Phenylbutyrate Therapy for Maple Syrup Urine Disease

Completed · Phase 2/Phase 3 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Maple Syrup Urine Disease

In brief

The investigators have learned in past research that the drug phenylbutyrate can decrease the amounts of branched chain amino acids and their byproducts in the bloodstreams of healthy volunteer patients and also patients with certain disorders of protein breakdown including maple syrup urine disease. Through this study, the investigators will try to find out how well phenylbutyrate (NaPBA), also known by name brand "Buphenyl-TM", decreases BCAA and branched chain keto chain acids in the blood of patients with MSUD. The investigators hope is that through this research the investigators will be better able to treat these patients. Subjects with MSUD will take phenylbutyrate (NaPBA) in powder form for a two-week treatment period and powder placebo, a substance with no effect on the body, for a two-week treatment period. They will be given the same amount of powder and undergo the same laboratory testing during both of the two-week treatment periods. The results will be compared once the study is over.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01529060

Run by

Brendan Lee

People needed

20

Starts

2013-02-01

Expected to finish

2017-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2019-03-19

Who can join

Age: 3 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Must be 3 years or older at enrollment.
• Must have a diagnosis of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) confirmed by the presence of plasma alloisoleucine (>5 micromol/L) and/or genetic testing showing mutations in both alleles of any subunit of BCKDHA (E1alpha subunit gene, MSUD type 1A), BCKDHB (E1beta subunit gene, MSUD type 1B), or DBT (E2 subunit gene, MSUD type 2).
• Participants must have a history of compliance to diet and treatment.
• Signed informed consent by subject and/or subject's legally acceptable representative.
• Must be capable of completing study procedures, including taking oral or G- tube medication.
• Negative pregnancy test for all females of childbearing potential.
• All females of childbearing potential and all sexually active males must agree to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the study. Appropriate contraceptive methods include hormonal contraceptives (oral, injected, implanted, or transdermal), tubal ligation, intrauterine device, hysterectomy, vasectomy, or double barrier methods. Abstinence is an acceptable form of birth control, though appropriate contraception must be used if the subject becomes sexually active.

You may not qualify if…

• May not have used sodium phenylbutyrate within 30 days of Visit 1.
• May not have an active infection (viral or bacterial) or any condition which may exacerbate their MSUD causing metabolic decompensation.
• Cannot have any clinical or laboratory abnormality of Grade 3 or greater according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0 (CTCAE) (or for conditions not covered by the CTCAE, a severe or life-threatening toxicity).
• May not have taken any medications known to significantly affect renal clearance or to increase protein catabolism within the 24 hours prior to Visit 1.
• May not participate if they have a known hypersensitivity to phenylacetate or phenylbutyrate or creatinine levels 1.5 times or more ULN.
• Since a total of 53 mL will be drawn over Days 14 and 15 of both treatment periods, only subjects weighing more than 30 pounds can be enrolled.

Where it is running

• Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, Texas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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