NCT00040027

Brief Summary

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.

Trial Health

85
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
500

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_3

Geographic Reach
2 countries

48 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

April 1, 2002

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 18, 2002

Completed
16 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 4, 2002

Completed
Last Updated

January 15, 2008

Status Verified

January 1, 2008

First QC Date

June 18, 2002

Last Update Submit

January 8, 2008

Conditions

Keywords

hepatitis Chepatitis C, chronic

Interventions

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • 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.

You may not qualify if:

  • 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.
  • +7 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (48)

University of Alabama - Knollwood Physician's Group Bldg.

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Location

Mayo Clinic

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Location

Gastroenterology Associates of East Bay Medical Group

Berkeley, California, United States

Location

Scripps Clinic

La Jolla, California, United States

Location

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, California, United States

Location

California Pacific Medical Center

San Francisco, California, United States

Location

Veterans Administration Medical Center GI Section (111B)

San Francisco, California, United States

Location

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

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

Location

Washington Hospital Center

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

Location

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, United States

Location

Mayo Clinic

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Location

University of Miami Center for Liver Diseases

Miami, Florida, United States

Location

Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Location

Center for Digestive and Liver Health

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Location

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates

Meridian, Idaho, United States

Location

University of Chicago Hospital & Clinic

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Location

Hepatitis C Treatment Centers, Inc.

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Location

Liver Research Center - University of Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Location

Louisiana State University Healthcare Network

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Location

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Location

Chevy Chase Clinical Research

Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States

Location

New England Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Location

University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Location

William Beaumont Hospital

Royal Oak, Michigan, United States

Location

Mississippi Gastrointestinal Associates

Jackson, Mississippi, United States

Location

VAMC

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Location

Saint Louis University Hospital

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Location

North Shore University Hospital

Manhasset, New York, United States

Location

Bronx VA Medical Center

New York, New York, United States

Location

NY VAMC

New York, New York, United States

Location

NYU Hospitals Center

New York, New York, United States

Location

Carolinas Center for Liver Diseases

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Location

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Location

University of Cincinnati - College of Medicine

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Location

Metro Health Medical Center, GI Division

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Location

Oregon Health Sciences University

Portland, Oregon, United States

Location

University of Pennsylvania Hospital

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Location

Roger Williams Medical Center

Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Location

GI Center MidSouth

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Location

University of Tennessee Gastroenterology

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Location

Baylor University Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Location

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Location

Baylor, VAMC

Houston, Texas, United States

Location

Metropolitan Research

Fairfax, Virginia, United States

Location

McGuire Research Institute

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Location

Wisconsin Center for Advanced Research

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Location

Ponce School of Medicine

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Location

Fundacion de Investigacion de Diego

Santurce, Puerto Rico

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hepatitis CHepatitis C, Chronic

Interventions

Thymalfasinpeginterferon alfa-2a

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood-Borne InfectionsCommunicable DiseasesInfectionsHepatitis, Viral, HumanVirus DiseasesFlaviviridae InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsHepatitisLiver DiseasesDigestive System DiseasesHepatitis, ChronicChronic DiseaseDisease AttributesPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ThymosinThymus HormonesHormonesHormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone AntagonistsPeptide HormonesPeptidesAmino Acids, Peptides, and ProteinsProteins

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
INDUSTRY

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 18, 2002

First Posted

July 4, 2002

Study Start

April 1, 2002

Last Updated

January 15, 2008

Record last verified: 2008-01

Locations