugs given singly or in combination. However, the efficacy of this type of therapy has been disappointing and the long-term prognosis for renal survival in patients with resistant FSGS is poor. An alternative approach that targets the fibrosis pathway may represent a novel approach to the treatment of resistant FSGS. In this R21, the investigators will test the hypothesis that two novel agents - a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) antagonist and a peroxisome proliferator activator receptor-gamma (PPARγ) agonist - can be administered safely to patients with resistant FSGS. In the R21 feasibility/pilot phase, pharmacokinetic studies will be conducted to assess the impact of proteinuria on the kinetics of the novel drugs in children and adults. Specific Aim #1: To assess the safety and tolerability of two novel drugs - a TNF-α antagonist and a PPARγ agonist - in patients with resistant FSGS. Specific Aim #2: To conduct a pharmacokinetic (PK) assessment of the selected agents to enable selection of medication regimens for investigation in a randomized Phase II study.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT00193648
Run by: Northwell Health
People needed: 21
Starts: 2005-07-01
Expected to finish: 2007-10-01
Last updated by the study team: 2007-10-22

Who can join

Age: 2 and older, up to 40. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Aged 2-42 years at onset of proteinuria
Aged ≤ 42 years at time of randomization (randomization date before 43rd birthday)
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 40 ml/min/1.73 m2 at most recent measurement prior to randomization
For patients < age 18 years: Schwartz formula
For patients ≥ age 18 years: Cockroft-Gault formula
Up/c > 1.0 g/g creatinine on first morning void at time of randomization
Biopsy confirmed as primary FSGS (including all subtypes) by study pathologist.
Steroid resistance: During the last treatment course with high dose steroids prior to randomization, the patient must have demonstrated steroid resistance defined below and not have had a complete remission of proteinuria (Up/c < 0.2 or dipstick urine protein negative/trace) subsequently. The course of steroid treatment that defines resistance must be the same or equivalent to at least 4 weeks of every day dosing with a minimum cumulative dose of 56 mg/kg or 1680 mg of prednisone or its equivalent.
May be taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blocking agent (ARB), vitamin E, or lipid lowering therapy
Willingness to comply with clinical trial protocol, medications, and follow-up visits, etc.
Screen failure in FSGS-CT based on prior treatment with excluded medication
Treatment failure in FSGS-CT based on failure to achieve remission after 26 weeks or 52 weeks of test therapy, i.e., cyclosporine or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) + oral dexamethasone pulses

You may not qualify if…

Secondary FSGS
Treated with cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, levamisole, methotrexate, nitrogen mustard, or other immunosuppressive medications in the 30 days prior to randomization
Lactation, pregnancy, or refusal of birth control in women of child bearing potential
Participation in another therapeutic trial concurrently or for 30 days prior to randomization
Active/serious infection (including, but not limited to hepatitis B or C, HIV)
Malignancy
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or multiple sclerosis
Hepatic disease defined as serum AST/ALT > 2.5X the upper limit of normal
Patients with blood pressure > 140/95 or > 95th percentile for age/height while receiving maximal doses of 3 or more antihypertensive agents.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) type I or II.
Hematocrit < 30%
Organ transplantation
Obesity (based on estimated dry weight at disease onset prior to steroid therapy) defined as:
Body mass index (BMI) > 97th percentile for age if aged 2-20 years
BMI > 40 kg/m2 if aged ≥ 21 years
Allergy to study medications
Inability to consent/assent

Where it is running

Howard Trachtman — New Hyde Park, New York, United States
Debbie Gipson — Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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